Minneapolis, MN - Scott Baker dominated for eight innings and combined with Joe Nathan on a five-hit shutout, as Minnesota edged Cleveland, 1-0, in the third of a four-game set at the Metrodome.
Baker (6-4) allowed only four hits to outduel Fausto Carmona. Baker fanned four and walked a pair for the Twins, who won their second in a row and their sixth in eight games. Alexi Casilla’s RBI double accounted for the lone run of the game.
Carmona (13-6) yielded only five hits and a run, with five walks and five strikeouts for the reeling Indians, who have dropped two in a row and nine of their last 13 games.
Thanks to the poor play of the Indians and Tigers of late, the Twins have closed to within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Indians, who own a half-game lead over the Tigers in the American League Central.
The Indians had an opportunity to go on top early when Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner started the second inning with consecutive singles. Baker bore down, though, striking out Ryan Garko, getting Trot Nixon to foul out, and Jhonny Peralta to fly out to center to strand the runners.
“He gave us a great outing, eight innings, no runs … That’s about all you can ask for,” said Minnesota’s Joe Mauer of Baker. “He made some great pitches when he had to and got out of some jams.”
The Twins finally broke through against Carmona in the fourth with a two-out rally. After Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter both grounded out, Jason Kubel got things started with a single to left. After Brian Buscher walked, Casilla ripped a ground-rule double to left, plating Kubel to give the Twins the lead.
Baker helped his own cause with a spectacular diving catch in the eighth. After Nixon singled to left to start things off, Peralta tried to bunt him into scoring position. The Indians shortstop bunted the ball into the air to the first-base side of the mound, and Baker made the diving grab, turned from his knees and threw to first to double off Nixon. Josh Barfield then fouled out to end the inning.
Nathan closed things out in the ninth, allowing only a two-out single to Casey Blake before retiring Martinez to end the game.
“We had some opportunities, I think there are some guys who wish they could get some pitches back,” said Blake. “It’s a tough game, obviously we don’t have a whole lot going our way right now. Our starting pitching’s been fantastic, but certainly our offense isn’t clicking on all cylinders.”
Game Notes
Minnesota’s Michael Cuddyer, who had gone 3-for-7 with two doubles and two RBI in two games since returning from the disabled list on Friday, went 0-for-4 Sunday…The Twins won despite leaving 10 runners on base…Attendance was 38,334.
