Twins 3, Phillies 2
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins returned home from a trip to Washington, where they had trouble scoring runs, and continued that trend Tuesday night against Philadelphia at Target Field but still managed to beat the Phillies 3-2 in an efficient, well-pitched game.
With the score tied at 2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Twins manufactured the winning run. Jamey Carroll, who snapped an 0-for-24 slump with two hits in the game, walked and then took second on Joe Mauer's single to right. Carroll went to third on a fielder's choice and scored on Justin Morneau's single. It was Morneau's third hit and second RBI of the night.
Starters Cole Hamels of the Phillies and P.J. Walters of the Twins were both effective in the early going.
Walters, in his fourth start since being called up on May 25, pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and no earned runs with five strikeouts. He has become a stopgap for the Twins' rotation that has struggled for much of the season.
Walters, who did not figure in the decision, deserved a better fate. He gave up two singles in the eighth. Relief pitcher Brian Duensing struck out Jimmy Rollins, but Ryan Howard delivered a two-out single to right to tie the score at 2.
Duensing, who picked up the win, got the dangerous Dominic Brown to ground out with two men on to end the inning.
Twins closer Glen Perkins came on in the ninth to secure his 14th save.
Hamels, meanwhile, shut out the Twins for three innings on two hits, no walks and three strikeouts. But he ran into trouble in the fourth, giving up four consecutive hits, before settling down. In six innings, he gave up two earned runs, seven hits and no walks with five strikeouts.
The Phillies opened the scoring in the third when John Mayberry reached base on an error to Morneau at first base. Mayberry took second on Humberto Quintero's groundout and scored on a Michael Young single to right.
The Twins returned fire in the fourth on three straight doubles by Josh Willingham, Morneau and same-day call up Oswaldo Arcia.
Morneau had been in an extra-base hit drought and his drive came close to being a home run.
Arcia's blast nearly did the same, bouncing off the wall in front of former Twin Ben Revere, giving the Twins a 2-1 lead.
NOTES: In their previous 16 games, the Twins' bullpen has posted a 1.90 ERA (52 innings pitched and 11 earned runs) with opponents hitting .185. ... The Twins are 6-6 against Philadelphia all time and have won three of the past five games. ... Coming into the game, the Phillies had at least one home run in each of their past 14 games -- their longest streak since 18 straight in 2008. The Phillies lead the majors in home runs (24). ... The Phillies have grounded into a National League-leading 54 double-plays this season. ... The Twins are leading the majors in double-plays turned with an average of 1.23 per game.
