Twins Run Into Division Lead

The Minnesota Twins proved Friday night that a little hustle goes a long way.

Pinch-runner Chad Allen scored from second base while Jacque Jones beat out an infield hit, capping a two-run rally in the 10th inning that lifted the Twins over the Kansas City Royals, 8-7, at Minneapolis.

The Twins overcame an injury to starting pitcher Brad Radke and an early 4-0 deficit to move half a game ahead of Cleveland into first place in the American League Central.

“That’s the way we have to win,” Jones said. “We’re not going to score a lot of runs all the time, so we have to do the little things.”

Those little things include running out ground balls. Allen was at second base with two out when Jones hit a chopper between the plate, mound and first base. Roberto Hernandez (3-4) fielded the ball and raced Jones to the bag when Mike Sweeney failed to cover.

“When I saw it was just me and Hernandez, I really started digging,” Jones said. “I figured I could beat him.”

Jones made a headfirst dive to avoid the reliever’s tag, and in doing so missed first base. Jones was able to scramble back to the bag, and Allen scored without a throw.

“I missed him,” Hernandez admitted. “He slid out of the way.”

Radke left in the third inning when he was struck on the right thumb by a line drive off the bat of Raul Ibanez. The ball continued into center field for a run-scoring single, giving Kansas City a 5-4 lead.

Seattle 2, Cleveland 1--Jamie Moyer shut out the Indians for seven innings and Mark McLemore and John Olerud each drove in a run in the eighth off Bartolo Colon to give the Mariners a victory at Cleveland.

Moyer (12-5) limited the AL’s top hitting team to two hits--Roberto Alomar’s two-out double in the fourth and Wil Cordero’s leadoff single in the sixth.

The Mariners got three of their four hits in the eighth inning, and won for the seventh time in eight games. They improved to 43-14 on the road in a place where they have had problems. Seattle is now 14-19 at Jacobs Field.

Oakland 2, Detroit 1--Jason Giambi hit a leadoff home run in the ninth inning to lift the Athletics to a victory at Detroit.

Giambi hit Jeff Weaver’s second pitch of the inning 410 feet down the right-field line to give Oakland its fourth win in five games.

Tim Hudson (13-6) pitched his third complete game of the season and sixth of his career, giving up one run and nine hits.

Chicago 4, Tampa Bay 0--Mark Buehrle held the Devil Rays hitless for six innings and finished with a one-hitter in the victory at Chicago.

Damian Rolls broke up Buehrle’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh. Buehrle (9-6) walked none, hit a batter and struck out three.

Texas at Boston--Postponed because of severe thunderstorms, the game will be made up today as part of a day-night doubleheader.