MINNEAPOLIS (AP) When Erick Aybar came trotting home on a double from Mike Trout that gave the Los Angeles an early lead over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night, Angels starter Ervin Santana raised his hands in the dugout and smiled.

Hard to blame, him. It had been quite a while since he had pitched with a run on the board.

Ervin Santana pitched 7 1-3 innings and got some run support from the Angels offense for the first time in his past six starts in a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Santana (1-6) gave up two runs and six hits and Albert Pujols had two hits and two RBIs for the Angels, who took two of three from the Twins. Trout had two doubles, two RBIs and scored twice and Howie Kendrick added three hits for Los Angeles.

“It was great,” Pujols said. “He’s been pitching the ball well. It’s great to give run support to any of our starting pitchers. As competitive as they are, Ervin knew we scored some runs early, but he kept making his pitches, never lost his focus.”

Carl Pavano (2-3) was knocked out of the game before there was an out in the fifth inning for the Twins, who are an MLB-worst 8-22. He gave up five runs – four earned – and 10 hits in his shortest outing of the season.

Josh Willingham hit his sixth homer of the season and also had a double for the Twins, who shook things up after the game by moving struggling starter Francisco Lirianoto the bullpen and sending third baseman Danny Valencia to Triple-A Rochester.

“We need to make some changes,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We need some hits. We need some new life in here, the whole package.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Sam Holbrook, but that was about the only thing that went wrong for Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

With Pujols struggling mightily in his first season in the American League, the Angels have been shut out seven times this season. Santana is the first pitcher since 1974 to go through five straight starts where his offense was shut out, according to STATS LLC.

When Trout’s double scored Aybar in the third inning, it was the first time Santana had received a run of support since the third inning on April 8 against Kansas City.

“He felt better, obviously, getting a couple runs,” Scioscia said. “I felt as the game picked up his command got a little bit better.”

Pujols added an RBI single and Alberto Callaspo scored thanks to a throwing error from first baseman Joe Mauer that hit Pujols in the back on his way to second base for a 3-0 lead. Pujols came up a little gimpy on the play, but he quickly shooed trainers off the field and stayed in the game.

Los Angeles tacked on two more in the fifth, getting rocket doubles to the gap from Trout and Callaspo to start the inning and chase Pavano, who has been searching for lost velocity all season long. With a fastball that routinely was clocked in the mid-80s, and an unwillingness to pitch inside, the Angels hitters were able to crowd the plate and hammer the outside corners early and often.

Pavano gave up four doubles and only lasted as long as he did thanks to three inning-ending double plays.

Santana certainly wasn’t blameless for the 0-5 record he carried into the outing. The right-hander gave up 19 earned runs and 10 homers in his first four starts, one of the chief reasons the Angels got off to such a surprisingly poor start.

But he’s gotten progressively better over his past three outings, looking more and more like the reliable 16-game winner he was last season. He’s allowed seven earned runs in 22 1-3 innings over his past three starts.

“It’s not like we’re not going out and trying to score runs,” Kendrick said. “We got shut out yesterday, but we come out today and put up 14 hits. It’s like we’re a completely different offense. Everybody is still not where they want to be at, but we’re close.”

NOTES: Twins GM Terry Ryan said DH Justin Morneau received a cortisone shot in his sore left wrist at the Cleveland Clinic. The plan is for him to take some swings on Saturday. While still early in his DL stint, the Twins are hopeful Morneau will be ready to come off on May 15 and join the team for the eight-game road trip that begins in Detroit on May 16. … Torii Hunter hit into two double plays, and the two struggling offenses combined for five in the game. … Angels LF Vernon Wells made an outstanding catch on a dead run to rob Mauer of an extra-base hit in the sixth. …. The Angels have the day off on Thursday before beginning a big series at Texas on Friday. LHP C.J. Wilson (4-2, 2.61) will pitch his first game against the Rangers on Friday night while RHP Yu Darvish (4-1, 2.54) will pitch for Texas. … The Twins open a four-game series against the Blue Jays on Thursday. Jason Marquis (2-1, 5.40) will pitch Game 1 for Minnesota against RHP Henderson Alvarez (2-2, 2.83).

