Jones' homer lifts Twins over Boston

The Tigers sent Chicago to its seventh straight loss.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS -- Jacque Jones hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the eighth inning to lead the Minnesota Twins over the Boston Red Sox 5-4 Saturday, a few hours after the clubs were involved in a four-team trade.
Jones hit his 17th homer off Alan Embree (2-2) with one out for the go-ahead run after Michael Cuddyer tied it with a solo shot off Derek Lowe in the seventh.
Juan Rincon (9-3) got two outs in the eighth, and Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save in 30 opportunities as the Twins won for the 10th time in 12 games.
By the time the game started, Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra was on a plane to join the Chicago Cubs, and Twins first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz was in the starting lineup for Boston.
Garciaparra was already wearing his Boston jersey when manager Terry Francona called a team meeting before the game. Then, the news spread inside the clubhouse: The five-time All-Star shortstop and two-time AL batting champion was headed to the Cubs.
The Red Sox wound up with Orlando Cabrera, Montreal's Gold Glove shortstop, and Mientkiewicz, while the Cubs got Garciaparra and minor league outfielder Matt Murton. The Twins acquired left-hander Justin Jones, a Class-A pitcher with the Cubs.
Mientkiewicz was wearing his Twins gear during pregame and talking with reporters when bench coach Steve Liddle interrupted the session and took him away.
An hour later, Mientkiewicz was in a different uniform, wearing No. 13 for Boston. Playing first base and batting sixth, Mientkiewicz received a standing ovation before his first at-bat and finished 2-for-4.
Johnny Damon had two hits and two RBIs, and Mark Bellhorn homered for the Red Sox.
Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first on Bellhorn's 13th homer, a solo shot off Brad Radke with one out in the first. Minnesota tied it in the second on Corey Koskie's two-out RBI single.
Koskie started a Twins' rally in the fifth with a leadoff walk. Henry Blanco followed with an RBI double, and he scored, one out later, on Shannon Stewart's RBI double to make it 3-1.
BOSTONMINNESOTA
abrhbiabrhbi
Damon cf4022ShStwrt lf3011
Bllhorn 2b4111Cddyer lf1111
DOrtiz dh3000CGzmn ss4000
MRmrz lf4011LFord cf3010
Varitek c4000Mrneau 1b3110
Mntkwicz 1b4120THnter dh4010
Kapler pr0000JJones rf4121
Millar rf4010Koskie 3b3111
Mueller 3b4010HBlnco c4111
Gterrez ss3220Rivas 2b3000
Yukilis ph1000
Totals354104Totals32595
Boston100001200--4
Minnesota01002011x--5
E--Gutierrez (1). DP--Boston 1, Minnesota 1. LOB--Boston 5, Minnesota 6. 2B--ShStewart (10), HBlanco (10). HR--Bellhorn (13), Cuddyer (8), JJones (17). CS--Kapler (3).
IPHRERBBSO
Boston
DLowe7 1-384434
Embree L,2-2 1-311101
Timlin1-300001
Minnesota
Radke6 2-374413
Romero2-310001
JRincon W,9-3 2-300001
Nathan S,29120001
WP--Romero, Nathan. Umpires--Home, Joe West; First, Paul Emmel; Second, Lance Barksdale; Third, Mike DiMuro. T--2:37. A--40,283.
Tigers 3, White Sox 2
DETROIT -- Cliff Politte walked Carlos Guillen to force in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as Detroit stretched Chicago's season-high losing streak to seven games.
Alex Sanchez started the rally with a one-out single off Politte. Omar Infante singled, with the ball glancing off the glove of diving shortstop Jose Valentin. Sanchez went to third ,and Infante moved to second on the throw. Ivan Rodriguez was then intentionally walked.
Dmitri Young made a bid for the winning hit, but first baseman Paul Konerko made a diving catch of his liner. Guillen followed by walking on a 3-1 pitch, giving the Tigers the win.
CHICAGO DETROIT
abrhbiabrhbi
Rwand cf4021ASnchz cf5131
TPerez lf3000Infante 2b5010
CaLee dh4110IRdrgz c3000
Knerko 1b4011DYong 1b5010
Crede 3b4000CGillen ss4011
Brchrd rf4010RoWhte dh3100
Vlentin ss3100Thmes lf4110
Uribe 2b2000Hggnsn rf2000
WHarrs 2b1000Inge 3b3001
SAlmr c3000
Gload ph1000
Burke c0000
Totals33252Totals34373
Chicago0000110000--2
Detroit0000200001--3
Two outs when winning run scored.
E--Valentin (16), Infante (8). DP--Chicago 1, Detroit 1. LOB--Chicago 5, Detroit 9. 2B--Rowand 2 (24), CaLee (27). SB--Rowand (12). S--TPerez, Uribe, Higginson.
IPHRERBBSO
Chicago
Buehrle952233
Politte L,0-3 2-321121
Detroit
Maroth952223
Urbina W,4-5100000
HBP--by Buehrle (Higginson). WP--Maroth. Umpires--Home, Bill Hohn; First, Gary Darling; Second, Mark Carlson; Third, Brian Runge. T--2:28. A--40,471.
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