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Hunter, Garza lead Twins past Red Sox

Sep 30, 2007 - 11:20 PM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Matt Garza pitched five solid innings and Torii Hunter drove in possibly his final run as a member of the Minnesota Twins en route to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on the final day of the regular season.

Garza allowed four hits and an unearned run, striking out five and issuing three walks. The 23-year-old righthander will round out the season 2-2 in September, and should go into spring training in 2008 as a member of the Twins' rotation.

Hunter drove in a run and scored a run for Minnesota, which will miss the playoffs after winning the American League Central Division in 2006.

Hunter has been a franchise icon since being drafted by the Twins in the first round in 1993. The 32-year-old center fielder is a free agent at the end of the season and has likely priced himself out of small-market Minnesota by finishing this season with a .287 batting average, 28 homers and 107 RBI.

"With Torii, I hope it's not my last time I get a chance to manage him," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Hopefully, we'll get him signed."

The Red Sox got all of their regulars three plate appearances and then emptied the bench, allowing guys who are not likely to make the postseason roster such as Kevin Cash, Royce Clayton and Brandon Moss, to get into one last game this season.

"I just wish we had enough extra guys where you could kind of deal with everybody that's been out there all year," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I would just like to be able to give the players a chance to, or the fans a chance to show the players their appreciation. It's not the easiest thing in the world because you're just trying to play a game and you don't want to short anybody."

The biggest ovation was held for Mike Lowell, who ended the season with 120 RBI, the most ever by a Red Sox third baseman.

"It was nice to see Mike Lowell (get a standing ovation), let the fans show Mike Lowell what he meant to them," Francona said. "Pedroia's rookie season, and we wanted to have Varitek hit one more time. We were going to pinch-run for him."

Julian Tavarez (7-11), whose status for the postseason is up in the air due to Boston's abundance of bullpen arms, got a spot start and allowed three runs in three innings. The veteran sinkerballer yielded three hits and walked two batters without notching a strikeout.

The Twins scored all of their runs in the first inning off Tavarez.

"It was a good way for us to end the season, a win, it's always exciting," Gardenhire said. "Garza had 100 pitches in five innings, not exactly the way you draw it up, but he threw the ball well. (He) just threw too many pitches and the game kind of was dragging along."

Nick Punto walked to lead off the frame and Brian Buscher followed with a single before Torii Hunter drove in a run with a double. After Justin Morneau popped out and Michael Cuddyer walked, Garrett Jones made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Rondell White, likely playing in his last major league game, followed with an RBI single to give Minnesota a 3-0 advantage.

"It was tough with all of them," Gardenhire said. "Torii, Rondell (White), those guys coming out of the games for the last time this year, Rondell probably for the last time in his career from what he's saying. I'm proud to say I've managed a guy like Rondell and had the opportunity to and the pleasure to."

Jon Lester - also a postseason question mark - was the first man out of the bullpen for Boston and turned in a pair of perfect innings, while striking out two.

Mike Timlin, Manny Delcarmen, Eric Gagne and Jonathan Papelbon each tuned up for the AL Division series, which starts on Wednesday at Fenway Park, with scoreless innings of relief.

"I think we're in good position," Francona said of his club's upcoming series against the Angels. "We're healthy and we seem to be where guys can be productive. Nothing's assured, but we're in a good position where we should be able to play our best baseball."

Jason Varitek hit his 17th homer of the season off Twins' reliever Scott Baker in the sixth and Manny Ramirez drove in a run with a single in the fifth to account for Boston's runs.