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Twins hold off Rays; Baker hurt

Jul 6, 2011 - 3:45 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Glen Perkins finished off what Scott Baker started, as Minnesota held on to edge Tampa Bay, 3-2, in the middle test of a three-game series at Target Field.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire again called on Matt Capps to finish off the game, but the embattled closer gave up a solo home run to B.J. Upton then allowed two more base runners before he was replaced by Perkins, who retired Johnny Damon to end the game.

Baker's (7-5) victory didn't come without a cost, as he left the game after five innings with a mild right elbow strain. He scattered three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in the team's third straight victory.

"In my opinion no (when asked if the injury was serious)," said Baker. "I'll just continue to pitch with it. It was just a little more discomfort then I would have liked to continue to pitch with. It is just a precautionary thing, obviously we will re-evaluate it tomorrow."

James Shields (8-6), fresh off his inclusion on the American League All-Star team, gave up three runs -- two earned -- on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks over six frames to take the loss. Ben Zobrist was 3-for-4 with a run scored in Tampa Bay's second straight defeat.

"We just need that timely hitting," said Shields. "Sometimes that is just the way the game goes."

The Twins jumped on Shields in the first with Ben Revere's leadoff single preceding Alexi Casilla's double. Shields settled down and allowed just one run on Michael Cuddyer's RBI groundout.

Minnesota tacked on two more runs with its two triggermen setting the table. Revere singled and Casilla walked with one out in the third, then with two outs, Cuddyer looped a single to right that got by Matt Joyce, allowing both runners to score.

Tampa Bay pushed across its first run in the fourth. Zobrist singled and scampered to third on Upton's two-out single. Then Danny Valencia didn't handle Casey Kotchman's grounder, allowing Zobrist to score for a two-run margin.

Sam Fuld reached scoring position twice, in the fifth and seventh frames, and Zobrist also found second base in the eighth, but the Rays didn't muster a hit with runners in scoring position.

Upton's solo blast to lead off the ninth made the home fans restless, and Capps was eventually chased with two runners on base.

Game Notes

Capps has a 4.79 earned run average on the season...Zobrist hit his 28th double of the season...Casilla recorded his 13th two-bagger of the campaign...Upton clubbed his 13th home run of the season...Tampa Bay has still won six of nine matchups with the Twins this season...Baker gave up one unearned run on the night.