Twins triumph over Royals
AP Photo MNJM102
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Scott Baker sparkled over eight crisp innings and Joe Mauer drove in three runs to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Baker (5-4) faced one batter over the minimum, struck out seven and allowed two hits, both in the fourth inning. Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save in 25 opportunities.
Gil Meche (7-8) was nearly as good for the Royals, whose four-game winning streak ended. After struggling in the first inning, Meche settled down and allowed two runs through seven innings, striking out five.
It was the third win a row for Minnesota (54-51), which traded second baseman Luis Castillo to the New York Mets for two minor leaguers two hours before gametime. The Twins moved within six games of AL wild-card leading Cleveland, which was idle.
Minnesota's first four batters of the game reached against Meche. Mauer dropped a double inside the left-field line to score Jason Tyner and Jason Bartlett.
Mauer singled in Tyner in the eighth to make it 3-1. Tyner went 3-for-4 and Mauer finished with two hits.
Baker retired the first nine batters he faced before giving up a leadoff double to David DeJesus in the fourth. Mark Grudzielanek followed with a single to drive in DeJesus.
The back-to-back hits were the only offense the Royals could muster against Baker.
Meche avoided further damage in the first by getting Torii Hunter to ground into a double play with runners on first and second and nobody out. Jason Kubel followed by launching a shot into the upper deck in right field that landed foul by only a few feet. Meche struck him out three pitches later.
The 28-year-old then retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced.
Despite the Castillo trade, Twins general manager Terry Ryan told reporters before the game that the team is not giving up on reaching the playoffs this season.
Several Royals players are also on the trading block. Octavio Dotel is one of the most sought after players on the market. Grudzielanek and Reggie Sanders also could be dealt before Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline.
Notes: Tyner replaced Castillo in the Twins' leadoff spot and narrowly missed his second career home run in the fifth. Tyner hit his first career homer in 1,220 at-bats Friday against Cleveland ... Grudzielanek stole his first base of the season in the fourth. ... Three quarters of DeJesus' broken bat in the sixth inning flew into the seats along the first-base line.