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Thome, Valencia Help Twins Beat Brewers 9-7

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Danny Valencia delivered another bases-loaded hit, a two-run single that capped a four-run seventh inning as the Minnesota Twins rallied past the Milwaukee Brewers 9-7 Sunday.

Rene Tosoni homered and drove in three runs for Minnesota, which trailed Zack Greinke by 6-1 in the fourth inning. Jim Thome hit his 595th career homer for the Twins.

Mark Kotsay homered and drove in three runs for the Brewers, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

It was a reversal of about 19 hours earlier for the Twins, who blew a 7-0 lead Saturday night and lost 8-7.

The Twins trailed 7-5 in the seventh before Michael Cuddyer hit a two-out RBI single off Kameron Loe (2-7). Thome was walked to load the bases and Valencia had his go-ahead hit, with Kotsay misplayed the ball in left field for an error that also let Thome score on the play.
Valencia is 8 for 13 with the bases loaded this season.

Phil Dumatrait (1-1) pitched a scoreless seventh and Joe Nathan worked a perfect eighth for the Twins.

Twins reliever Matt Capps, tagged for four earned runs Saturday, gave up two hits in the ninth before Glen Perkins recorded his first career save in two opportunities by striking out Prince Fielder and Casey McGehee.

Greinke and Minnesota starter Nick Blackburn both were looking to bounce back from bad last outings.

Greinke, who gave up seven earned runs in two innings at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, allowed four earned runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out nine.

Blackburn gave up six earned runs on six hits in four innings, six days after yielding seven runs on 13 hits in 4 1-3 innings to the Dodgers. In his first four June starts, the right-hander allowed a combined six earned runs.

Thome homered in the second and Kotsay connected in the third. Milwaukee scored five times in the fourth for a 6-1 lead.

Nyjer Morgan led off with a single and took a wide turn at first. A throw to first by second baseman Alexi Casilla went into the stands moving Morgan to third base.

Mat Gamel hit an RBI double, Yuniesky Betancourt singled home a run, Kotsay hit a two-run triple and Jonathan Lucroy added an RBI single.

Tosoni's three-run homer came in the fourth. Cuddyer had an RBI single in the fifth to cut the deficit to one run before Greinke struck out Thome with two men on.

Newly announced All-Star Rickie Weeks ended an 0-for-21 slump with a home run in the Brewers sixth.

Fellow Brewers All-Star Ryan Braun sat out with a strained left calf and is considered day-to-day. He has a 22-game hit streak.

NOTES: Thome leads all major leaguers with 59 interleague home runs. ... Gamel got his first start at third base for the Brewers. ... Minnesota's Luke Hughes struck out three times. ... The Twins finished interleague play with a losing record (8-10) for the second year in a row. The Twins went 53-19 against the National League between 2006-09. ... Milwaukee finished interleague play 6-9.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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