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Baker Ks 10, Valencia homers, Twins edge Padres 1-0

Jun 19, 2011 - 3:20 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Scott Baker pitched eight scoreless innings and Danny Valencia hit a solo homer to lift the Minnesota Twins over the San Diego Padres, 1-0, in the second test of a three-game series at Target Field.

Baker (5-4) gave up just four hits for the Twins, who have won a season-high six straight games. The right-hander also struck out a season-high 10 batters and walked one.

Chris Denorfia and Will Venable had two hits apiece for the Padres, who have lost four in a row and seven of eight overall.

Tim Stauffer (2-5) allowed the Valencia homer and six total hits over seven- plus frames to take the hard-luck loss. He also struck out five and walked zero.

It seemed like the Padres were poised to score early after Denorfia led off the game with a triple to right. But Baker kept San Diego off the board by retiring the next three batters.

Valencia then gave Baker the only support he would need with a solo homer to left-center field in the second.

Baker retired eight straight batters before Denorfia hit a two-out single in the third.

San Diego put men on first and second with one out in the fifth, but Baker retired the next two batters to keep it a 1-0 game.

The Padres' next chance to score came in the eighth. Venable led off with a single and moved to second on Jesus Guzman's groundout. But Denorfia and Jason Bartlett both grounded out to end the threat.

Matt Capps tossed a perfect ninth to record his 11th save of the season.

"He's one of those guys you don't hear about a whole lot just because you're in the other league," Padres catcher Nick Hundley said. "If he was in the National League, you'd definitely hear about him. He has really good stuff."

Game Notes

San Diego and Minnesota are squaring off in a series for the first time since the Twins swept a three-game set at Petco Park in 2008...Coming into Saturday's game, Stauffer had tossed 15 consecutive scoreless frames...The Padres went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded five, while the Twins went 0-for-8 with RISP and left six men on base...Minnesota has won 13 of its last 15 games.