Twins Rough Up Buehrle in 18-3 Rout

Torii Hunter and Bobby Kielty each hit a three-run homer Friday night at Minneapolis for the Minnesota Twins in an 18-3 rout of the Chicago White Sox and struggling left-hander Mark Buehrle.

Kielty drove in five runs, a career high; Hunter had four runs batted in; and A.J. Pierzynski went four for four for the Twins, who roughed up Buehrle for a career-worst 10 runs in his sixth consecutive loss.

Buehrle (2-7) gave up 10 hits, nine earned runs and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” said Buehrle, who was 5-1 against Minnesota last year. “It seems like everything I throw up there, they’re hitting it.”

Minnesota hit four homers and got 20 hits in support of Brad Radke (5-3).

Twin Manager Ron Gardenhire said his team was eager to wash away the taste of a 14-inning loss to first-place Kansas City the previous night.

“After a game like that, it’s like whoever’s coming to town,” he said. “The White Sox, sure. We’ve got a good history with these guys. We’ve had a lot of good battles.... They’re in our division. It means a lot when you beat them.”

Cleveland 3, Oakland 2 -- Omar Vizquel’s speed and Ellis Burks’ clutch hitting gave the Indians a victory over the Athletics at Cleveland and put a halt to a five-game winning streak by Oakland starter Mark Mulder (6-2).

Vizquel lined a two-out single to center in the eighth inning with the score tied, 2-2. He stole second on the first pitch to Burks and scored when Burks lined a single off the glove of diving first baseman Scott Hatteberg. Billy Traber (1-2), a former Loyola Marymount standout, got his first major league win by striking out two in a hitless eighth inning.

Seattle 6, Detroit 3 -- For the third consecutive game, Edgar Martinez homered, and he also drove in three runs, leading Gil Meche and the Mariners over the Tigers at Detroit. Meche (5-2) won for the fourth time in five starts.

Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 1 -- Aubrey Huff doubled twice, singled and drove in two runs at Baltimore, and the Devil Rays handed the Orioles their sixth consecutive loss.