• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Perkins, relievers help Twins silence Rangers

Jul 19, 2008 - 4:27 AM By Brian Hall PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Glen Perkins knew he was facing a talented offensive team in the Texas Rangers. He's also glad he didn't know the full story.

Perkins and three relievers combined to shut out Texas - the top hitting team in the majors - for the first time this season as the Minnesota Twins cruised to a 6-0 triumph over the Rangers on Friday.

Delmon Young collected four hits, including a run-scoring single, Brian Buscher delivered a pair of RBI singles and Jason Kubel added a two-run base hit as Minnesota won for the 20th time in its last 26 contests.

Ian Kinsler's 25-game hitting streak came to an end as the All-Star went 0-for-4 for the Rangers, who were the last team in the majors that had not been shut out.

"That is pretty good, I didn't know that," Perkins said. "I think it's good I didn't know before the game maybe. I made some pitches, and the other guys made some plays. That is pretty good. That is what we try to do every time we go out. You don't ever want to give up runs. I think we succeeded as a staff tonight."

Perkins (7-2) surrendered just three hits en route to his third straight win and fifth in six starts. The rookie lefthander has allowed three runs or less in each of his last eight outings.

Craig Breslow, Jesse Crain and Boof Bonser combined to pitch three hitless innings, striking out three to preserve the win.

"What are you going to do? Pitching controls everything," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "(Perkins) pitched well tonight against us. So, that is the way it goes. We will bounce back tomorrow."

Texas ' Kevin Millwood (6-6) allowed five runs and 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings while striking out six. It's the third straight start Millwood has allowed five runs. He has not beaten the Twins in 10 career starts.

In the fourth, Minnesota finally broke through against Millwood. All-Star Justin Morneau doubled to left-center field and went to third on a single by Young. Buscher then brought Morneau home with a single to right to open the scoring.

Brendan Harris' single to center in the sixth plated Kubel for a 2-0 lead.

"I thought we ran the bases very aggressive, taking extra bases," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "You shut out a team like the Rangers, that's a pretty good lineup and they run a lot of good hitters up there, you did something. So, a good way to start."

The Rangers' best opportunity to score was in the fifth inning.

All-Star Michael Young reached on a walk, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a groundout Josh Hamilton. Milton Bradley walked, but Perkins got Marlon Byrd to hit into a fielder's choice to end the threat.

With four All-Stars in the everyday lineup, the Rangers came in hitting a majors' best .283 and were the top scoring team in baseball with 538 runs - 21 better than the Chicago Cubs. It was the first time Texas has been shut out since August 19, 2007 when another Twins lefthander, Johan Santana, completed the feat.

"I think it is pretty difficult," Washington said of shutting out his club. "But we'll bounce back. Sometimes when you run into a pitcher that's doing a good job, that is the kind of things that happen. One opportunity we had there, with Marlon up there and we had runners on first and third. We might have had a chance to break through right there, but then he made a pitch."

Texas also entered the series, 43-30, since April 25, the third best record in baseball in that span. Meanwhile, the Twins own a 22-7 record since June 13, good for the most wins in baseball during the stretch.

Kubel had a two-run single in the seventh, followed by RBI singles by Young and Buscher.

"We find different ways to win games," Young said. "We're not going to come out there and hit three-run home runs every inning. You just go out there and collect hit after hit. If you can string together three singles, that's one run."