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Ordonez helps Tigers edge Santana, Twins

Jul 19, 2007 - 4:52 AM MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Magglio Ordonez continues to be a thorn in the side of Johan Santana.

Ordonez hit a two-run double off Santana in the fourth inning and a solo home run in the sixth as the Detroit Tigers hung on to defeat the Minnesota Twins, 3-2, on Wednesday.

Ordonez, who drove in the only run of the game between the two clubs Tuesday, improved his career batting average against Santana to .419 to help Detroit win the three-game series in Minnesota. The Tigers will go for the sweep on Thursday.

"I can't figure that out," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "For whatever reason he's (Ordonez) had pretty good success against Johan. I don't know what it is. I can't figure it out."

While Tigers rookie starter Andrew Miller dodged baserunners in the first three innings, Santana cruised until the fourth.

Detroit center fielder Ryan Rayburn started that inning with a double to the wall in left-center field and Placido Polanco singled to put runners on the corners. After Gary Sheffield popped out in foul territory, Ordonez ripped a 2-2 fastball deep to left-center for a double, plating both baserunners.

Ordonez struck again in the sixth inning, hitting a two-out solo home run to once again extend Detroit's lead to two runs at 3-1.

"He's a pretty good hitter," Santana said. "He's been a pretty good hitter throughout his whole career. We played together before. Carlos (Guillen), we played together before, and I know exactly how they are - they battle all the time. They're not going to just be an easy out. They're always going to give you a tough time.

"When you don't execute everything like it's supposed to be and you make a mistake, those are the kind of guys who will take advantage of those."

The American League batting average leader is now 18-for-43 in his career against Santana (11-7) with four doubles, a triple, five home runs and 17 RBI. Ordonez's average, home run and RBI totals lead all players with at least 25 at-bats against Santana.

"It's sick," Tigers outfielder Marcus Thames said. "Magglio can hit. He stays with his approach. He's been hitting that way all year. But to own a guy like that, there's got to be something more special going on."

The Twins cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning when Miller loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single, then hit Justin Morneau to score Nick Punto. It was the first run Minnesota scored in 26 innings against the Tigers after losing its last two contests to Detroit, 1-0.

But the Twins left the bases loaded as Jason Kubel struck out looking at three straight strikes.

After giving up six runs - five earned - in five innings against Minnesota on June 30, the lefthanded Miller (5-3) held the Twins to a run on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts in five innings. Miller has alternated wins and losses in all seven of his starts since June 10.

After leaving Punto on third in the sixth inning, Minnesota again loaded the bases with one out in the seventh on a pair of singles and a hit batter. But reliever Chad Durbin - who hit pinch hitter Mike Redmond with his first offering after entering the game for Bobby Seay with a 1-2 count - got Jeff Cirillo to pop out to catcher Ivan Rodriguez in foul territory and Lew Ford to fly out to center field.

The Twins stranded their 13th runner of the game in the eighth inning, when Marcus Thames made a diving catch of Joe Mauer's fly ball to end the inning.

Thames injured his left hamstring in the process. He limped off the field and was replaced in the lineup by Omar Infante in the top of the ninth.

"It might have been an inside-the-parker," Leyland said. "I've seen that ball in my dreams in this ballpark. I had nightmares when I saw that go up. I can't believe he made that play."

"That was a tough one, a heck of a play by him," Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer said. "He had been playing shallow the whole night and on that one was playing deep. Unfortunately, it didn't fall."

Closer Todd Jones, Detroit's sixth pitcher, worked around a leadoff single in the ninth inning, converting his 25th save in 29 chances this season.

"We chased some pitches out of the zone," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They were winging it all over the place. But they made pitches when the had to. We had opportunities, we just didn't take advantage of them."

Santana pitched through the eighth inning, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. The loss was his first since June 9 and snapped his five-game winning streak. Santana fell to 41-5 in post-All Star Game starts since 2003.

The Tigers have won three straight against Minnesota and nine of their last 11 games overall. Six of the Twins' last 11 losses have come by one run.