MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins got a lot of help in snapping a skid against the New York Yankees. Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli made a throwing error in the 11th inning that allowed Josh Willingham to score from second base, giving Minnesota a 2-1 victory on Saturday. With the bases loaded, Trevor Plouffe hit a dribbler to reliever Matt Thornton (1-1). The left-hander flipped it to Cervelli for the forceout at home. Cervelli then tried for the double play but his throw sailed way over the head of first baseman Mark Teixeira and Willingham raced home with the winning run. "Well take a win any way we can," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who was ejected in third inning after arguing from the dugout. "They had to make a play and threw it away." Cervelli wished he would have held onto the ball because Plouffe was blocking his throwing lane to first. "Its bad. We dont want to end the game like that, especially myself," he said. "Next time Ive got to make a little clear, talking about my vision to first base. If I dont have it, I have to just eat the ball." Pinch-hitter Chris Colabello doubled off the right field wall to lead off the 11th, missing a game-ending homer by inches. The victory snapped a seven-game home skid against the Yankees and was just Minnesotas fourth win against New York in 17 games at Target Field. Brian Duensing (2-2) pitched around a Carlos Beltran single in the 11th. Yankees starter David Phelps had retired 11 straight before Willingham snapped an 0-for-14 skid with a homer to left that tied the game at 1 in the seventh inning. Before Willinghams drive, Phelps had only allowed one baserunner to reach second base. In addition to his home run, Willingham also saw the whacky final play unfold as he ran from second to third, and, eventually, home. To him, a win is a win for the struggling Twins. "Theyre all pretty," he said. "That play is typically not one to end a game on, but today it was good enough to get us a win, I guess." Ichiro Suzuki stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch with two outs in the fifth before coming home on Cervellis single to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Yohan Pino held the Yankees to one run over six innings, but Minnesota couldnt put together enough offence to give the soft-tossing 30-year-old rookie his first win. After both starters turned in strong outings, two of baseballs hottest bullpens took over. Coming into Saturday, Minnesotas relievers had a 1.78 ERA in their last 18 games while New Yorks pen had a 1.66 ERA in their last eight. Five Twins relievers held the Yankees to three hits over five innings of relief. The winning run charged to Thornton was unearned. Even though he pitched well, Phelps was mad at himself for even letting the game be decided by the bullpen or a crazy play at the end. "Were out there grinding and theres going to be games where we dont score a lot of runs," he said. "Thats why its frustrating for me to go out and give up a leadoff home run in the seventh. Just put up a zero there and we can put that game away with our bullpen." Cervelli was a late addition to the lineup after regular catcher Brian McCann was scratched with a sore foot. NOTES: Despite the fact that Derek Jeter has helped knock Minnesota out of the playoffs four times, Twins fans gave the retiring Yankees shortstop a standing ovation during a pregame ceremony. The Twins presented Jeter with the second base bag used during the final game played at the Metrodome. ... X-rays on McCanns sore left foot were negative. ... Twins rookie Danny Santana has only taken light swings as he rehabs from a deep bone bruise in his left knee. ... Minnesotas Ricky Nolasco (5-6, 5.49 ERA) faces Hiroki Kuroda (5-6, 4.08) in Sundays series finale. . -- Ben Bishop had a milestone game against one of the NHLs greatest goalies. . It was just time for him to make a big play. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Wesley Matthews scored 18 points, and the Trail Blazers overcame poor-shooting nights by two of their best players in a 94-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/j ... ks-jersey/. The two teams will play through the completion of the game starting at 5pm ct on Wednesday. The regularly scheduled Wednesday night matchup will follow that and will now be seven innings. . On the eve of the 2013-14 NBA season, he can finally take a step back and allow his team to do the talking. . The Wizards announced Friday that Webster had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. The operation was performed Thursday in Los Angeles.TORONTO – The first-place Blue Jays hit the halfway mark of the season with 45 wins and a two-game lead on Baltimore in the American League East, territory unfamiliar to a franchise still waiting for its first playoff game since October 23, 1993, the night Joe Carter