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Two extra base hits from Delmon Young! Matt Who? Jason What? (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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The most important development of the Twins' evening didn't even happen in Kansas City, as Jake Peavy, Gordon Beckham and the White Sox shut the Tigers down, 2-0.  The Twins, with some help from the Kansas City pitching staff, did what they were supposed to do, beating an inferior opponent by a final of 9-4, and moving within two games of Detroit.

Carl Pavano did his Carl Pavano thing, scattering 8 hits over six innings, getting into real trouble only when he had to face Billy Butler.  Butler, who finished 4-5, accounted for all the Royals scoring with two home runs off of Pavano, who notched his fourth victory as a Twin.

Meanwhile, the Twins hitters basically just waited for Robinson Tejada to implode.  Michael Cuddyer, continuing his torrid September, pulled a down-and-sorta-away pitch into the left-center bleachers to give the Twins both their first hit of the game and a 2-1 lead in the 4th.  Come the 5th, the rest of the squad was rewarded for their patience, as they drew not one, not two, but three bases-loaded walks to pull away from the Royals for good.  I've said it before, I'll say it again: it just has to suck to be a Royals fan.

Butler's second home run did narrow the lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the 5th, but the Twins answered with two runs in the top of the 7th, including a very welcome run-scoring triple from Delmon Young.  And that was that.

Other notes:

• That bum Mauer went 0-for-2 with three BBs.  
• This being the Royals, the Twins scored their first run on a wild pitch.  This being the Royals, said runner (LNP) scored from 2nd base.
• Jon Rauch and Matt Guerrier flirted with danger, but escaped unharmed.  Joe Nathan never saw the mound.
• When Delmon Young gets around on a ball, it really does go a long bleeping way.  His garbage time HR in the 9th was a rocket.  It would be so nice if he did that more often. 
  
• Denard Span, it's good to have you back.

All in all, as satisfying a night of baseball as you could ask for.  Enjoy your weekend, kids.  It's a pennant race, for pete's sake.  Awesome.