Twins finally get a power surge

Mauer, Young lift Minnesota over NY

There's not much left of Jason Giambi's bat other than a few splinters after it shattered when he grounded to shortstop in the third inning. (ERIC MILLER/REUTERS)

Minnesota has been waiting all season long for Delmon Young to get going at the plate and Joe Mauer to pop one over the fence.

Both of those wishes came true last night as the two former No. 1 overall picks flexed their muscles when the Twins needed them most.

Young had three doubles and three RBIs and Mauer hit his first homer of the season to lead host Minnesota to a 6-5 victory over the New York Yankees.

"It's about time," said Mauer after hitting the game-tying solo homer in the seventh inning off Andy Pettitte.

But he just as easily could have been talking about Young's outburst, which came after a rough first two months in Minnesota. He entered the game hitting .264 with no homers and just 15 RBIs after coming over in a trade from Tampa Bay.

"It's not been perfect up to this point but there's a lot of talent there and a lot of ability there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We just have to keep pushing along and open up different avenues and different ways to get to him. He's fun to watch."

Young had RBI doubles in the second and sixth innings before giving the Twins the lead for good with another two-bagger off Kyle Farnsworth (0-2) that scored Michael Cuddyer in the eighth.

Young has maintained all season long that he's a slow starter.

"My confidence is always through the roof," Young said. "I don't think it can go any higher."

Mauer hit a solo homer to tie the game, 5-5, and ruin Pettitte's bid for his 170th victory as a Yankee, which would have tied him with Ron Guidry for fourth on the franchise career list.

Pettitte called his decision to throw a four-seam fastball to Mauer on a 1-1 count "just as ignorant a pitch as I could throw."

Mauer's first home run since Sept. 29 slammed off the facing of the upper deck in right field and helped the Twins earn a four-game split.

"It's been a long time coming," Mauer said. "You get that first one, hopefully more will come."

Joe Nathan picked up his 15th save in 16 chances and Matt Guerrier (3-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.

Alex Rodriguez had three hits, including a homer, and singled off Nathan in the ninth, but Hideki Matsui grounded into a double play and Jason Giambi lined out to center field as the Yankees ended their road trip at 3-4.

"I'm not happy with it," manager Joe Girardi said outside the Yankees clubhouse. "We should've had a much better record on this road trip. We have to start playing better, and that's the bottom line."

Phillies 5, Reds 4 - Ken Griffey Jr. remained one shy of 600 home runs after getting the night off, but Philadelphia's Chase Utley hit his major league-leading 21st homer to help beat visiting Cincinnati.

Utley went deep for the fifth straight game, tying a club record he shares with Dick Allen, Mike Schmidt, and Bobby Abreu. Utley also homered in five consecutive games earlier this season.

Pedro Feliz and Chris Coste also connected for the NL East-leading Phillies. Rookie sensation Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion went deep for the Reds.

Braves 7, Marlins 5 - John Smoltz blew a save in his return to the mound as a closer, but Yunel Escobar picked him up with the first game-ending homer of his career, a two-run shot in the 10th inning to lift Atlanta over Florida.

Pitching in relief for the first time since 2004, Smoltz came on in the ninth with a 4-3 lead. The Marlins were down to their last out when Jeremy Hermida drove in two runs with a single.

But Jeff Francoeur hustled home on a wild pitch in the bottom half to get Smoltz off the hook, and Escobar won it in the 10th with a drive that bounced off the top of the wall in right-center and into the seats.

Brewers 4, Diamondbacks 3 - Prince Fielder homered to leadoff the eighth and helped scratch across another run with an unlikely steal of third to lift host Milwaukee.

Fielder, who went 3 for 4, drove a fastball by reliever Doug Slaten (0-2) deep to left-center field to give Milwaukee its first lead, 4-3.

It was Fielder's third homer in the last four games and ninth this year. The Brewers have won four in a row.

Cubs 7, Padres 6 - Chicago kicked off its seven-game West Coast swing by winning its eighth straight game. Carlos Zambrano (8-1) settled down after allowing San Diego three runs in the first, then tied his career high by getting three hits, including a tying RBI triple in the fourth.

Zambrano left after five innings, having allowed three runs and five hits, walking four and striking out two. Kerry Wood got the final two outs for his 15th save.

Giants 10, Mets 2 - Brian Horwitz hit the first home run of his career, a two-run shot in the Giants' six-run first, and Ray Durham also drove in three runs as host San Francisco pounded New York.

Randy Winn had a leadoff homer and Durham hit a two-run double in the first as the Giants knocked Mets starter Oliver Perez (4-4) out after only one out, staking Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez (4-3) to a comfortable cushion.

Indians 13, Rangers 9 - Casey Blake homered twice and matched a career high with seven RBIs before Ben Francisco hit a tiebreaking two-run homer to power Cleveland at Texas.

Francisco's homer in the seventh came on the first pitch by reliever Joaquin Benoit, breaking an 8-8 tie after the Indians had blown a five-run lead.

Pirates 5, Cardinals 4 - Jason Michaels hit a tying pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh off Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright (5-3) and Jason Bay drove in the winning run an inning later as Pittsburgh won at St. Louis.

Dodgers 8, Rockies 2 - Jeff Kent, Andre Ethier, and Matt Kemp went deep for host Los Angeles to back Derek Lowe (3-5), who went eight innings for his first win since April 23. Colorado has lost eight in a row.

Angels 4, Mariners 2 - At Seattle, Ervin Santana (8-2) was strong over 7 2/3 innings and Jeff Mathis homered for host Los Angeles.

Athletics 3, Tigers 2 - Bobby Crosby's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifted Oakland past Detroit.