Published: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Santana's pitching KOs Tribe
Cleveland's Jake Westbrook was fantastic for 72/3 innings.
MINNEAPOLIS — Johan Santana threw eight shutout innings of three-hit ball, pitching the Minnesota Twins to a 4-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.
Michael Cuddyer drove in two runs and Joe Mauer had an RBI single for the Twins, who stopped Cleveland's six-game winning streak. Santana (14-5) struck out nine and walked one before Joe Nathan gave up an RBI single to Travis Hafner in the ninth.
Indians right-hander Jake Westbrook (9-8) was fantastic for 72/3 innings, but fell apart with two outs in the eighth.
Slim lead
The Twins were clinging to a 1-0 lead when Luis Castillo singled and Mauer was intentionally walked. Castillo and Mauer then pulled off a double steal before Cuddyer's two-run single brought the Metrodome crowd to its feet.
Torii Hunter added an RBI single to cap the three-run inning. Westbrook gave up four runs and eight hits in eight innings.
Santana's performance should come as no surprise. He simply does not lose at the Metrodome.
The 2004 AL Cy Young Award winner has not lost in the Dome since Aug. 6, 2005, going 12-0 in his last 19 home starts. It's the best such streak for a Twins pitcher since Frank Viola went 19-0 in 24 home starts from 1987-88.
For Westbrook, it seemed to be a matter of bad luck.
The last time he was here, Westbrook was solid, giving up three runs over six innings.
But Twins lefty Francisco Liriano was even better in Minnesota's 3-1 victory.
This time, Westbrook was outpitched by another left-hander.
Tribe baffled
Aside from warning-track shots by Hector Luna in the fourth and Ryan Garko in the eighth, the Indians were completely baffled by Santana.
He retired 14 of 15 batters after walking Grady Sizemore in the third and struck out Jhonny Peralta and Kelly Shoppach three times each.
Santana got a little help from his defense in the seventh, when Luna hit what looked like a sure double down the right-field line.
But Cuddyer tracked it down in the corner and threw out Luna at second with a one-hop strike.
The Twins got on the board in the third after Jason Bartlett doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice by Castillo.
Mauer, who entered the game in a 1-for-11 skid, followed by muscling a grounder through the right side for a 1-0 lead.
That was all the Twins needed in this one to get their second consecutive win after losing three of four to Texas last weekend.
Sizemore made a highlight-reel catch in the fifth.
Luis Rodriguez drove the ball to the right-center gap, and Sizemore raced about 30 yards and crashed into the wall as he made the grab.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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