Twins hit 3 more HRs in 10-1 rout over Angels

[April 20, 2010]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Brendan Harris hit a tiebreaking two-run homer, Jim Thome drove in three more with his 565th career home run, and the Minnesota Twins routed the Los Angeles Angels 10-1 on Thursday night.

The Twins took three of four in their season-opening series against the Angels, whose 1-3 start is their worst since starting 1992 0-4.

Delmon Young capped a four-run ninth against Fernando Rodney with a three-run homer -- the ninth already this season for the Twins, who have homered in each of their first four games for the first time since 1997.

Kevin Slowey (1-0) allowed a run and seven hits over 5 1-3 innings and struck out three. The right-hander got off to a 10-3 start last year, but went on the disabled list July 4 with an injured wrist that required season-ending surgery in August.

Joel Pineiro (0-1) gave up three runs and five hits in six-plus innings.

Minnesota's Orlando Hudson was injured on a tag play in the ninth while legging out a double off the glove of second baseman Howie Kendrick. He was replaced by Alexi Castilla, who scored on Joe Mauer's single.

Pineiro (0-1) gave up three runs and five hits in six-plus innings. The right-hander signed a two-year, $16 million, contract in January, about a month after longtime Angels ace John Lackey bolted to Boston as a free agent.

Pineiro escaped a first-inning jam by striking out Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer with runners at the corners. He did not allow another hit until the fifth, when Thome led off with a double and scored on Jason Kubel's single.

One out later, Harris drove a 1-0 pitch into the left field bullpen. Harris started at third base in place of Nick Punto, who is 0 for 9 against Pineiro.

Thome made it 6-1 in the eighth with a drive to right-center against Brian Stokes. The homer put him eight behind former Twins great Harmon Killebrew for 10th place all-time. The three runs off Stokes were the first allowed by Angels relievers this season after 11 scoreless innings.

Hideki Matsui started in left field for the Angels after three games in the DH role, his first appearance in the outfield since June 15, 2008 with the Yankees in an interleague game at Houston. Last year's World Series MVP was 1 for 4 and did not get an opportunity to make a putout.

NOTES: Friday is the one-year anniversary of the early morning car crash that killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and his friends Henry Pearson and Courtney Stewart, and seriously injured former Cal State Fullerton catcher and infielder Jon Wilhite. ... Twins C Drew Butera is expected to make his big league debut Friday night at Chicago when teammate Francisco Liriano takes the mound against White Sox lefty John Danks. Butera's father, Sal, spent part of his nine-year big league career with the Twins, the first three seasons and his next-to-last one.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.