Minnesota Sports Briefs: Twins use a four-run seventh to defeat New York

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MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota's Denard Span smacked a go-ahead two-run double during a four-run seventh inning as the Twins rallied for a 5-4 win over the Yankees.

Ryan Doumit scored on a wild pitch and Joe Mauer singled in Span in the seventh. Casey Fien was credited with his second win. Glen Perkins allowed a pinch-hit solo homer to Andruw Jones in the ninth, but held on for his 15th save. Nick Swisher hit a two-run homer and Russell Martin added a solo shot for the Yanks, who are still a game-and-a-half up on the O's in the AL East. Phil Hughes fell to 16-13 with the loss. The Twins and Yanks conclude their three-game set this afternoon at Target Field.

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Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway explained this week that part of why he played one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 24-13 win over San Francisco. He played inspired football because his ailing father was able to make it to the Twin Cities to watch the game in person inside of the Metrodome. Alan Greenway has been suffering from leukemia since the spring and has undergone major medical treatment. The younger Greenway reported earlier in the summer that his father's cancer was in remission. With his father in the stands, all the way from South Dakota, Chad Greenway played a big game. Minnesota is at Detroit this Sunday.

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The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football team has the longest active winning streak in the Big Ten Conference. The 4-0 Gophers have won five straight games dating back to last year's win over Illinois in the season finale Ohio State and Northwestern have each won four straight games this year, but both lost last year's last game. Every other team in the Big Ten has at least one defeat in 2012. Minnesota is at Iowa on Saturday to open Big Ten league play. The Hawkeyes are 2-2 this season, including a shocking loss at home to Central Michigan last week. Saturday's game is set to start at 11 a.m. at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2

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The Minnesota Lynx continue preparation for the opening WNBA playoff series, which begins Friday for Minnesota. The WNBA playoff calendar begins with the conference semifinals this week. In the West, Minnesota will take on Seattle and San Antonio tackles Los Angeles. The Eastern Conference Semifinals will showcase Connecticut against New York and Atlanta against Indiana. Each series is a best-of-three. Here is the upcoming WNBA playoff schedule for the Minnesota Lynx:

Friday, September 28th - Seattle at Minnesota, 8pm (Game One)

Sunday, September 30th - Minnesota at Seattle, 8pm (Game Two)

Tuesday, October 2nd - Seattle at Minnesota, TBD (Game Three, if necessary)

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