walked off Mitch Williams into World Series lore. "Im proud of the way the guys played," said manager John Gibbons. "It was kind of a so-so start and we kicked it in there in the month of May and put ourselves in a good position. Now, you know, we just need to do that again in the second half or even improve on that but Im very, very happy with the effort and the way the guys have been playing baseball. Its that simple." You wont find a Mission Accomplished banner hanging in the clubhouse. The expectation is much greater. "Has it met it yet? No," said Casey Janssen. "Our expectation is to make the playoffs and win the World Series and were not there yet. Weve got a long way to go. I think everyone believed we could be this type of team but were not throwing a party yet, we know that. We know theres a ton of talent here and its the AL East so anything can happen." Despite a recent downturn in offensive production, through 81 games Toronto continues to sit in the top seven of most major categories. The club sits first in the majors with 104 home runs. Its fourth with a .262 batting average and .331 on-base percentage. The on-base plus slugging percentage of .767 ranks third and its 272 walks are seventh. The most pleasant surprise and biggest disappointment reside on the same spot: the pitchers mound. The pleasant surprise: Blue Jays starters lead the American League with 35 wins (a number not reached until the 135th game last season) and the staff ERA of 3.87 is best in the AL East. The biggest disappointment: the bullpen, the ray of sunshine in a stormy 2013 season, has compiled baseballs fourth-worst ERA (4.48). Its a target for improvement. "I think there are some times when weve got to be better in the bullpen," said Gibbons. "Weve got to shore that up a little bit. Its like anything, consistency over the whole pitching staff and hopefully you stay healthy enough." The Blue Jays have been fortunate to remain relatively healthy, dealing with injuries theyve been able to cover. Maicer Izturis was a backup infielder. Brandon Morrow wasnt pitching well when he got hurt. Colby Rasmus missed 33 games with a hamstring strain and the Jays got by with an Anthony Gose-Kevin Pillar platoon in centerfield. The medical staff is now doing the dance with Jose Bautista as he deals with a hamstring probleem, which could be made worse if rushed.dddddddddddd Bautista will run sprints on Saturday morning and depending on how he feels, could be available to at least pinch hit on the weekend. QUIET TIME FOR JANSSEN Wondering where closer Casey Janssen has been these days? Hes around. He just hasnt pitched much due to a lack of save opportunities. Since notching his 12th save of the season on June 15 in Baltimore, Janssen has appeared twice. He mopped up the epic, 14-9 comeback win on June 20 in Cincinnati. He threw the ninth inning of a 6-6 game against the Yankees on June 24 and got the win when the Blue Jays walked off. It can be difficult for relievers when they go through a period without consistent work. "I feel like saves come in bunches at times," said Janssen. "You get opportunities to pitch maybe in a lopsided game one way or another if it gets to be too long. Sometimes there are times when you dont get in but you get up. Im one of those guys that always has relied on my command and I guess it comes a little more natural to me than others." Janssen has 12 saves in 14 opportunities this season. "Sometimes the rest is good, knowing that the tough stretch is going to come at some point," said Janssen. Expect Janssen to get into a game before the weekend is over, regardless of whether Toronto has a lead of three or less. Janssen speaks to pitching coach Pete Walker about his schedule, who relays the message to manager John Gibbons. If Janssen goes four or five days without action his arms reaction to its diminished workload becomes less predictable. "You wonder if your arms going to be a little cranky or if its going to be super fresh," said Janssen. "Sometimes you feel great when you get the rest and sometimes youre kind of knocking the dust off a little bit." Remember that Janssen had an abbreviated spring training thanks to stiffness in the back of his pitching shoulder. He didnt appear in a Grapefruit League game until the final week of March. Then, in Montreal, he strained his left oblique and didnt make his season debut until May 12. Its been a build for Janssen, who anticipates being able to pitch on three consecutive days, if needed, as the importance of each game ramps up. "I feel like Id love to do it and Id love to have the opportunity to do it," said Janssen. "I think a lot of those three in a rows depend on how the first two went and the stress level of those innings. My goal is to be able to pitch in every opportunity possible, especially as the season gets further along and as this division and the race gets tight and everything like that." ' ' '
