Sat May 17 00:18:56 2008

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Young, Twins edge Rockies

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Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Delmon Young went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, and the Minnesota Twins avoided ninth inning trouble to edge the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, in the opener of a three-game series at Coors Field.

Nick Blackburn (4-2) allowed two runs on six hits over seven strong innings for the Twins, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Joe Nathan put two men on in the ninth but escaped with his 13th save.

Adam Everett drove in two runs for Minnesota, while Justin Morneau went 2- for-4. Carlos Gomez singled, scored a run, and made a game-saving catch in the bottom of the ninth to lock up the win.

Clint Barmes went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and a run batted in for the Rockies, who dropped their sixth straight decision. Ryan Spilborghs, starting in place of Matt Holliday who was scratched with a stiff lower back, drove in the other Colorado run. Ubaldo Jimenez (1-4) allowed three runs on eight hits over seven frames.

Down by two in the ninth, Garrett Atkins led off the with a single, but Nathan got Brad Hawpe to ground into a double play. Jeff Baker worked a four-pitch walk, and Yorvit Torrealba crushed a line drive deep into left-center, but Gomez ran down the ball on the warning track and crashed into the fence.

Gomez proved troublesome for the Rockies in the third, singling up the middle with two outs, then moving to second when Todd Helton couldn't handle a pickoff attempt by Jimenez. After a walk to Brendan Harris, Joe Mauer singled up the middle to give the Twins a 1-0 lead.

The Twins added another in the fourth, as Young laced a one-out double to left and was chased home when Mike Lamb singled to right.

The Rockies rallied in the bottom of the frame, as Willy Taveras beat out an infield single to lead off, then came all the way around to score when Barmes ripped a line drive triple to the corner in right. Barmes came in to score the tying run when Spilborghs grounded out, but Blackburn avoided further damage.

Young created more havoc in the sixth, leading off with a double down the line in right, moving to third when Lamb flew out to left, then scoring the go- ahead run on a sacrifice fly from Everett.

Blackburn surrendered a leadoff double to Barmes in the bottom half, but recovered to keep the Rockies off the board.

Everett's second sac fly of the game scored Michael Cuddyer in the eighth to provide an insurance run. Juan Rincon put men on first and third with two outs in the bottom half, but Dennys Reyes came out of the bullpen and retired Helton on a grounder to first.

Game Notes

Taveras went 1-for-3 and stole his 16th base of the season...The Rockies went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, while the Twins were 3-for-8...Livan Hernandez (6-1) gets the call for Minnesota in the middle game of the series on Saturday, opposed by Greg Reynolds (0-1)...Attendance was 35,336.