Twins Respond to Yankees’ Test

After winning the season series against the New York Yankees for the first time in nine years, the Minnesota Twins wish they weren’t done with the three-time defending World Series champions.

A.J. Pierzynski had three hits and scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball in the 10th inning as Minnesota beat New York, 5-4, at Yankee Stadium Thursday night in the final regular-season meeting between the teams.

“The Yankees are a formidable team and we enjoy playing them,” said Twin Manager Tom Kelly, whose club went 4-2 against the Yankees this season. “I wish we could come back here later in the summer when the games meant more.”

But under baseball’s new unbalanced schedule, the Twins are done with Yankees for the season--at least the regular season.

“Hopefully, maybe we’ll see them a lot later,” Pierzynski said with his eyes on October, which once seemed unthinkable for the Twins, who at 23-9 are off to the best start in franchise history.

The Twins, who opened the season with baseball’s lowest payroll at $24.4 million, took two of three for the second time in a week against the Yankees, who had a major league-high $109.8-million payroll.

It was the first season-series win against New York for the Twins since they went 7-5 in 1992, which was also the last year Minnesota had a winning record.

Seattle 5, Boston 2--John Halama combined with three relievers on a four-hitter and Edgar Martinez and Bret Boone each hit home runs to lead the Mariners past the Red Sox at Boston.

Pitching on three days’ rest, Halama (3-3) gave up two runs--one earned--and two hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Jeff Nelson gave up a hit in one inning, Norm Charlton pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings and Kazuhiro Sasaki gave up a leadoff double in the ninth before earning his 16th save in 17 chances.

Kansas City 8, Cleveland 3--Brian Meadows shut down baseball’s hottest team for 6 2/3 innings at Cleveland as the Royals ended the Indians’ 10-game winning streak.

Helped by four double plays, Meadows (1-4) outpitched Bartolo Colon (4-3) and finally cooled off the Indians, who were averaging 8.6 runs a game during their streak and had been 5-0 against Kansas City this season.

Detroit 6, Texas 5--Tony Clark drove in four runs and hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth, as the Tigers swept the Rangers for the second time in a week.

Alex Rodriguez’s throwing error allowed Detroit’s first run to score, and he struck out with a man on base to end the game. It was the Tigers’ 10th victory in 13 games; the Rangers (12-22) have lost five in a row and 10 of 11.

Oakland 14, Toronto 8--Miguel Tejada homered in his sixth consecutive game at SkyDome and the Athletics won their third in a row in sweeping the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Baltimore 9, Tampa Bay 5--Mike Bordick drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning with a squeeze bunt in the Orioles’ victory at St. Petersburg, Fla.