Radke, Mientkiewicz Boost Twins Past the Yankees, 2-1

Doug Mientkiewicz had just finished telling reporters about how the Minnesota Twins are a team without any individual stars.

“No, I take that back,” he said, glancing at Brad Radke. “He’s our superstar, right there.”

Mientkiewicz’s tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning gave Radke and the Twins a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Monday night at Minneapolis.

Radke (5-0) pitched his second complete game of the season and became the first five-game winner in the major leagues by outdueling Andy Pettitte.

Radke gave up six hits, including Tino Martinez’s home run in the fourth, struck out four and walked one. He became the first pitcher in franchise history to start a season 5-0 since the Washington Senators’ Walter Johnson did it in 1913.

“It’s always nice to beat the champs,” said Radke, who improved to 3-8 lifetime against the Yankees. “I didn’t really want to mess that game up.”

Pettitte (3-3) was just as impressive. He gave up three hits and one walk in his second complete game of the season and struck out a season-high eight.

Mientkiewicz, who extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games, is batting .380 after spending all but three games in the minors last year and hitting .229 in 1999.

Kansas City 6, Toronto 3--Mike Sweeney hit his sixth homer of the year, all of them against the Blue Jays, and the Royals won their third in a row at Toronto.

Sweeney went three for four with two RBIs for the Royals, who won the season series, 4-3.

The game was originally scheduled for April 12, but it was postponed when chunks of SkyDome’s roof fell to the ground in left field.

Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 3--Brady Anderson and Melvin Mora homered at Baltimore and Willis Roberts won his third consecutive start.

Anderson hit his 44th career leadoff homer on the fourth pitch from Paul Wilson to put Baltimore ahead for good. Mora’s two-run drive sparked a three-run second inning that made the score 4-0.