The Minnesota Twins ventured into the great outdoors, opening Target Field in Minneapolis for a full house of gawking fans — even managing to save their first rainout for another day. The Cardinals beat the Twins, 8-4, in the exhibition game, but the customers appeared too busy admiring the $545 million open-air ballpark that replaced the Metrodome. Steady rain fell in the morning and early afternoon, but it stopped two hours before the first pitch. The Twins and Cardinals will play another exhibition game at Target today. The Twins’ home opener is April 12 . . . Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire named righthander Jon Rauch his closer. Rauch replaces four-time All-Star Joe Nathan, who is out for the season following right elbow surgery.

Hank Blalock did not make Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster and will try to sign with another major league team. If he doesn’t land a deal, he’ll report to the Rays’ Triple A Durham affiliate. Blalock agreed to a minor league contract last month. The deal includes an option allowing him to opt out and seek a job elsewhere if he’s not on the 25-man roster coming out of spring training . . . The Kansas City Royals are running out of third basemen. Alex Gordon and Josh Fields will likely open the season on the DL, and switch-hitting Alberto Callaspo has not played since March 25 with irritation in his right side. Gordon has a broken right thumb. Fields has not played since March 27 because of a hip injury . . . Catcher Buster Posey, one of the San Francisco Giants’ top prospects, was optioned to Triple-A Fresno.

The Texas Rangers rewarded pitcher Scott Feldman with more than Monday’s Opening Day start, agreeing to a three-year contract worth nearly $14 million with the righthander. The 27-year-old is guaranteed $13,925,000 under the deal . . . Ed Montague, Randy Marsh, Rick Reed, and Charlie Reliford retired from the major leagues in a significant departure of veteran umpires. The four were replaced as crew chiefs by Brian Gorman, Tom Hallion, Jeff Kellogg, and Jerry Layne. Chuck Meriwether is on disability and won’t be on the field, either . . . Former Baltimore Orioles lefthanded ace Mike Cuellar, who shared the AL Cy Young Award with Detroit’s Denny McLain in 1969, died at age 72. The Orioles confirmed Cuellar’s death, but did not release other details.