Twins 1 - 4 Rays
Final
  for this game

Shields holds down Twins

Apr 22, 2012 - 5:29 AM

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St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - James Shields pitched into the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays took a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Twins in the second of a three-game set.

Shields (3-0) gave up just one run on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. B.J. Upton hit a two-run single while Evan Longoria also drove in a run in the win for the Rays, who have won three of their last four.

Carl Pavano (1-2) gave up three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings of work for the Twins, who have lost six of nine.

"They made [Pavano] work," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of his starter. "He gave us a great chance to win. it was just the other guy on the other side that didn't let us do anything."

Ryan Doumit drove in the lone run of the game for Minnesota.

Tampa wasted a runners on first and third opportunity in the fourth when Upton hit into a 5-4-3 double play to end the frame and Desmond Jennings hit into a pop-out bunt double play in the fifth with runners on the corners.

Minnesota loaded the bases in the sixth, but Ryan Doumit lined out to end the frame.

The Rays followed that with a three-run bottom of the sixth. Carlos Pena worked a one-out walk and Evan Longoria singled. After Luke Scott flied out, Matt Joyce was issued an intentional pass. Upton then hit a single to center that plated Pena and Longoria and Joyce also scored on Denard Span's bad throw.

Tampa added another run in the seventh as, with the bases loaded, Longoria reached base on a Danny Valencia error, scoring Jennings for a 4-0 lead.

Shield came out for the ninth, but promptly served up a single to Josh Willingham and a double to Justin Morneau.

Fernando Rodney stepped on the mound and gave up a run as Doumit hit a sac fly, but he then struck out Danny Valencia and Clete Thomas for his fifth save of the year.

"That's a tough ball club right there," Shields said of the Twins. "I'm glad we got that win."

Game Notes

Minnesota went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven while Tampa left nine and was 2-for-11 with men in scoring position...Pavano fell to 5-5 in 14 starts against Tampa Bay...Shields is now 4-2 in 10 starts against Minnesota.






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