especially if Slowey pitches like he did last time. Twins will struggle vs Santana but hopefully will be able to score a few runs. Still, we have succeeded in splitting but a series win vs 2nd toughest team in the AL would be a piece of art!

the Twins are 31-19 (.620 winning %).

ANAHEIM — Joe Mauer is starting at catcher again today, as the Twins look to win this series against the Angels.

Mauer is 6-for-9 with four RBI in his career against hard-throwing Angels righthander Ervin Santana.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he’ll have more chances to give Mauer a break with the Twins facing six consecutive lefthanded pitchers starting on Tuesday. Look for Mauer to get Tuesday or Wednesday off in Seattle.

(*) To make room on their Class AAA Rochester roster for Brian Bass, the Twins released reliever Casey Daigle.

(*) Matt Tolbert remains on track to be activated from the DL on Sept. 1, when rosters expand. He will likely move from Class AA New Britain to Rochester for the final week of the minor-league season.

Twins (74-55)

1. Denard Span, RF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, LF
6. Randy Ruiz, DH
7. Nick Punto, 3B
8. Adam Everett, SS
9. Carlos Gomez, CF

Starting pitcher: RH Kevin Slowey

Angels (78-50)

1. Chone Figgins, 3B
2. Erick Aybar, SS
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Vladimir Guerrero, DH
5. Torii Hunter, CF
6. Garret Anderson, LF
7. Juan Rivera, RF
8. Howie Kendrick, 2B
9. Jeff Mathis, C

Starting pitcher: RH Ervin Santana

…after those two errors last night. I have to admit I thought perhaps it’s a bit premature to tag him the future of the position based on how poor he looked on those two plays. Probably just nerves though. He’s looked good over there this year.

Lets jump on Santana early because he sharpens up as he goes through the innings

should have made it more interesting though

How many stupid baserunning mistakes have we made in this series. Not typical Twins baseball. We wont be going anywhere if we keep this up

on 3 pitches

by Justin RBI #100

Morneau puts us up though

Nice play by Punto!

Hopefullhy Slowey stays hot today!

Keep bunting it to Punto please! That will make an easy game for Slowey.

Tex singles

put him away Slowey!

Hunter Ks.

That pitch wasn’t even close. He still has to learn to take a walk sometimes.

has a 1-2-3 inning….Gomez made a nice catch on a deep drive by Matthews for the first out

in the top half of the ninth. The Rays have the bases loaded too.

The Angels will make him pay sooner or later if he keeps the ball up like that pitch to Hunter.

now he needs to get Kendrick and get out of this with a 2-0 Twins lead.

5-5

they just tied it up at five.

He GONE! 3 Ks for Slowey today

to sweep a good team like Chicago. I expect the WSox to win in extras. All it means is that the Twins need to win their game to stay in first.

Also the Red Sox won in 11 at Toronto.

will be a huge inning for Slowey with Teixeira, Guerrero and Hunter due up.

3-3 with a single, double and Homer!!!!! all three RBI belong to him!

to the bottom

1st and 2nd with one out

Gomez is up

also to the deepest part of the park

It would have been nice if Grant Balfour would have stayed healthy and the Twins hung on to him. I remember him being lights out in the ’03 playoffs against the Yankees.

He is sure having a nice comeback year:
1.50 ERA – 42 IP – 62 K – 0.90 WHIP

homers AGAIN!! GAWD we have to get that kid out sometime

grounds out to Punto…1 out

hopefully this won’t be another sixth inning thing for the Twins. Slowey needs to move throgh this inning now.

did a great job of getting back to it after that homerun.

Despite the Tex homer, he got through the other big boppers just fine. He should be good for at least one more inning.

Damn

and Mauer is up

Sweat needs to come up big.

now but Punto saves a run…2 outs

and after 7 innings 3-2 Good guys

or Foul? Homer or no?

If the Twins do end up making the playoffs and play the Angerls…please just walk Teixeira whenever you can.

with an RBI triple

GAWD!

This game has been rough to say the least

we will be back in second…and the see saw continues

Way to battle your tail off today… K-Rod’s ERA leads me to believe he’s beatable. Go Twins!

Way to stand there and take three fastballs in the zone, Brian.

would be nice. Come on Lambchop

What’s the deal with that?

and the game comes down to this

He has been great for the last couple of weeks. He should be in the lineup almost every day.

That said, you must have a backup plan over the course of a season and not count on Punto for a whole year.

and Span has been ejected even though it is over

Rodriquez gets a big zone, I guess.

we ride on Morneau’s back and end up breaking it because we cant win….

Oh well. All in all, I’ll take a split in Anaheim. I hate watching our bullpen melt down game after game though :-(

The Twins are going to need to start Winning When it counts and Win when we have the Chance to extend our lead in the AL Central, Back to Second Place.

2-16 (.125 avg) with 1 RBI, and 5 Ks.

Chicago and Baltimore are going to be resuming their game from 4/28 that was suspended in the 12th inning along with playing a regularly scheduled game tomorrow.

Hopefully Baltimore can get one big hit and shut down the Sox in the 12th and then pull out another win in the regular game for us.