MINNEAPOLIS -- More than 26 hours after the oddly suspended game began, the Twins gave themselves a chance to open the AL playoffs at home by finishing a 6-5 victory over the Indians on Michael Cuddyer's two-out double in the 12th inning Sunday.
The teams were tied at 5-all after 11 innings Saturday when play was halted at 2:33 p.m. CT because the Metrodome field needed to be converted for a college football game between Penn State and Minnesota.
Neither the Twins nor Indians were too pleased about that, but the wait turned out to be worth it for the hosts. By wrapping up the longer-than-usual victory with 20 minutes of play Sunday, AL Central champion Minnesota temporarily kept alive its hopes of home-field advantage in the division playoffs.
Jason Bartlett scored the winning run when Cuddyer's line drive bounced into right-center field and Ryan Ludwick picked it up in the gap. Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez couldn't get the tag down fast enough after a perfect relay throw from second baseman Brandon Phillips, and Bartlett slid underneath the glove.
David Riske (7-3), who started the 12th for the Indians, took the loss.
Kyle Lohse (9-12), who was asked to rest for 20 minutes and return to the mound for the start of Sunday's later game, earned the victory by throwing 15 pitches. He gave up Ben Broussard's two-out double in the top of the 12th.
Cleveland's Grady Sizemore missed his chance at hitting for the cycle. After collecting a single, a triple and a home run Saturday, he grounded out leading off the 12th and finished 3-for-5 with three runs. Teammate Josh Phelps homered in the fifth and Casey Blake had two RBI -- missing a chance for more on Sunday when he flied out to center to end the 12th with runners at first and second.
Lew Ford, who didn't bat in the 12th, was 4-for-6 with three runs scored for Minnesota.
Notes
- Bert Blyleven, now a Twins television analyst, presented Johan Santana with a framed white No. 265 jersey before the first game in honor of Santana's team-record and AL-high 265 strikeouts. Blyleven's set the old mark of 258 in 1973.
- Cleveland's Ben Broussard, whose double with two outs in the 12th made him 3-for-5, was removed for pinch-runner John McDonald.
- A day after bobblehead dolls bearing his likeness were given to fans, Minnesota rookie catcher Joe Mauer caught the ceremonial first pitch from his grandfather, Mike Tierney. A knee injury limited Mauer to 107 at-bats this year.
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