Twins 8, Indians 7
Justin Morneau homered twice, including a line-drive homer to right with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins rallied to win the third game of the four-game set.
Morneau hooked the first pitch from Vinnie Pestano (3-2) just inside the right-field foul pole for his 19th homer of the season, as Minnesota beat Cleveland for the second game in a row. Morneau finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
Joe Mauer fell a homer short of the cycle for the Twins, finishing with three hits. Carlos Santana went 3-for-5 for the Indians, hitting his 15th homer in the second.
Brian Duensing (4-10) picked up the victory with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Minnesota rallied on Chris Parmelee’s two-run single in the seventh, scoring Jamey Carroll and Morneau to move ahead 7-6. Minnesota tied the game in the eighth. Brett Lillibridge was hit with a Jared Burton pitch, and Jason Donald’s triple to deep center tied the game at 7-7.
Santana’s homer leading off the second sparked a three-run inning. The Indians added a run in the third to take a 4-0 lead. Minnesota rallied with three in the third, highlighted by Morneau’s first homer of the game.
The Twins tied it in the fourth on Pedro Florimon’s single, and took a 5-4 lead when Florimon scored on Ben Revere’s single to right-center. Cleveland scored twice in the fifth on a Santana double and Russ Canzler’s single, moving ahead 6-5.
Neither starter lasted long. Cleveland’s Corey Kluber allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Minnesota’s Esmerling Vasquez walked five and gave up four runs on three hits in three innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Revere stole two bases, giving him 36 on the season. Revere is fourth in the majors in steals. He also made a diving catch in center to end the top of the ninth. … Morneau has four multi-homer games this season. … The two teams wrap up their four-game series Monday.