Twins rally against Angels, but lose the game late

Bob Melvin and Lloyd McClendon couldn't ask for any more than the Twins gave them Friday.

The Twins are not in a pennant race, and they haven't been in one in four years. But they did what they could to help Melvin's Athletics, McClendon's Mariners and any teams hoping to catch the Angels in September.

The Twins used a franchise-record nine pitchers, rallied from behind four times and, one out away from defeat, scored two runs off Huston Street to send the game to extra innings. But these are the sorts of games that turn playoff teams into title contenders, and the Angels finally proved their pedigree by outlasting the Twins 7-6 on an Erick Aybar sacrifice fly in the 10th inning at Target Field.

"The boys are giving it everything they have," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Everybody is out there trying. And we end up just coming up short."

Oh, there were plenty of shortcomings, too, particularly on defense, where the Twins committed two errors and missed a handful of other makable plays, and in the bullpen, which, with closer Glen Perkins sidelined by a sore neck, coughed up three runs in the eighth inning and another in the 10th.

Still, it was an encouraging marathon for the Twins offense, which fought back from one-run deficits in the first, second and fourth innings, then took the lead in the sixth.

"We showed resiliency," said Trevor Plouffe, who missed a walk-off home run by about 5 feet in the ninth inning. "We've been doing that all year. I don't think we've been a team that just lays down. We come back."

Just not enough. It was the second night in a row that the Twins rallied only to come up one run short against the Angels, owners of baseball's best record. It's a sign, Plouffe said, that "things are going in the right direction."

The newcomers are helping, too. In two different innings, Josmil Pinto whacked a double, and both times Aaron Hicks delivered a clutch two-out hit to score him, once tying the score and once giving the Twins their only lead of the 4-hour, 30-minute night.

"I'm just trying to hit the ball up the middle, stay middle and stay on pitches longer," said Hicks, now 4-for-13 since his return. "It's only been a couple of games, but as long as I continue to stay strong with my approach, continue to hit the ball solid, good things will happen."

Good things happened for Danny Santana, who smacked three hits, stole two bases and played two positions, while Oswaldo Arcia hit his 15th home run of the season.

And facing a two-run deficit vs. Street, who was 36-for-38 in save appearances on the year, the Twins refused to go quietly. Santana led off with a single, Brian Dozier earned a walk and, after Joe Mauer and Kennys Vargas each flew out, Plouffe launched a tremendous shot to left-center. All-Star Game MVP Mike Trout couldn't reach the blast in time, and Santana and Dozier scored on Plouffe's double, sending the game to extra innings.

But it didn't take long for Los Angeles to respond against Jared Burton. Kole Calhoun, who had already tripled and doubled, grounded a single to center to start the rally. After Trout struck out, Calhoun stole second, and Burton intentionally walked Albert Pujols. Burton fell behind Howie Kendrick 3-0 and walked him, setting up Aybar's fly ball to right.

Arcia, who committed an ugly error earlier in the game, lined up for the throw home, but the speedy Calhoun beat the throw easily.