MINNEAPOLIS - The Twins rediscovered their offense, their starting pitching and their emotional edge all in one game.
Justin Morneau and Corey Koskie each hit two-run homers and Rick Reed won for the first time since May 25 as Minnesota beat Cleveland 9-2 Friday night in a game that featured five ejections after the benches cleared in the third inning.
Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak and won for only the sixth time in 20 games. Every Twins starter had at least one hit.
"We're trying to have some fun out there," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We've been talking about it enough. Tonight we finally saw it on the field."
Gardenhire questioned his team's heart Thursday after Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia threw a four-hitter and the Twins didn't immediately respond when he hit two batters with pitches. But tempers flared Friday when Cleveland starter Jason Davis threw inside to Torii Hunter in the third inning.
Koskie had just homered off Davis and Hunter took exception to a 0-and-2 inside pitch around his waist. He shouted at Davis, who yelled at Hunter to get back in the box. Both benches and bullpens cleared as players poured onto the field.
"He came too far inside," Hunter said. "It all started last night. Koskie hit a home run, and he threw too far in. I'm tired of it."
No punches were thrown, but Hunter had to be restrained by Twins coaches Steve Liddle and Al Newman. Plate umpire Matt Hollowell ejected Hunter and Davis. Crew chief Bill Hohn ejected both managers, Gardenhire and Cleveland's Eric Wedge, as well as Sabathia (for screaming a profanity). Hohn said the managers were warned before the game about inside pitches.
Minnesota starters had won three of their previous 19 outings, but Reed gave up six hits in seven innings. He allowed one run, struck out five and retired his last 11 hitters.
ORIOLES 8, BLUE JAYS 5: Brook Fordyce doubled in two runs to help host Baltimore make up a five-run deficit by scoring eight runs with two outs in the eighth inning.
Baltimore never will be picky about a win over Toronto, a team that won 29 of the previous 38 games between the clubs. This, however, was one to savor.
"Any time you win a game like this today, it has a special place," manager Mike Hargrove said. "The sad thing is, we can't dwell on it because we've got to do this tomorrow. But sure, a lot of us will remember this for a long time."
Down 5-0 in the eighth, the Orioles got seven hits, two walks and sent 12 players to the plate in the inning.
ANGELS 1, ATHLETICS 0: Aaron Sele and three relievers combined on a two-hitter for visiting Anaheim. Benji Gil had two hits and scored on David Eckstein's suicide squeeze. It was the third time Oakland has been shut out in its past eight games and the fourth this season. Sele went the first five innings, his limit mandated by manager Mike Scioscia for at least a couple of starts. Sele, coming back from offseason shoulder surgery, extended his scoreless streak to 10 innings. Troy Percival worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 18th save in 19 opportunities.
ROYALS 9, TIGERS 8: Michael Tucker had four hits and three RBIs as host Kansas City improving to 7-0 against Detroit this season. Rookie Nate Field got his first major-league win with 11/3 innings of one-hit relief. Detroit's Craig Monroe hit a two-run homer and Eric Munson homered off Sean Lowe in the ninth to cut it to 9-8, but Mike MacDougal retired pinch-hitter Kevin Witt on one pitch for his 23rd save in 28 chances.
RANGERS 7, MARINERS 3: Juan Gonzalez hit a three-run homer, his first in almost a month, and host Texas used a five-run fourth inning to rally. With Seattle ahead 3-0 in the fourth, Alex Rodriguez drove in the Rangers' first run with a triple. After Rafael Palmeiro walked, Gonzalez hit Freddy Garcia's first pitch over the centerfield fence to put Texas ahead. The homer was his first since June 8.
