Rangers 4, Twins 3
Michael Young hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning to lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Josh Hamilton homered and Andres Blanco drove in a run for the American League West-leading Rangers, who own the largest division lead in baseball at 8 ½ games.
The Twins, who entered 4 ½ games ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position one night after nearly being no-hit.
Minnesota tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning on an RBI double from Alexi Casilla, but the Rangers responded in the bottom half of the frame. Blanco hit a one-out double off Carl Pavano (15-9) and two batters later Young gave the Rangers the lead with a single to left.
Young's two-out hit made a winner out of Darren Oliver (1-1), who threw 1 1/3 hitless innings in relief of Colby Lewis. Lewis allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, but remains winless since July 16.
Oliver got the first two outs of the eighth before giving way to Darren O'Day for the final out of the frame. All-Star closer Neftali Feliz worked the ninth for his 32nd save in 35 chances.
Pavano was credited with his sixth complete game of the season. The right-hander allowed four runs and eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in eight innings.