P.J. Walters pitched into the eighth inning and Justin Morneau had a big night at the plate to lead the Twins over the Phillies, 3-2 at Target Field Tuesday night.
Morneau went 3-4 with an RBI double in the fourth inning and the go-ahead run-scoring single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Walters was tremendous on the mound. The right-hander, making his fourth start of the season, gave up two runs (one earned) over 7 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five.
Philadelphia scored the first run of the game on an RBI single from former Texas Rangers star Michael Young in the third inning.
Morneau’s double tied the game in the the fourth, and the Twins took a 2-1 lead on a RBI double from Oswaldo Arcia later in the inning.
It was Arcia’s first game back with the Twins since being demoted to Triple-A Rochester in late May. He went 1-4 in the game.
Leading 2-1, Walters came out to pitch the eighth inning. He gave up a single to start the inning, struck out Young, and gave up another single to ex-Twins centerfielder Ben Revere to end his night.
With runners and first and third and one out, Brian Duensing entered the game and quickly struck out Jimmy Rollins, but gave up the game-tying RBI single to Ryan Howard.
But Morneau copied Howard with a two-out RBI single to centerfield in the bottom of the inning, putting the Twins back on top, 3-2.
Glen Perkins pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 14th save of the season.
