Small-ball Twins belt 3 HRs in 9-8 win over Boston Red Sox
by The Associated Press
 
MINNEAPOLIS -- Craig Monroe went 2-for-4 with two of Minnesota's three home runs and four RBIs, and the Twins hung on for a 9-8 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

The Twins entered the game with a major league-low 17 homers, and they had yet to hit more than one in a game before tonight's binge.

Monroe had his third career multihomer game and Adam Everett also went deep off Boston starter Tim Wakefield. Wakefield's knuckleball always seems to bite a little bit harder in the Metrodome, but he gave up seven runs --  six earned --  on seven hits in less than three innings.

Twins closer Joe Nathan gave up two runs in the ninth. But he won a showdown with pinch-hitter Manny Ramirez by getting him to ground out to shortstop with the tying run on second base to pick up his 12th save in as many chances.