Baker came within three outs of a perfect game and two outs of a no-hitter, leading the Twins over the Kansas City Royals 5-0 in the second game of a doubleheader Friday.
"Unfortunately it didn't work out tonight, but it's still a great game, I can't complain," Baker said.
Casey Blake's three-run double capped Cleveland's six-run eighth inning as the Indians rallied for an 8-5 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Al Central-leading Cleveland improved to 12-3 since Aug. 15 and opened a season-high 5 1/2-game lead over second-place Detroit.
"We kept scraping, clawing and scratching," Blake said, "and we got a little help."
In other AL games, it was: Oakland 5, Detroit 4 in 10 innings; Toronto 7, Seattle 5; Los Angeles 7, Texas 6 in 10 innings; Tampa Bay 9, New York 1; and Baltimore 9, Boston 8.
At Minneapolis, John Buck led off the ninth with a walk against Baker (8-6) and Mike Sweeney, activated from the disabled list between games, pinch hit and singled with one out for his first hit since June 16.
"It's been so long since I had a hit in the big leagues I was going to ask him for the ball," Sweeney cracked.
Gil Meche (7-12) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings for Kansas City.
Ross Gload homered and drove in three runs in the opening 9-4 victory for the Royals, who set up Matt Garza (3-5) up for another rough game at home by scoring three times in the first. Kyle Davies (2-3) pitched five innings to get the win.
At Cleveland, the Indians extended their winning streak to a season-high seven. Aaron Fultz (4-2) pitched two scoreless innings and Rafael Betancourt, filling in for overworked closer Joe Borowski, worked the ninth for his first save of the season.
Mike MacDougal (1-5) was charged with the loss for the White Sox, which have dropped 10 straight road games for the first time since 1977.
"It's getting to the point where you want to laugh," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "It's not easy. Sometimes you erupt and sometimes you just take the beating."
Athletics 5, Tigers 4, 10 innings
Oakland's Dan Johnson lined the game-winning single to right in the 10th inning, dropping Detroit further back in the AL Central.
Mike Piazza doubled to start the inning against Joel Zumaya (1-3), then J.J. Furmaniak entered to pinch run and came home on Johnson's hit.
The visiting Tigers, who lost for the third time in four games, took an early 2-0 lead, then rallied with two runs in the ninth to tie it.
Johnson, Jack Hannahan and Jack Cust homered for the A's. Huston Street (3-2) picked up the win.
