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Thursday, May 25 1:05pm ET
Angels take advantage of stumbling Twins | |||||
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Twins are in disarray thanks to Anaheim and its first three-game sweep at the Metrodome since 1989. Manager Tom Kelly got ejected for just the fifth time in his 15-year career on Thursday, center fielder Torii Hunter joined a growing list of players being demoted to the minors and ace Brad Radke again couldn't get any run support. "From Day One, I've preached that we're not going to hit it over the fence, so we have to execute the little things, the bunts, the hit-and-runs, adjustments at the plate, defense," Kelly said. "We didn't do that." Again. Darin Erstad scored the tiebreaking run from first base on Orlando Palmeiro's misplayed bloop single in the eighth inning as Anaheim completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory. Palmeiro's single off Radke (3-5) landed between Jacque Jones and Hunter in left-center. The ball bounced off Jones' glove for an error that allowed Erstad to round third base at full speed and score standing for a 2-1 lead. "We tried to catch the ball instead of playing it safe," Kelly said. "Just young players trying to make the catch." After the game, Hunter was demoted to the minors so he could work on his hitting: "You can see he's not having much fun," Kelly said. "The last couple of weeks have been tough," said Hunter, who is mired in a 7-for-55 slump and joined Todd Walker and Chad Allen as 1999 Twins starters now toiling in the minors. If Kelly could, he'd probably send them some more company. Cristian Guzman is 6-for-52, Marcus Jensen is 3-for-34, Matthew LeCroy is 8-for-54 and Butch Huskey is 8-for-39. The tumbling Twins, who have lost nine of 12, were easy pickings for Scott Schoeneweis (5-2), who scattered six hits over 7 1/3 innings. "They didn't hit many balls in the air," Schoeneweis said. "So, that was the first clue that I was doing what I needed to be doing." Reliever Al Levine entered the game with one out in the eighth and runners at first and second and got pinch-hitter Midre Cummings on a flyout and Guzman on a grounder. After Matt Walbeck's RBI double in the ninth off Hector Carrasco made it 3-1, Troy Percival pitched the ninth for his 14th save. Kelly was ejected by first base umpire Mike Everitt for arguing a close call that ended Minnesota's seventh with a double-play groundout by Brian Buchanan. Kelly was angered because first base coach Jerry White, who was also ejected, was waved off the field by Everitt as he began arguing the call. "I took exception to the hand-wave to Jerry to get off the field," Kelly said. "Our team and our players treat the umpires with greater respect than anybody. To get waved off after an umpire missed a call, I don't think is acceptable. Our coach wasn't wrong. He didn't curse at him. And we're not going to stand for that." Television replays were inconclusive although they showed the play to be much closer than the Twins contended. Kelly said: "He was easy -- safe. It wasn't even bang-bang." Radke gave up one earned run on seven hits in eight innings. "It's just not working out. I'm just pitching on the wrong days," he said, repeating a familiar refrain. Radke just shrugged when asked about new team CEO Chris Clouser's comments Wednesday that re-signing him was a top priority. "It's nice for him to say that, but we'll just see what happens," said Radke, who has called off talks with the Twins until after the season is over, when he'll be eligible for free agency. Mo Vaughn, who went 5-for-5 Wednesday night, hit his 17th homer in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Huskey, who led off the Twins fifth with a double, tied it at 1 when he scored on Jensen's bouncer to third baseman Tony Glaus, who spun and threw wide of home plate. Game notesThe last time the Angels swept a three-game series in Minneapolis was Sept. 18-20, 1989. ... Keith Luuloa, one of three Hawaiian-born players in the major leagues, got his first major league hit, a single in the fifth for Anaheim. ... Infielder Jason Maxwell was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Hunter's spot. ... The Angels outrighted RHP Brett Hinchliffe to Triple-A Edmonton to make room for RHP Seth Etherton, who will make his major league debut Friday night at Kansas City. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Anaheim Clubhouse Minnesota Clubhouse RECAPS Anaheim 3 Minnesota 1
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