CLEVELAND -This is no time for an extended losing streak, and the Twins were facing that distinct possibility after losing Friday behind the nearly invincible Johan Santana. That left Carlos Silva (6.08 ERA) and Scott Baker (6.72) to finish the series against the Cleveland Indians, who countered Saturday night with the ever-imposing C.C. Sabathia.
The stakes were high, and for the third start in a row, Silva answered the challenge by flashing his 2005 form, giving the Twins a 4-1 victory at Jacobs Field.
Silva (10-13) held the Indians to five hits over seven innings, Torii Hunter hit his 26th home run and Mike Redmond went 3-for-4 as the Twins moved three games ahead of the White Sox in the wild card race.
Winning for the seventh time in nine games, the Twins also stayed within two games of first-place Detroit.
Besides firming up their grip on a potential playoff berth, the Twins have rediscovered a veteran pitcher who would fit nicely behind Santana in a postseason rotation.
With Francisco Liriano and Brad Radke injured, Silva has posted a 0.90 ERA in his past three starts.
On Sept. 6, he disappointed his teammates by removing himself from an eventual loss at Tampa Bay after six shutout innings.
Silva apologized to the full squad one day later. Redmond told him to forget the past and focus on getting to the playoffs.
"We didn't have a chance to get there if we didn't have him," said Redmond, who had three RBI. "And his last three starts have been great."
After Cleveland scored a first-inning run, Silva didn't blink, inducing 11 ground-ball outs with his improved sinker. Hunter's home run gave the Twins the lead in the fourth, and Redmond's run-scoring double made it 3-1 in the fifth.
By the seventh, Silva's left ankle was aching from landing awkwardly in the big hole in the mound that forms whenever the 6-7 Sabathia pitches.
Silva was limping between pitches, but he wasn't about to let the Twins take him out before finishing the seventh.
"I don't think Carlos is going to say much about too many things," Gardenhire said. "There might be a bone coming out of his leg, and he's not going to say a word. I just think he's been there and done that."
With Silva at 90 pitches, Gardenhire turned to Dennys Reyes for the eighth. Juan Rincon got the final out that inning, before Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 33rd save.
Silva's performance lowered his ERA to a season-low 5.88.
"I'm not here for myself," Silva said. "I'm here for my team. ... Right now, I guarantee you Gardy doesn't care if I have a high ERA or 13 losses. The only thing he cares is that I give the team a chance to win."
Gardenhire said: "He's on a mission. He's attacking the strike zone. He made a few adjustments, and now it goes on to Baker. He has to step up, too."
Joe Christensen • jchristensen@startribune.com
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