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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Twins are starting to follow
their manager's philosophy about hitting.
|  | | The Twins' Corey Koskie drives a two-run single in the ninth to win the game. |
"I just wanted to put the ball in play," Corey Koskie said
after his game-winning, two-run single in the ninth inning led the
Twins over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 Tuesday night.
"That's important -- not trying to overdo it," said Tom Kelly,
never a fan of players who routinely try to swing for the fences.
Royals closer Roberto Hernandez had recorded two saves in the
last two days, but Jason Grimsley (0-1) pitched the ninth.
Grimsley, who hadn't given up a run in 10 2/3 previous innings
this year, only got one out. Kansas City has three blown saves this
year and 59 since the start of the 1999 season.
"He threw 70 pitches in three days," manager Tony Muser said
of Hernandez. "That's why we didn't use him."
A.J. Pierzynski led off the ninth with a broken-bat single to
right, and Cristian Guzman barely beat out a drag bunt.
Denny Hocking sacrificed the runners over, Matt Lawton was
intentionally walked to load the bases and Koskie, who was 4-for-4
Sunday, singled to left for a 4-for-5 night.
Koskie recalled a recent conversation he had with former Twins
catcher Terry Steinbach about batting with the bases loaded.
"He reminded me that I don't need to hit a (grand slam) in that
situation," said Koskie, who has eight hits in his last 13
at-bats. "It's funny that situation came up again tonight. I just
told myself I need to get a base hit and we win the game."
Bob Wells (1-0) got the last four outs for Minnesota and earned
his first win since Aug. 28, 1999.
After allowing seven runs in 2 2/3 innings last Sunday against
Kansas City, starter J.C. Romero retired his first 11 hitters. But
with two outs in the fourth, Mark Quinn hit a low and inside pitch
over the left-field fence for his seventh home run.
Quinn, who extended his hitting streak to 13 games, is 8-for-18
against the Twins this year.
"I'm just trying to hit the ball hard," he said.
Romero walked Sweeney and Joe Randa in the fifth and gave up a
two-run double to Dave McCarty that made it 3-1. One out later,
Carlos Febles nudged a single to short right to drive in McCarty.
Romero gave up three hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings,
striking out four.
"I started rushing a little bit," Romero said of the fifth.
"But the relief pitching did a very good job of keeping us in the
game. That's huge."
Mike Sweeney hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning
for the Royals after the Twins tied the game in the seventh on
Lawton's sacrifice fly and Koskie's RBI single.
Quinn led off the eighth with a single and wound up at third
when Lawton let the ball go by in right. One out later, Sweeney hit
a deep fly to center to score Quinn.
Brian Meadows, who had allowed five runs and eight hits in each
of his first two starts, pitched into the seventh but left with two
on and no outs. He was charged with four runs and seven hits.
"He hung in there tough against a scrappy little Minnesota club
that's tough to beat," Muser said.
With a payroll stripped to $15 million in 1999, Minnesota (10-3
this year) played 18 rookies and went 63-97. Now, many of those
youngsters are maturing and their confidence is beginning to show.
"No doubt, you've seen it this year already," said Jacque
Jones, who got his second outfield assist of the year by throwing
out Carlos Febles at the plate in the fifth. "We've been through a
lot of one-run games in the last two years, and now we're getting
to the point where we know how to win them."
Game notes
Bobby Kielty hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth and Luis
Rivas hit one in the fifth for Minnesota. ... Kansas City has
homered in 12 straight games. ... Guzman extended his career-best
hitting streak to 12 games. ... Koskie, who had just nine stolen
bases in two-plus seasons, stole two bases in the first four
innings and has three this year. ... The Twins had 35
comeback wins last season among their 69 victories.
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RECAPS
Cleveland 8
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Detroit 7
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Toronto 6
NY Yankees 5
Boston 10
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Kansas City 5
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Anaheim 1
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