Six-run ambush sinks Wilson, Rangers
CJ Wilson was on. He had a hard moving fastball and good breaking stuff. He hit his spots. He looked unstoppable. The Twins could barely get the bat on the ball against him until the sixth, when Denard Span singled with two outs and Orlando Hudson homered to left field to tie the game.
This seemed to relax the boys, who came out swinging in the seventh and put up six runs against Wilson and Chris Ray. It started innocently enough, with a Justin Morneau walk. Then Michael Cuddyer launched one towards the overhang in right that was dropped at the wall by David Murphy. With runners on second and third, Wilson then walked Jason Kubel to load the bases, earning an early trip to the showers. Delmon Young smoked the first pitch he saw from Ray to the wall in left to plate two. The wheels came off for the Rangers when Josh Hamilton lost a JJ Hardy pop up in the roof sun for another two-run double. When all was said and done, the Twins had batted around plus one and scored six to put the game out of reach.
Carl Pavano matched Wilson pitch for pitch, with the exception of a couple of lead-off doubles that came around to score and a smattering of seeing-eye hits. He was helped by three early double plays, including a highlight-reel assist by Kubel and Joe Mauer on an attempted sacrifice fly off the bat of Michael Young. Pavano pitched seven solid innings to get the win. And the Twins bullpen allowed just an unearned run to keep the Rangers at bay.
Studs:
Orlando Hudson: 2-3 with a HR, double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.
Carl Pavano: Another quality start from Dizzy. This time, he got some run support.
Delmon Young: His double in the seventh broke the game open and turned the inning into an ambush(TM).
Duds:
Brendan Harris: Another o-fer with two strikeouts. You know he's going bad when the Rangers can't buy an out and he strikes out on three pitches.