MINNESOTA 3, CLEVELAND 2 IN MINNESOTA

Date:  Sunday, September 20.

Batting stars:  Kirby Puckett was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer (his twenty-sixth) and a double, scoring twice.  Gene Larkin was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.  Gary Gaetti was 1-for-2 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Les Straker pitched six innings, giving up two runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Juan Berenguer struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Jeff Reardon pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Rich Yett pitched a complete game, giving up three runs on eight hits and four walks with one strikeout in eight innings.  Dave Clark was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double.

The game:  Larkin's ground ball single in the second scored Puckett with the first run of the game.  There was no more scoring until the sixth, when Randy Bush drew a one-out walk and Puckett followed with a two-run homer to make it 3-0.  The Twins needed the runs, because Clark hit a two-run homer in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-2.  The Indians got the tying run to second with one out in that inning, but their last nine batters were retired.

Of note:  Kent Hrbek remained out of the lineup, with Bush playing first base and batting third...Puckett, in the cleanup spot, raised his average to .332...This was one of four complete games Yett pitched in his career...It was the fourth home run of Clark's career.  He would hit two more before the season ended and have sixty-two for his career.

Record:  The Twins were 80-70, in first place by 3.5 games over Oakland, which defeated Kansas City 7-6.