Dozen hits blast Twins over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- With a small payroll and small-ball style, the Minnesota Twins are one of the great stories in baseball this season.

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With a huge payroll and huge ERA, the Texas Rangers are one of the biggest flops in baseball.

The contrasts collided for the first time this season Friday night and, even with obstacles in their way, the Twins cruised to a 10-7 victory.

Torii Hunter, batting cleanup for the first time in his five-year career, had RBI singles in both of Minnesota's five-run innings, and Jack Cressend pitched four solid relief innings.

The Twins won for the fifth time in six games despite arriving in Texas at 6:30 a.m. following a long flight from Anaheim, where they lost in extra innings. Their starter failed to make it through the fifth inning even though he had an eight-run lead.

"We seem to pick each other up and keep it going," Cressend said. "It's a fun atmosphere."

Of Minnesota's 12 hits, 11 were singles. The Twins walked eight times, and five of them turned into runs.

Their top eight hitters all scored, with the top two, Cristian Guzman and Denny Hocking, scoring twice. Only No. 9 hitter A.J. Pierzynski failed to score, but he went 3-for-4 and drove in two. Doug Mientkiewicz and Brian Buchanan also had two RBIs each.

"That's the type of team we have," said Jacque Jones, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI. "We don't have a lot of guys who can clear the bases. So that's how we have to play."

Texas starter Ryan Glynn (1-5) was pulled after retiring only two of nine batters. After decent relief by Mike Judd, Pat Mahomes retired only two of seven batters. Both Glynn and Mahomes allowed five earned runs.

"We're trying to do our best, but it hasn't been enough," said Alex Rodriguez, whose salary this season is practically as much as Minnesota's entire payroll. "It puts a lot of pressure on us."

Twins starter Johan Santana led 10-2 going into the bottom of the fifth, but he walked the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, then allowed RBI singles by Rusty Greer and Ivan Rodriguez to close Texas to 10-5.

Cressend (2-0) got out of the jam by getting Alex Rodriguez to ground into a double play and Rafael Palmeiro to fly out. He allowed only two runs on one hit in four innings.

Santana allowed six hits, struck out four and walked two in his four-plus innings. Eddie Guardado got two outs for his first save.

Ivan Rodriguez and Alex Rodriguez hit consecutive homers for Texas in the first inning. It was the sixth time Rangers have done that this year, but the first time the combination has featured the two Rodriguezes.

Pudge went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. A-Rod's homer was his 18th and continued the power streak that began in May, when he hit an AL-best 10 homers. Ruben Sierra added his second pinch-hit homer of the year.

Notes: Glynn's ERA went from 6.17 to 7.12. Mahomes' ERA reached 6.75; he was at 3.29 before his last three outings. "I'm not throwing the ball the way I'm supposed to be," he said. "It's embarrassing." ... Hunter is 15-for-36 with 14 RBIs in his last 12 games. ... Texas' Darren Oliver allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings in a rehab start against Double-A Midland. He was scheduled to return to Arlington on Saturday. ... A line drive by Minnesota's Corey Koskie hit Twins trainer Dick Martin in the arm.

MINNESOTA TEXAS

ab r h bi ab r h bi

CGzmn ss 5 2 1 0 Greer lf 5 1 1 1

Hcking 2b 4 2 1 0 IRdrgz c 4 1 2 2

Mntkw 1b 3 1 1 2 ARdrgz ss 4 1 2 1

THuntr cf 5 1 3 2 RPlmo 1b 4 0 0 0

Koskie 3b 4 1 1 1 Kapler cf 4 0 0 0

CAllen rf 4 1 0 0 Glrrga dh 3 1 1 0

JJones lf 4 1 1 1 Cminiti 3b 3 0 0 0

Bchnan dh 4 1 1 2 Brmbg rf 1 1 0 0

Przyns c 4 0 3 2 Sierra rf 2 1 1 1

MYong 2b 2 1 0 0

Ctlnotto ph 0 0 0 0

Sheldon ph 0 0 0 1

Totals 37 10 12 10 Totals 32 7 7 6

Minnesota 500 050 000 -- 10

Texas 200 030 101 -- 7

DP--Minnesota 1, Texas 1. LOB--Minnesota 9, Texas 3. 2B--Pierzynski (10). HR--IRodriguez (7), ARodriguez (18), Sierra (2). SF--Pierzynski, Sheldon.

IP H R ER BB SO

Minnesota

JoSantana 4 6 5 5 2 4

Cressend W,2-0 4 1 2 2 1 1

Hawkins 1-3 0 0 0 1 0

Guardado S,1 2-3 0 0 0 0 0

Texas

Glynn L,1-5 2-3 5 5 5 2 1

Judd 3 1-3 2 0 0 1 2

Mahomes 2-3 1 5 5 4 0

Venafro 2 1-3 2 0 0 1 3

Moreno 1 0 0 0 0 1

JRZimmermn 1 2 0 0 0 0

JoSantana pitched to 4 batters in the 5th, Cressend pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

WP--JoSantana.

Umpires--Home, DeMuth; First, Reliford; Second, Danley; Third, Gibson.

T--3:05. A--37,617 (49,115).