Twins win second straight game to eliminate A's
The Minnesota Twins, facing their second elimination game in two days, held off a furious Oakland rally to beat the A's 5-4 and win the series three games to two.
Behind a dominant performance by starter Brad Radke, steady defensive play, and timely hitting, the Twins did just enough to hold the A's at bay.
Now is as good a time as any to hop on the Twins' bandwagon. Even Satan's doing it:
The team Bud Selig tried to eliminate last winter is now playing for the AL pennant, and the commissioner likes what he sees.
"I'm delighted for them. It's a great story, just because of the way they're playing," Selig told the Associated Press from his Milwaukee home. "I'm enjoying watching them.
"The rest of it, the history of what happened before, it's in the past now."
Selig was still setting his travel plans for the week and wasn't sure whether he'd be able to make it to the Metrodome.
If Bud has any brains at all, he'll stay away from the Metrodome. I'd hate to think about how much beer would be dumped on the man.
Yesterday's victory wasn't without a dark cloud, though. Second baseman Denny Hocking, who caught the games final out, is likely done for the year after being spiked during the team's on-field celebration.
He went 2-for-4 Sunday, with an RBI single in his first at-bat and a double in his second. He also caught a popup for the last out of the 5-4 victory, after which he stuck the ball in his back pocket and headed for a pile of teammates.
Then a teammate he refused to name landed on his hand, and he walked off the field during the celebration. He said the finger does not appear to be broken but will require "a bunch of stitches. I think it's doubtful that I'll play again this year."
He also said the teammate who landed on his hand "is someone I'm feuding with, that's why I won't name him."
Next up: the Anaheim Angels in the AL Championship Series. For those of you who were expecting to see the A's and Yankees, well, there's always next year, eh??
