Final
Minnesota leads 1-0 (as of 4/11)
| Game 1: Friday, April 11 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 6 | Final |
| Toronto | 4 | |
| Recap »Boxscore » | ||
| Game 2: Saturday, April 12 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 9 | Final |
| Toronto | 6 | |
| Recap »Boxscore » | ||
| Game 3: Sunday, April 13 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 9 | Final |
| Toronto | 3 | |
| Recap »Boxscore » | ||
7:05 PM ET, April 11, 2003
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
TORONTO (AP) -- The Minnesota Twins ended a week of frustration.
Corey Koskie drove in three runs as the Twins ended a six-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. Toronto started Minnesota's losing streak with a three-game sweep in the Metrodome last weekend. The defending American League Central Division champion Twins also were swept by the New York Yankees. ''It's been a long time since we won a baseball game,'' Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. ''You always tell yourself it's not that big of a deal, but believe me, when it starts to add up, you need a win. That was a big win for us. It's a morale booster.'' Minnesota's Luis Rivas, who went 3-for-4, hit a tying triple in the seventh inning off Cory Lidle (1-2) and Jacque Jones followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4. The Twins hadn't scored more than three runs in their previous seven games. ''We were struggling in those six or seven games,'' Koskie said. ''It started to get frustrating, but tonight we were able to score some runs.'' Kenny Rogers (1-0) allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings in his second start with the Twins. The 39-year-old left-hander, signed as a free agent March 13 after Eric Milton injured his left knee, struck out five and walked two. ''We needed a win to turn the tide,'' Rogers said. ''Everyone is pressing and trying to do a little more. I'm trying to do more than I'm capable of by throwing the ball a little harder. That can put you in a funk.'' LaTroy Hawkins pitched the seventh, J.C Romero pitched a hitless eighth and Eddie Guardado pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. The Twins' bullpen pitched four scoreless innings and has allowed just one earned run in the past 27 innings. ''The bullpen has been great all year. If we don't have the best bullpen in the game, we have one of the top two,'' Rogers said. Lidle struck out a career-high nine, but he gave up five runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. ''I threw the ball real good,'' Lidle said. ''The fourth inning was the inning that killed me. We got a two-run lead and I relaxed too much.'' Shannon Stewart's run-scoring double and Frank Catalanotto's sacrifice fly gave Toronto a 2-0 lead in the third. Koskie's two-run double and Matthew Lecroy's two-out run-scoring double gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead in the fourth. After Toronto's Mike Bordick led off the fifth with a single, Stewart tripled into the gap in left center. Catalanotto followed with a run-scoring single, giving Toronto 4-3 lead. After Michael Cuddyer walked in the seventh, Rivas narrowly missed a home run with his triple off the wall in left center. Jones followed with his sacrifice fly, giving Minnesota a 5-4 lead. Koskie added a run-scoring grounder off Jeff Tam in the ninth.Game notes
Stewart went 3-for-5. ... The Twins went 6-1 against the Blue Jays last season. ... The Blue Jays and Twins don't play each other again after this series.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
SPONSORED HEADLINES
Regular Season Series
Scoring Summary
| MIN | TOR | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | S Stewart doubled to deep right center, T Wilson scored, M Bordick to third. | 0 | 1 | |
| 3rd | F Catalanotto hit sacrifice fly to center, M Bordick scored, S Stewart to third. | 0 | 2 | |
| 4th | C Koskie doubled to deep left center, C Guzman and J Jones scored. | 2 | 2 | |
| 4th | M LeCroy doubled to right center, C Koskie scored. | 3 | 2 | |
| 5th | S Stewart tripled to left center, M Bordick scored. | 3 | 3 | |
| 5th | F Catalanotto singled to center, S Stewart scored. | 3 | 4 | |
| 7th | L Rivas tripled to deep left center, M Cuddyer scored. | 4 | 4 | |
| 7th | J Jones hit sacrifice fly to left, L Rivas scored. | 5 | 4 | |
| 9th | C Koskie grounded out to first, L Rivas scored, J Jones to third, C Guzman to second. | 6 | 4 | |
| View complete Play-By-Play | ||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON |
| Attendance | 13,237 (26.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:50 |
| Weather | indoors |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Brian Onora, First Base - Larry Poncino, Second Base - Phil Cuzzi, Third Base - Jerry Crawford |

