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Sports

Morneau's HR in 9th helps Twins top Tribe

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Minneapolis, MN – Justin Morneau's second home run of the game came with two outs in the ninth as the Minnesota Twins took an 8-7 win over the Cleveland Indians in the third contest of a four-game set.

With two outs and Vinnie Pestano (3-2) on the mound, Morneau drilled the first pitch he saw just inside the right-field foul pole for the win.

Morneau made a winner out of Brian Duensing (4-10), who got the final out of the eighth with runners on the corners then worked a scoreless ninth.

Morneau hit a two-run homer in the third inning, while Chris Parmelee added two RBI for the Twins, who have taken the past two after dropping the opener on Friday.

"The year hasn't gone as we've hoped, but we're still playing for something and this is a good win we had here today," said Morneau.

Carlos Santana went 3-for-5 with a solo homer, two RBI and two runs scored, while Michael Brantley and Brent Lillibridge each scored twice for the Indians, who have lost three of four.

"We had that big lead we just couldn't protect it," said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. "We had a bunch of leads today, but never could put them away as they kept coming back the whole time. We didn't execute very well today."

Neither starter factored into the decision. Corey Kluber lasted just 3 2/3 innings and gave up five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits for Cleveland, while Esmerling Vasquez allowed four runs, three hits and five walks in just three innings for Minnesota.

Santana led off the second with a homer, while Shin-Soo Choo hit a sac fly later in the inning and Lillibridge scored on a Vasquez wild pitch to give Cleveland a 3-0 lead.

Lillibridge's sac fly in the third made it a 4-0 game, but Minnesota got three back in the third as Joe Mauer's RBI triple was followed by Morneau's 18th homer of the year.

Pedro Florimon and Ben Revere each drove in a run in the fourth with RBI singles as the Twins took a 5-4 lead, but Santana doubled in a run in the fifth and scored when Russ Canzler followed with a base hit for a 6-5 lead.

Parmelee's two-run single in the seventh again gave the Twins a one-run lead, but Jason Donald tripled in Lillibridge in the eighth to tie the game.

Game Notes

Minnesota has won nine of the 14 games against Cleveland this season ... The Indians left eight men on base and went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.