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Santana outduels Verlander; Mauer hits slam as Twins triumph

Jun 30, 2007 - 3:44 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Johan Santana is not ready to hand over his Cy Young trophy just yet to Justin Verlander.

Santana pitched six strong innings and Verlander left after five frames and a grand slam by Joe Mauer as the Minnesota Twins opened a crucial three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday with an 11-1 victory.

Luis Castillo and Jason Bartlett scored for Minnesota, which began the set six games behind the American League Central leaders.

Santana, a two-time Cy Young winner and reigning trophy holder, entered with a rather pedestrian 8-6 record but still had a spectacular 2.83 ERA, while Verlander (9-3) entered 9-2 with a 2.78 ERA and wins in his last four starts.

"I tried to stay very aggresive," Santana said. "We were able to score a couple of runs and I tried to protect the lead. I felt pretty good. I didn't know I had that many pitches (94) ... I just tried to take it easy. The bullpen was rested and could use the work."

However, the 2006 Rookie of the Year labored as the Twins scored twice in the first inning, but appeared to settle in until he walked the bases loaded in the fifth before leaving a 96 miles-per-hour fastball out over the plate to Mauer, who took it the opposite way over the left field fence for his fourth homer and first career grand slam.

"I got ahead of him in the count, 3-1," Mauer said. "I wanted to see if he threw one over, he did. 3-2, he threw it in the same spot, I was just trying to hit something hard to the outfield."

Verlander exited after that frame, being charged with six runs - his second most this season - and four hits with five walks and five strikeouts.

"I beat myself tonight," Verlander said. "I gave them to many opportunities to score with the walks. I was able to throw better after the first, but then I hit a wall again. I was searching for my rhythm and started working too fast, sometimes that will get me into trouble."

While Verlander was shaky, Santana was cruising, retiring 15 of 16 batters before Placido Polanco lined his second homer of the season and first since April 17 over the left field fence with one out in the sixth.

"I'm always looking for a fast ball when I'm at the plate," Polanco said. "He threw it and I was able to get the bat on the ball good."

Santana left after that inning, yielding a run and five hits with a walk and six strikeouts to win his third straight start and improve to 11-3 all-time against the Tigers.

"Santana was very good against a very good lineup over there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He made pitches when he had to."

Verlander struggled through a 31-pitch opening frame, surrendering two runs with only one ball leaving the infield. Luis Castillo opened the game with base hit to center and, after advancing to second on a wild pitch, Minnesota loaded the bases with walks to Jason Bartlett and Mauer.

Michael Cuddyer plated the first run with a groundout to shortstop, and Justin Morneau plated the second with an infield single to short.

The Twins capped the scoring with an eighth-inning RBI double by Jason Tyner and four more runs in the ninth.