Twins’ Win Over Yankees Marred by Unruly Fans

Fans angry with Chuck Knoblauch nearly cost the Minnesota Twins a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night at Minneapolis.

Metrodome fans pelted the former Twin with objects, causing umpires to pull the Yankees off the field for 12 minutes.

But the fans finally calmed down, and Minnesota beat New York as Doug Mientkiewicz went four for four with two RBIs. Torii Hunter also drove in two runs.

Fans threw quarters on Monday at Knoblauch, playing in left field in his former home stadium for the first time. Knoblauch, who was booed throughout the series, was traded to New York in February 1998 after he had asked for a trade.

On Wednesday, the game was delayed for 12 minutes with two out in the sixth and the Twins leading 4-1 after Mientkiewicz’s two-run single chased Orlando Hernandez (0-3).

During the delay, Minnesota Manager Tom Kelly even strolled out to left field, pleading with fans to stop.

Metrodome public-address announcer Bob Casey lectured the crowd. “Please stop throwing things,” Casey said. “This is an important game! Now quit this!”

Joe Mays (4-1) gave up four hits in six innings and struck out four in beating the Yankees for the first time. He was 0-3 with a 6.19 ERA in his first three starts against New York.

Hunter homered in the fifth and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth against Hernandez as the Twins took two of three from the Yankees despite getting only 15 hits in the series.

Mays, 13-26 with a 4.94 ERA in the previous two seasons, has established himself as the Twins’ third starter behind Brad Radke and Eric Milton. The trio is 12-3 and each has an ERA of 2.77 or lower.

Detroit 8, Texas 4--Juan Encarnacion and Dean Palmer each hit two-run doubles as the Tigers scored the first seven runs at Arlington, Texas.

Detroit starter Chris Holt (3-2) pitched six-plus innings to win in his first appearance against his hometown team.

Matt Anderson gave up one run in three innings for his first save.

Darren Oliver (4-1) pitched only 2 1/3 innings, the shortest outing by a Texas starter this season. Eight of the nine Detroit starters had hits before he left.

Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 1--Ben Grieve had four hits, a homer and five RBIs as the Devil Rays avoided a three-game sweep at Baltimore.

Gerald Williams had two hits and scored three runs for the Devil Rays, who had lost three in a row and five of six.

Tampa Bay, the lowest-scoring team in the majors, tied a season high with 15 hits after being limited to nine in the first two games of the series.

Cleveland 8, Kansas City 4--Marty Cordova hit a three-run homer for the second straight night, backing rookie C.C. Sabathia at Kansas City, Mo.

Juan Gonzalez drove in two runs, giving him 31 RBIs in 25 games, as Cleveland stretched a winning streak to four for the first time this year.

Seattle 5, Boston 1--Aaron Sele became the American League’s second five-game winner with seven dominant innings and Edgar Martinez drove in three runs for the Mariners at Seattle.

Sele (5-0) gave up seven hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out five and joined Minnesota’s Radke as the only five-game winners in the AL.

Oakland 6, Toronto 0--Mark Mulder threw a three-hitter for his first career complete game and Miguel Tejada homered twice at Oakland.

Mulder (3-2) had not gone more than eight innings in 32 previous starts. The left-hander walked three and struck out seven.