Ninth-inning rally propels Twins past Rangers

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) -- After being announced as the Texas Rangers opening day starting pitcher, Chan Ho Park threw seven innings in the Rangers 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

Park allowed four runs -- two earned -- and seven hits. The right-hander didn't walk a batter and struck out five. He is expected to make one more start in Florida before pitching in the Rangers first game April 1 at Oakland.

"The only thing I'm concerned about is the weather," Park said. "It might be colder there than it is in Florida. There is no pressure. I'm starting the first game, and I'm pitching the sixth game. It will be exactly the same. I just want to have fun. I'm ready for it. I really want to win."

Park allowed solo home runs to David Ortiz during a three-run second inning and a solo shot to Torii Hunter in the sixth.

Park will be making his second opening day start. His first came with Los Angeles last year when he defeated Milwaukee.

Brad Radke, who will start Minnesota's first game for the sixth time, opened for the Twins. He allowed six hits and three runs, while striking out eight.

The Twins broke a 4-4 tie with four runs in the ninth inning. They scored two off losing pitcher Luis Vizciano, who was making his Texas debut after being acquired in a trade with Oakland. Bobby Kielty hit a two-run homer off Juan Moreno for Minnesota's final two runs.

Travis Miller (2-1) got the win in relief for Minnesota.

Juan Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in the first inning for Texas, his second of the spring. Bill Haselman connected for his third home run of the spring, a solo shot in the eighth. Alex Rodriguez had three hits.

Carl Everett struck out all three times for the Rangers.

Notes: Hideki Irabu, still in contention for the fifth spot in the Rangers starting rotation, pitched in a minor league exhibition game Friday. Working for Triple-A Oklahoma, Irabu allowed four hits and two runs in six innings against Louisville, Cincinnati's top farm team. Irabu walked two and struck out nine in his no decision. ... Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez missed Friday's game with the flu.

MINNESOTA TEXAS

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Jones lf 3 0 1 2 Catalanotto 2b 4 0 2 0

Kielty lf 2 1 1 3 Young 2b 0 0 0 0

Guzman ss 3 0 1 0 Greer lf 3 0 0 0

Lamb ss 2 0 0 0 Perez lf 0 0 0 0

Mientkiewicz 1b 3 0 0 0 ARodriguez ss 4 2 3 0

LeCroy 1b 1 0 1 0 Maxwell ss 0 0 0 0

Ortiz dh 3 1 1 1 Gonzalez rf 4 1 2 3

Cuddyer ph 1 0 0 0 Mench rf 0 0 0 0

Hunter cf 3 1 1 1 Everett dh 4 0 0 0

Mohr cf 1 0 0 0 Perry 1b 3 0 0 0

Koskie 3b 3 0 1 0 Sprague 1b 1 0 0 0

Morris 3b 1 1 1 0 Kapler cf 3 0 0 0

Buchanan rf 4 2 2 0 Romano cf 1 0 0 0

Pierzynski c 3 1 1 0 Blalock 3b 3 0 0 0

Prince ph-c 1 0 0 0 Haselman c 3 1 1 1

Rivas 2b 3 0 0 0

Canizaro 2b 0 1 0 0

Totals 37 8 11 7 Totals 33 4 8 4

Minnesota 030 001 004 -- 8

Texas 200 001 010 -- 4

E--ARodriguez, Catalanotto. DP--Minnesota 1, Texas 1. LOB--Minnesota 3, Texas 3. 2B--ARodriguez. HRs--Minnesota, Ortiz (4), Hunter (2), Kielty (2); Texas, Gonzalez (2), Haselman (3). S--Greer.

IP H R ER BB SO

Minnesota

Radke 6 6 3 3 0 8

Hawkins 1 0 0 0 0 1

Miller, W 2-1 1 2 1 1 0 0

Romero 1 0 0 0 0 2

Texas

Park 7 7 4 2 0 5

Rocker 1 1 0 0 0 2

Vizcaino, L 0-1 0 1-3 2 2 2 0 0

Moreno 0 2-3 1 2 2 1 0

T--2:33. A--2,447.