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Bonser, Twins take rubber game from Rangers

May 23, 2007 - 11:34 PM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Boof Bonser wasn't as sharp as he has been in the past, but he was effective enough to beat the struggling Texas Rangers.

Bonser pitched five innings and the Minnesota Twins jumped all over Rangers starter Robinson Tejeda en route to a 5-3 victory Wednesday afternoon.

Luis Castillo had three hits and Torii Hunter drove in his 40th run of the season for the Twins, who have won two series in a row after being swept by Cleveland last week.

Bonser (3-1), who has now won three starts in a row after failing to notch a win in any of his first seven starts, gave up two runs and six hits while striking out six.

The 25-year-old righthander struggled with his command, throwing just 63 of his 101 pitches for strikes while walking two.

"I didn't really have command of everything, but I kept my team in the game and we pulled out another win," Bonser said.

Bonser was coming off his best outing of the season, when he tied a career high with 11 strikeouts in seven innings of an 8-1 victory at Milwaukee.

"You guys were asking if I was stressing about the wins and losses in April," Bonser said. "I told you they'd come. It's a crazy game."

The righthander had posted a 2-0 mark with a 2.10 ERA over his last five outings entering Wednesday's game against Texas, which is mired in last place in the American League West, 10 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Three relievers bridged the gap to closer Joe Nathan, who earned his ninth save by striking out pinch hitter Sammy Sosa with runners on first and second for the final out.

Justin Morneau, the reigning American League MVP, followed up his two-homer performance from Tuesday's game with a solo blast off Tejeda (4-4).

"The ball carries pretty well here. You don't have to muscle it ... if you just square it up, it seems like it has a good chance to go," Morneau said.

The Rangers' starter suffered through his shortest outing of the season, lasting just three innings. Tejeda was charged with all five of Minnesota's runs and surrendered seven hits and three walks.

The Twins got to Tejeda in the first, plating a run when Castillo came around to score on Hunter's RBI single. It was the fastest Hunter has reached the 40-RBI mark in his career.

"I don't know what was going on today. I can't explain what happened," Tejada said. "My fastball was OK but I lost a little control with the changeup."

The Rangers got the run back in the home half, when ageless leadoff man Kenny Lofton led off with a double and came around to score two batters later on Mark Teixeira's double.

Minnesota jumped right back on top in the second frame, when Castillo singled home a run, and added a third run in the next frame on Morneau's solo blast leading off the inning.

Teixeira's second RBI of the game in the third brought Texas within 3-2, but the Twins put it out of reach with a pair of runs in the fourth.

"We had some opportunities today, but we didn't cash in," Teixeira said. "They made some pitches. This is one of the best pitching staffs in the majors."

Tejeda walked the leadoff man, Nick Punto, and yielded another single to Castillo before being replaced by lefthander C.J. Wilson. The 26-year-old reliever got Jason Tyner to ground into a fielder's choice, scoring Castillo from third.

After walking Michael Cuddyer and getting Morneau to ground into a fielder's choice, Wilson unleashed a wild pitch that scored Tyner from third to push the lead to 5-2.

The Rangers threatened in the seventh and the eighth against the Twins' bullpen, plating a run in the eighth before sidewinder Pat Neshek got Michael Young to fly out to center field with two runners on to end the frame.