• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Kubel, Twins too strong for White Sox

Aug 1, 2008 - 5:18 AM By Brian Hall PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was apologetic for his actions after being ejected in the seventh inning. Regardless, they seemed to have a positive effect on his team.

Jason Kubel hit a tie-breaking, three-run homer in the seventh as Minnesota erupted for seven runs in its last two at-bats en route to a 10-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

Justin Morneau added another three-run home run and Joe Mauer finished with three hits and two RBI as Minnesota (60-48) took three of four games in the series and cut the White Sox's lead in the American League Central to one-half game.

"It probably helped us just giving us some time to calm down," Morneau said of the ejection. "Everybody was pretty fired up on the bench. You get that leadoff guy on, it makes a big difference. Instead, (Denard Span) has two strikes and he did a great job of staying composed and got on base again. There was a lot of energy in there anyway, but I think that one got us going."

"(Gardenhire) got us all fired up," Kubel said. "Things got out of hand pretty quick around here, but we were able to get the game going and turn it on after that."

The seventh-inning rally came after Gardenhire was ejected and fans started throwing items onto the field. Gardenhire had disputed a called swinging strike on a bunt attempt by Span and was tossed by third base umpire Marty Foster.

Span had turned to bunt, but was hit in the leg by the pitch. Span moved toward first base, but was called back after it was determined he had offered at the pitch. Following an animated argument from Gardenhire - which including kicking his hat over his head - the fans began to chant "Gardy" and threw hats and baseballs on the field, prompting White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to pull his team off the field until order was restored.

"I got nuts, kicking the hat was probably a little much," Gardenhire said. "It's an emotional game, and I am an emotional person and I lost my head a little bit. Marty at third base is a great umpire, does a super job and he explained to me what he was calling. You know what, I got thrown out for arguing balls and strikes, which is the rule. Can't do it, and that's what I did."

Once play resumed, Chicago starter John Danks walked Span and his night was finished. He went six-plus innings, giving up four runs and eight hits. The lefthander struck out four and walked two.

"It's on me to go back out there and be ready," Danks said. "The umpires gave me plenty of time. They told me to make sure I was ready, and I felt good going back into the count. It was a 1-2 count, and I ended up letting (Span) back into the at-bat. I have no one else to blame but myself for that."

Mauer plated Span with a single to center off reliever Matt Thornton. After Morneau reached on a fielder's choice, Delmon Young was hit by a pitch and Kubel followed with his 14th home run off Octavio Dotel to give Minnesota a 7-4 lead.

Thornton (4-3) took the loss, surrendering one run in two-thirds of an inning.

"They don't need to be fired up by Gardy," Guillen said. "They can win without Gardy. They are a good ballclub."

In the eighth, Carlos Quentin singled and Jermaine Dye blasted his 25th homer to cut the lead to 7-6. But Minnesota added to its cushion with an RBI double by Nick Punto, an RBI groundout by Mauer and a run-scoring single by Young.

Jesse Crain (4-2) got the win in relief of starter Scott Baker. Matt Guerrier pitched the eighth, giving up the home run to Dye, before Joe Nathan closed it out with a scoreless ninth.

Chicago has held the division lead since May 17, and the team bolstered its chances to remain there when it acquired Ken Griffey Jr., the former AL MVP and 13-time All-Star, from the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the day. The outfielder, who ranks sixth all-time in home runs with 608, will join the team in Kansas City on Friday.

Jim Thome, who has 527 home runs of his own, took Baker deep in the second for his 20th, a two-run blast to open the scoring. A.J. Pierzynski added a two-run single in the fifth.

"Late in the game we played real bad the last few games," Guillen said. "Every game we started really well. All of a sudden our bullpen couldn't hold it, and they did a good job out of the bullpen and that was the difference."

Baker tossed six innings, giving up four runs and five hits. He struck out eight but also walked three, with two turning into runs. It was the second time since April that the righthander has given up four or more runs.

Minnesota finally broke through in the fifth on Morneau's 18th home run. His 86 RBI ranks second in the AL.

"Guys kept battling out there," Gardenhire said. "I think Baker battled as hard as he could and got behind. But, it doesn't seem to matter around here. These guys just keep playing. Morneau, as he always does, comes up with a big one and gets us back in the ballgame. And it went from there."