ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Jacque Jones scored the tying run after a pinch-hit double in the ninth inning and hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the 11th inning as the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 7-2 Saturday to stop a three-game losing streak.

Kenny Rogers pitched six scoreless innings in his first start at home since serving a 13-game suspension for shoving two TV cameramen. The 40-year-old left-hander had lost three straight starts on the road since being reinstated, and has made six starts since his last victory July 16.

After Justin Morneau drew a leadoff walk in the 11th and advanced on Lew Ford’s sacrifice bunt, Jones hit his 19th homer off Brian Shouse (2-2). Nick Punto added an RBI single and pinch-hitter Michael Ryan hit a two-run single off Steve Karsay.

Joe Nathan (6-3) worked two innings for the victory, overcoming a leadoff double in the ninth, and hasn’t allowed a run in 17 innings over 15 appearances since the All-Star break.

The Twins, who lost the series opener 6-0 Friday night, remained 41/2 games back in the AL wild card chase after the New York Yankees beat Kansas City on Saturday.

Minnesota tied the game 2-all in the ninth when Jones doubled against closer Francisco Cordero and scored on Terry Tiffee’s single. Tiffee got to third on a throwing error by right fielder Kevin Mench, but was stranded after a squeeze bunt rolled foul.

Mike Redmond went down to his knees to bunt the ball, but it went foul as Tiffee crossed the plate. Redmond struck out on the next pitch and Jason Bartlett, who finished with a career-high four hits, flied out.

Gary Matthews Jr. snapped an 0-for-21 slump when he blooped a ball into short left for a leadoff double in the ninth against Joe Nathan. But Nathan retired the next three batters and then worked a scoreless 10th.

Mench’s RBI single in the eighth gave Texas a 2-1 lead. Mark Teixeira, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, scored from second on the single up the middle.

Rogers got 14 of his 18 outs on groundballs, including a pair of double plays the three-time Gold Glove pitcher started. He allowed six hits and walked one while throwing 95 pitches in the game that started with the temperature at 95 degrees, and reached 100 before he left.

Twins starter Brad Radke allowed one run and five hits over six innings. He left after 90 pitches.

Texas took a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Matthews scored on David Dellucci’s sacrifice fly. Minnesota got even in the seventh on Bartlett’s RBI single, his third hit.

Michael Cuddyer, the first batter faced by reliever John Wasdin, led off the seventh with a single. After avoiding a double play by beating third baseman Hank Blalock’s throw to second base, he moved to third on another groundout before scoring on Bartlett’s hit.

Notes: Mark Teixeira extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the fourth inning. … The Twins No. 2-5 hitters are a combined 3-for-33 in the Texas series, and just 9-for-73 (.123) the last five games. The only two hits Saturday were two singles by Joe Mauer, who was the designated hitter. … It was the seventh blown save for Cordero.

AP-ES-08-27-05 1701EDT


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