Slowey does it for Twins in narrow win over Rangers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Minnesota Twins won a tense battle of division leaders by eking out a 2-1 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers in a classic pitchers' duel on Friday.
Minnesota's Kevin Slowey (6-3) and Texas' Colby Lewis (4-3) made life difficult for the hitters in a game that was decided on a double-play grounder off the bat of reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer in the fifth inning.
"Our pitching was fantastic," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The win played out in front of nearly 40,000 fans in the largest crowd yet at the new Target Field, improved the Twins to 28-20 and increased their AL Central lead to 2 games over the Detroit Tigers.
The Rangers (26-22) clung to a half-game edge over the Oakland Athletics, who beat Detroit, in the AL West.
The Twins snapped a 1-1 tie after loading the bases with no one out against unlucky loser Lewis in the decisive fifth frame.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Nick Punto walked to lead off the inning and Denard Span followed with a bunt single. Orlando Hudson singled to left to load the bases, and Punto crossed the plate despite the double-play turned on Mauer's grounder to the second baseman.
The teams managed just seven hits apiece in the game with Slowey hurling 6 2/3 innings before turning the ball over to reliever Mijares to get out of a jam.
After a walk to catcher Max Ramirez loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs, left-hander Mijares got power-hitting Nelson Cruz to ground out to third to end the threat.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Matt Guerrier pitched a perfect eighth before Jon Rauch shrugged off a blown save and a loss in his past two outings to convert his 11th save of the season.
The Rangers scored their only run in the fourth despite having a home run call reversed on Ian Kinsler's drive down the left-field line.
After video evidence determined it was a foul ball, Kinsler went back to the plate and doubled to right and scored on a single by Vladimir Guerrero that tied the game 1-1.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Mauer drove in the game's first run with an RBI single in the third inning.
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario)