Kinsler, Rangers beat Minnesota in 12 innings

[July 20, 2009]  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer with one out in the 12th inning and the Texas Rangers avoided being swept at home with a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday night.

It was Kinsler's second homer of the game, but he struck out three times after his sixth career leadoff about 3 1/2 hours earlier.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who set up earlier runs with the first two sacrifice bunts of his career, led off the 12th with a single off Brian Duensing (0-1) and was bunted to second by Elvis Andrus. R.A. Dickey then took over for the Twins, and Kinsler homered to left.

Texas snapped a four-game losing streak to remain within three games of the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels.

Dustin Nippert (1-0) got out of a two-on, one-out jam in the 11th and had a 1-2-3 12th after four other relievers had already combined for six scoreless innings. C.J. Wilson struck out four in two perfect innings before giving way to Nippert.

Kinsler put the Rangers up 1-0 when he hit his sixth leadoff homer of the season, and the 11th of his career to extend his own team record.

Kinsler struck out his next three at-bats, including the last outs of the fifth and seventh innings. Kinsler grounded out to start the 10th.

Marlon Byrd had leadoff singles and scored in the fifth and seventh innings to tie the game at 3-3, moved to third both times on Saltalamacchia's bunts.

A passed ball by All-Star catcher Joe Mauer, who appeared to be crossed up by starter Francisco Liriano, allowed Byrd to score in the fifth. Byrd came home with the tying run two innings later on Andrus' sac fly.

Mauer was 0 for 6 to drop his batting average from .367 to .358 and lose the major league lead. Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki went 3 for 4 Sunday and is now hitting .363.

Nick Punto had his first homer of the season among his three hits for the Twins, who missed a chance to gain ground in the AL Central after Detroit and the Chicago White Sox both lost earlier Sunday.

Punto entered the game with a .203 average, and the light-hitting shortstop hadn't hit a homer in 371 at-bats since Aug. 4. His one-out solo shot in the third off rookie left-hander Derek Holland barely cleared the 14-foot wall in left field to tie the game 1-1.

Minnesota loaded the bases an inning later and went ahead 3-1 when Denard Span had a sacrifice fly and Alexi Casilla followed with an RBI single.

NOTES: Liriano struck out six before leaving with no outs in the seventh. ... Twins 3B Joe Crede sat out with a sprained right shoulder. He got hurt making a diving catch Friday, but started Saturday before coming out with he felt "tingling" in his right hand. Harris started in his spot. .a.. Texas LHP Matt Harrison, out since May 26 because of left shoulder inflammation, threw about 67 pitches to live hitters Sunday. It was his second throwing session in four days. He will likely begin a rehab assignment Wednesday and could be back the first week of August.

[Associated Press; By STEPHEN HAWKINS]

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