Twins take second game of series with Rays

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Glen Perkins finished off what Scott Baker started, as Minnesota held on to edge Tampa Bay 3-2 in the middle test of a three-game series.

Baker's victory didn't come without a cost, as he left the game after five innings with a mild right elbow strain. He scattered three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in the team's third straight victory. Perkins was credited with the save after relieving normal Twins closer Matt Capps, who was struggling to finish the ninth inning. James Shields gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks over six frames to take the loss. Ben Zobrist was 3-for-4 with a run scored in Tampa Bay's second straight defeat.

This afternoon the series concludes when Francisco Liriano takes the hill opposite Wade Davis. First pitch is 12:10 p.m.

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Things went very well in the AL Central for the Twins last night. In addition to the Minnesota victory over Tampa Bay, the Twins were the beneficiaries of the results of other games, as well. The three teams ahead of the Twins in the American League Central Division all lost, meaning Minnesota picked up a game on each. Yankee pitcher C.C. Sabathia tossed seven shutout innings while striking out 11 New York beat Cleveland 9-2. The Indians lead Minnesota by seven-games. In California, Dan Haren pitched a complete game as he and the Angles shutout Justin Verlander and the Tigers 1-0 last night. Detroit is five-and-a-half-games ahead of Minnesota. And, in Chicago, Felipe Paulino kept the White Sox bats at bay as Kansas City earned a 5-3 win. Chicago is three-and-a-half-games above the Twins.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Ben Revere and Oakland Athletics second baseman Jemile Weeks have been selected as the co-winners of the American League's top rookie for the month of June. Revere, who posted 11 multi-hit games in June, slapped a game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning against the Cleveland Indians on June 8th. The contest was also his first career three-hit and two-RBI game. Revere is hitting .271 on the season with 10 RBI and 10 stolen bases.

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