Recap: LA Angels vs. Minnesota
Sports Network | August 22, 2008
Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Denard Span had two hits and drove in the go- ahead run in the 12th inning, as the Minnesota Twins edged the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 2-1, in the opener of a four-game set.
The Twins jumped ahead in the 12th inning off Justin Speier (1-7) as Nick Punto opened the frame with a triple. Carlos Gomez then went down swinging, but Span laced an RBI single into left field just out of the reach of a diving Chone Figgins at third.
Joe Nathan came in trying to hold onto Minnesota's 2-1 lead in the home 12th and got Garret Anderson to go down swinging for the first out. Howie Kendrick then flied to right and Sean Rodriguez went down swinging to give Nathan his 35th save on the year.
Gomez drove in the other run for the Twins, who have won three straight and seven of their last eight. Punto had a double and a triple, scoring both Minnesota runs and Joe Mauer went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.
Minnesota starter Scott Baker threw eight frames and was touched for one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six for the no-decision. Jesse Crain (5-2) got the win with a perfect 11th, which helped the Twins tie the idle Red Sox for the lead in the Wild Card race and move the club within a half-game of the White Sox for the AL Central lead.
Mark Teixeira had a solo homer for the Angels, who have dropped six of their last eight. Anderson went 0-for-5 to snap his hitting streak at 23 games.
LA starter John Lackey lasted eight innings and surrendered one run on five hits while fanning six and walking two. The righty was also charged with two errors in the no-decision.
Teixeira gave the Angels an early 1-0 lead as he crushed a two-out homer over the fence in center in the first inning.
Minnesota rallied to tie the game in the fifth. With two gone, Punto hit a scorcher to the right side of the infield that deflected off Teixeira and into right field for a double. Gomez followed with an RBI single to left and the game was tied at one.
Minnesota began a 14-game, 15-day swing with Thursday's win and will go through Seattle, Oakland and Toronto in the longest trip since 1969. The Twins are being forced out of town for some time due to the Republican National Convention that will take place from September 1-4...Overall at home this year, Minnesota is 46-23 compared to a 27-31 record as the visiting club...Minnesota's Alexi Casilla went 1-for-6 after being activated off the 15-day disabled list following Wednesday's win...The Angels began an 11-game homestand Thursday and lead the AL West by 15 games over Texas...The Angels are 9-4 versus the Twins at home since the start of the 2005 season...It was Lackey's 200th start as a big-leaguer.
