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Santana goes the distance as Twins rock Mets

Jun 20, 2007 - 3:43 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Johan Santana put the New York Mets right back into their June swoon.

Santana pitched a four-hitter for his fourth career shutout and Joe Mauer had an RBI double to highlight a five-run second inning as the Minnesota Twins coasted to a 9-0 victory over the error-plagued Mets on Tuesday.

The Twins banged out 13 hits, three by Jeff Cirillo, and finally gave some run support to Santana, who won for the first time in four starts. Minnesota had scored just six runs in the previous three outings for the reigning American League Cy Young Award.

"We had a good night," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Our offense needed that. (Santana) richly deserved it." Support came not only from his teammates but from the struggling Mets, who committed four errors, the most since they were charged with five on July 18, 2003 at Atlanta.

Third baseman David Wright committed two of the errors and first baseman Carlos Delgado and center fielder Carlos Beltran had one each.

"When you play sloppy defense like we did, you don't give yourself a chance to win," Wright said.

New York played one its best games in recent weeks in an 8-1 win in the opener of the three-game interleague series on Monday. One night later, the Mets lost for the 12th time in 15 games and fell to 4-13 this month.

The Mets also made it easier for Santana by often swinging early in the count. Santana (7-6) needed just 92 pitches to improve his outstanding interleague record to 15-4.

"They were aggressive early in the count and we played good defense," Santana said. "I felt strong. Today was a challenge because I also had to hit and run the bases, something I'm not used to."

The lefthander recorded just one strikeout - Paul Lo Duca in the ninth - and did not issue a walk en route to his first shutout since August 12, 2005 at Oakland.

New York faced a Cy Young Award winner for the 10th time this season on Tuesday and dropped to 4-6 in those contests.

The Twins did most of their damage off Jorge Sosa (6-3), who was charged with seven runs - five earned - and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. After a series of strong outings, Sosa has allowed 14 runs over nine innings in his last two starts.

"He got the ball up in the zone and paid for it," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "It seemed like he was rushing a little tonight."

Torii Hunter singled to open the second, the first of five hits in the inning off Sosa. Hunter went to third on a single to center field by Cirillo and came home when the throw by Beltran sailed over the head of third baseman Wright and into the stands.

Jason Tyner, a former Met, singled home the second run of the inning and went to third on a hit-and-run single by Jason Bartlett. Sosa walked Santana and Luis Castillo grounded into a run-scoring force play to make it 3-0. Mauer lined an RBI double to right field and Michael Cuddyer capped the big inning with a sacrifice fly.

An error by Wright preceded an RBI single by Justin Morneau that ended the night for Sosa. Aaron Sele relieved and allowed an RBI single to Cirillo that made it 7-0 in the fourth.

"When you have a pitcher on the ropes, you have to feed off that," Cirillo said. "They didn't get in the game after that."

The Twins, who have won six of nine, added two runs in the fifth to cap the scoring. Santana doubled for the first extra-base hit of his career and scored on a single Cuddyer. The second run scored on a throwing error by Wright.