Twins 5 - 7 Angels
Final
  for this game

Twins surging toward playoff spot

Aug 23, 2008 - 10:20 AM Minnesota (74-54) at LA Angels (77-50) 9:05 p.m. EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Twins certainly look like a team bound for the playoffs.

The Twins go for their fifth straight win on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Minnesota is 28-31 on the road, but had no trouble downing the Angels, who own the second best record in the American League, posting a 9-0 victory on Friday in the second game of a14-game road trip.

The victory was the Twins' ninth in 11 contests and pushed them one-half game in front of the Chicago White Sox (73-54) for first place in the AL Central.

"We are just having fun right now," said rookie Denard Span, who had a three-run homer on Friday after plating the go-ahead run during Thursday's 2-1, 12-inning victory.

"We're just taking it one game at a time and just trying to prove people wrong. It's almost September and it's good to be playing for a playoff spot."

"It's nice to take over first place, but I would like to go on strike, end the season and start the playoffs now," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire joked. "I just wish we were in the Angels' boat right now since they lead the division by a lot but just have to worry about us."

Rookie Nick Blackburn (9-7, 3.71) gets the call for Minnesota and tries to avoid back-to-back losses. Jon Garland (11-8, 4.33 ERA), who has won three of his last five starts, counters for Anaheim.








  • AL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    MINNESOTA 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 5 8 2
    LA ANGELS 0 0 4 2 0 1 0 0 x 7 12 0 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: MIN - NICK BLACKBURN, BOOF BONSER (5TH), CRAIG BRESLOW (8TH) AND JOE
    MAUER
    LAA - JON GARLAND, DARREN OLIVER (5TH), SCOT SHIELDS
    (8TH), FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ (9TH) AN

    Aug 23 11:59 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY MARK TEIXEIRA (6) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN
    THE 6TH OFF BOOF BONSER.
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 5, LA ANGELS 7
    DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: V GUERRERO (.286, 1-FOR-3, 2 RBI)

    Twins 5, Angels 7  Bot 6, 0 OutsAug 23 11:15 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    GROUND OUT BY JUSTIN MORNEAU SCORED ALEXI CASILLA.
    SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J MAUER ON THIRD, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 5
    LA ANGELS 6 TOP, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J KUBEL (.274, 1-FOR-2)

    Twins 5, Angels 6  Top 5, 0 OutsAug 23 10:51 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY JOE MAUER SCORED NICK PUNTO AND CARLOS GOMEZ.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, J MAUER ON SECOND, A CASILLA ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 4
    LA ANGELS 6 TOP, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MORNEAU (.304, 0-FOR-2)

    Twins 4, Angels 6  Top 5, 0 OutsAug 23 10:46 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SACRIFICE FLY BY DENARD SPAN SCORED BRIAN BUSCHER.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C GOMEZ ON FIRST, N PUNTO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 2
    LA ANGELS 6 TOP, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: A CASILLA (.305, 1-FOR-2, HR, RBI)

    Twins 2, Angels 6  Top 5, 0 OutsAug 23 10:39 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY MARK TEIXEIRA SCORED CHONE FIGGINS.
    SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, M TEIXEIRA ON FIRST, E AYBAR ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 1
    LA ANGELS 6 BOTTOM, 4TH
    DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: V GUERRERO (.287, 1-FOR-2, 2 RBI)

    Twins 1, Angels 6  Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 23 10:30 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY ERICK AYBAR SCORED MIKE NAPOLI.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, E AYBAR ON FIRST, C FIGGINS ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 1
    LA ANGELS 5 BOTTOM, 4TH
    DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: M TEIXEIRA (.351, 1-FOR-1, BB)

    Twins 1, Angels 5  Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 23 10:27 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY ALEXI CASILLA (5) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 4TH OFF JON GARLAND.
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 1, LA ANGELS 4
    DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MAUER (.322, 0-FOR-1)

    Twins 1, Angels 4  Top 4, 0 OutsAug 23 10:11 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    SACRIFICE FLY BY GARRET ANDERSON SCORED VLADIMIR GUERRERO.
    SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, T HUNTER ON FIRST, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
    LA ANGELS 4 BOTTOM, 3RD
    DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: J RIVERA (.247, 0-FOR-1)

    Twins 0, Angels 4  Bot 3, 0 OutsAug 23 10:03 PM


  • AL
    AT LA ANGELS - SCORING UPDATE
    ERROR BY BRIAN BUSCHER ALLOWED MARK TEIXEIRA TO SCORE.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, T HUNTER ON FIRST, V GUERRERO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: MINNESOTA 0
    LA ANGELS 3 BOTTOM, 3RD
    DUE UP FOR LA ANGELS: G ANDERSON (.285, 0-FOR-1)

    Twins 0, Angels 3  Bot 3, 0 OutsAug 23 10:01 PM

Related News