Twins 6, Indians 2
Minnesota scored five runs in the first inning and rolled to a 6-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.
The Twins, who entered play with a six-game lead over Chicago in the American League Central, jumped on the Indians quickly by sending nine men to the plate in the first. The big inning made it easy for Kevin Slowey (12-6), who held Cleveland to two unearned runs in five innings.
Indians starter Mitch Talbot (9-12) left the game because of inflammation in his right shoulder after facing only three batters. Denard Span drew a leadoff walk, stole second, took third on Orlando Hudson's infield hit and scored on Joe Mauer's single.
Indians manager Manny Acta and a member of the training staff made their second trip to the mound of the inning to talk to Talbot, who was then removed from the game and replaced by Justin Masterson.
The scoring continued on Jim Thome's RBI fielder's choice, a wild pitch by Masterson, Delmon Young's sacrifice fly and Danny Valencia's RBI single.
Luis Valbuena drove in two runs for the Indians with a second-inning double. Michael Cuddyer had an RBI single in the sixth.
Glen Perkins, Jose Mijares, Jon Rauch and Brian Fuentes blanked Cleveland over the final four innings.
Masterson, pitching seven innings of relief, allowed three runs (one earned) and five hits. He struck out six and didn't walk a batter.