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Home | Sports | Twins

Twins fall as Angels bear down

Mark Avery, Associated Press

Jason Kubel is congratulated by third base coach Scott Ullger after hitting a two-run home run Thursday night.

Los Angeles overcame an early, 3-0 deficit, scored two runs off Joe Nathan in the ninth and won it off Jesse Crain in the 10th.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: July 24, 2009 - 1:34 AM

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L.A. ANGELS 6, TWINS 5 (10) Up next: 9:05 p.m. today at Los Angeles TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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ANAHEIM, CALIF. - Even though former Twin Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero are on the disabled list, the Angels still are finding ways to stay atop of the AL West.

The Angels entered Thursday's game leading the league in battling average, were second in runs scored, triples and stolen bases, and third in on-base percentage. It's an offense that finds opponents' pressure points and then squeezes.

It squeezed hard Thursday night, rallying from a two-run ninth-inning deficit and scoring in the 10th to beat the Twins 6-5.

Mike Napoli doubled home Chone Figgins with the winning run of reliever Jesse Crain, dropping the Twins to 3-4 on their 10-game road trip.

The Twins entered the ninth up 4-3, and Joe Mauer's RBI single gave them a two-run lead.

In stepped closer Joe Nathan, who had converted 20 consecutive save situations.

He didn't reach 21.

Nathan gave up two runs in the ninth after giving up a walk, hitting a batter and allowing two hits.

Gary Matthews' two-out single scored Bobby Abreu to make it 5-4.

The Twins nearly ended the game when Howie Kendrick hit a sharp grounder that Nathan deflected. Twins shortstop Nick Punto nearly fielded the ball to force out Matthews at second, but the ball caromed off the base, enabling Napoli to score the tying run.

Figgins singled to left on Crain's first pitch of the bottom of the 10th. Brandon Wood then sacrificed Figgins to second.

After intentionally walking Abreu, Crain struck out Kendry Morales.

But Napoli then delivered the winning hit to the right-center gap to score Figgins.

Twins righthander Scott Baker's line on Thursday showed signs of stress. But there also was a chance for a win at the end of that line.

The Twins scored three runs in the first inning, two on Jason Kubel's 17th homer, then held on to start the series the right way after Oakland bashed them for 32 runs in three games earlier this week. Kubel's single to right in the sixth scored Joe Mauer with what turned out to be a huge run. Mauer added an RBI single in the top of the ninth, giving the Twins a 5-3 lead.

Baker (9-7) gave up only two runs Thursday, but he also allowed six hits and walked three and battled through the third, fourth and fifth innings.

He actually entered the fifth working on a three-hit shutout -- but that didn't tell the whole story.

Baker stranded two runners in the third. He got the first two outs in the fourth but sandwiched walks around a single by Gary Mathews to load the bases before Reggie Willits popped out.

Los Angeles kept up the pressure. Singles by Figgins and Izturis in the fifth put runners on first and third with no outs. Bob Abreu struck out in his first two at-bats against Baker, but it was time to be a tough out.

Foul, foul, foul. Foul, foul, foul. Ball, ball, ball. Foul.

Abreu, on the 11th pitch of the encounter, took ball four to load the bases.

A sacrifice fly by Morales scored Figgins to make it 3-1. Aybar, two batters later, sent a sinking liner to center that Carlos Gomez trapped, enabling Abreu to score and make it 3-2.

Baker got out of the inning when his 104th -- and final -- pitch of the night was lined by Mathews into his glove.

Just an example of the pressure the Angels would continue to apply.

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