Twins 3 - 2 Rangers
Final
  for this game

Morneau's home run lifts Twins over Darvish, Rangers

Aug 31, 2013 - 5:53 AM Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - With two quick Minnesota Twins swings, Yu Darvish went from flirting with another no-hitter to being on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

Back-to-back homers by Chris Herrmann and Justin Morneau in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Twins to a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game set.

Darvish (12-6) had struck out 10 through six no-hit innings, but he walked Brian Dozier to start the seventh before Herrmann ripped a two-run shot into the seats in right.

Morneau stepped up next and belted a hanging curveball into the second deck in right for a 3-2 Twins advantage.

"In that situation in the seventh inning, I told myself I can't allow a home run," Darvish said through an interpreter. "As soon as I told myself that, you know what happened."

Jared Burton spun a scoreless eighth and Glen Perkins fired a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his 31st save of the season. Liam Hendriks (1-2) surrendered two runs -- one earned -- on five hits and three walks over six innings for Minnesota, which snapped a five-game losing streak.

"We hung in there against a very very tough pitcher, I think we all saw that and find a way to win a ballgame," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Darvish fanned 11 in all, but finished allowing three runs on three hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings for Texas, which had won seven of its last 10 tilts coming in.

The Houston Astros weren't around to disrupt Darvish's attempt at a no-hitter this time.

Darvish lost a perfect game to them with two outs in the last inning in his first start of the season. Carlos Corporan went deep off the Japanese import with one out in the eighth on Aug. 12 to break up another no-hit bid.

The Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead after plating a run in each of the third and fourth innings.

Jurickson Profar smacked a one-out solo shot to right in the third and an A.J. Pierzynki RBI groundout in the fourth staked Texas its two-run cushion.

The Rangers put runners on first and second with two away in the sixth, but a fantastic diving play in the hole by Brian Dozier on a grounder off the bat of Mitch Moreland ended the threat.

Game Notes

The Rangers were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base ... Morneau's homer was his 17th of the year ... Alex Rios stole his 32nd base of the season for Texas.






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