The short-sleeved Twins’ starter, Livan Hernandez, pops up Nationals’ leadoff hitter Cristian Guzman for the first out of the evening. Elijah Dukes lines out on the first pitch he sees. Livan Hernandez drops a 62 mph curve out of the zone to go to a full count on Lastings Milledge, who grounds out to Minnesota second baseman Alexi Casilla to end the top of the first...Lastings Milledge tracks down fellow former Mets’ prospect Carlos Gomez’s fly ball for John Lannan’s first out in the home half of the first. Cristian Guzman should know this field, but he misplays a grounder from Casilla, who proceeds to steal second with Joe Mauer at bat. Lannan walks Mauer. Justin Morneau grounds back to Lannan, to Guzman to DY to end the inning.
DY flies out off his fists to Carlos Gomez in center. Jesus Flores singles to left, but Ronnie Belliard grounds into an inning-ending DP. John Lannan takes a look around the Metrodome, turns toward home, shakes off a few pitches, and throws a fastball to Michael Cuddyer that’s grounded out to second. Craig Monroe flies out to Milledge, and DY’s brother, Delmon Young grounds out to short, where, this time, Guzman’s got it!...
Felipe Lopez pushes an outside pitch to left where Delmon Young catches it.
With one down in the third, Paul Lo Duca legs out a double into the corner in right. Kory Casto tops off a fastball, grounding out to second. Lo Duca to third, and he scores when Former Twins' shortstop, Cristian Guzman, uses the turf for a single up the middle. 1-0 DC...Former National Brendan Harris grounds out to second. Matt Macri grounds out, Carlos Gomez strikes out, Lannan's through three scoreless.
Lastings Milledge singles to start the fourth, but is out quickly when DY grounds into a DP. Flores grounds out, and Livan Hernandez is rolling...Joe Mauer hits one to left that Casto misjudges and has bounce off his fully extended glove...resulting in a double. One out and a walk to Michael Cuddyer later, Mauer’s still at second with Craig Monroe up, and John Lannan gets Monroe staring with a two-strike curve to end the fourth, 1-0 DC. Ronnie Belliard grounds to short. Felipe Lopez singles to center. Paul Lo Duca grounds into another DP to end the DC fifth. Delmon Young’s thrown out by Ronnie Belliard, and DY catches the throw at first. Brendan Harris grounds to Belliard’s backhand. Matt Macri grounds out to short. 1-0 after five.
1-2-3 sixth with three straight grounders for Minnesota starter Livan Hernandez...Carlos Gomez pops out for the first out of the bottom of the sixth. Alexi Casilla grounds out to third. Lannan thinks he has strike three on Joe Mauer on a 1-2 curve, but the Ump disagrees, and Mauer ends up singling in front of Justin Morneau, who...You guessed it!!...HOMERS to right on the first pitch, sending it soaring into the upper deck. 2-1 Twins.
Lastings Milledge grounds back to the mound. Dmitri Young grounds out to third. Jesus Flores pops out foul of first, Livan Hernandez is quickly through seven. 2-1 Twins...Delmon Young chases strike three into the dirt. Brendan Harris grounds on a shorthop to Guzman at shortstop for the second out. Matt Macri hits a rare ground ball for a single to right field with two down. Carlos Gomez grounds out to end the seventh.
Matt Guerrier on in relief of Livan Hernandez (7.0 IP, 5 hits, 5 hits, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K.) in the eighth. Ronnie Belliard grounds out to short. Felipe Lopez fouls off an 0-2 pitch, and then strikes out swinging at the fourth pitch from Guerrier. Paul Lo Duca grounds out to short. 2-1 Twins after the top of the eighth. Charlie Manning takes over on the mound for Lannan (7.0 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K's, 1 HR.) Alexi Casilla fouls out to DY. Joe Mauer grounds out to second. Justin Morneau flies out to Milledge in center...
Twins’ closer Joe Nathan is up and ready...Kory Casto works the count full, and battles some more, before taking a leadoff walk. Cristian Guzman flies out to Carlos Gomez. Elijah Dukes stares at a slider outside for strike three. Lastings Milledge grounds weakly to second, and the Twins take the win. 2-1 final.
Nationals now 29-43.