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) When Erick Aybar came trotting home on a double from Mike Trout that gave the Los Angeles an early lead over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night, Angels starter Ervin Santana raised his hands in the dugout and smiled.

Hard to blame, him. It had been quite a while since he had pitched with a run on the board.

Ervin Santana pitched 7 1-3 innings and got some run support from the Angels offense for the first time in his past six starts in a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Santana (1-6) gave up two runs and six hits and Albert Pujols had two hits and two RBIs for the Angels, who took two of three from the Twins. Trout had two doubles, two RBIs and scored twice and Howie Kendrick added three hits for Los Angeles.

”It was great,” Pujols said. ”He’s been pitching the ball well. It’s great to give run support to any of our starting pitchers. As competitive as they are, Ervin knew we scored some runs early, but he kept making his pitches, never lost his focus.”

Carl Pavano (2-3) was knocked out of the game before there was an out in the fifth inning for the Twins, who are an MLB-worst 8-22. He gave up five runs – four earned – and 10 hits in his shortest outing of the season.

Josh Willingham hit his sixth homer of the season and also had a double for the Twins, who shook things up after the game by moving struggling starter Francisco Liriano to the bullpen and sending third baseman Danny Valencia to Triple-A Rochester.

”We need to make some changes,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”We need some hits. We need some new life in here, the whole package.”

Angels manager Mike Scioscia was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Sam Holbrook, but that was about the only thing that went wrong for Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

With Pujols struggling mightily in his first season in the American League, the Angels have been shut out seven times this season. Santana is the first pitcher since 1974 to go through five straight starts where his offense was shut out, according to STATS LLC.

When Trout’s double scored Aybar in the third inning, it was the first time Santana had received a run of support since the third inning on April 8 against Kansas City.

”He felt better, obviously, getting a couple runs,” Scioscia said. ”I felt as the game picked up his command got a little bit better.”

Pujols added an RBI single and Alberto Callaspo scored thanks to a throwing error from first baseman Joe Mauer that hit Pujols in the back on his way to second base for a 3-0 lead. Pujols came up a little gimpy on the play, but he quickly shooed trainers off the field and stayed in the game.

Los Angeles tacked on two more in the fifth, getting rocket doubles to the gap from Trout and Callaspo to start the inning and chase Pavano, who has been searching for lost velocity all season long. With a fastball that routinely was clocked in the mid-80s, and an unwillingness to pitch inside, the Angels hitters were able to crowd the plate and hammer the outside corners early and often.

Pavano gave up four doubles and only lasted as long as he did thanks to three inning-ending double plays.

Santana certainly wasn’t blameless for the 0-5 record he carried into the outing. The right-hander gave up 19 earned runs and 10 homers in his first four starts, one of the chief reasons the Angels got off to such a surprisingly poor start.

But he’s gotten progressively better over his past three outings, looking more and more like the reliable 16-game winner he was last season. He’s allowed seven earned runs in 22 1-3 innings over his past three starts.

”It’s not like we’re not going out and trying to score runs,” Kendrick said. ”We got shut out yesterday, but we come out today and put up 14 hits. It’s like we’re a completely different offense. Everybody is still not where they want to be at, but we’re close.”

NOTES: Twins GM Terry Ryan said DH Justin Morneau received a cortisone shot in his sore left wrist at the Cleveland Clinic. The plan is for him to take some swings on Saturday. While still early in his DL stint, the Twins are hopeful Morneau will be ready to come off on May 15 and join the team for the eight-game road trip that begins in Detroit on May 16. … Torii Hunter hit into two double plays, and the two struggling offenses combined for five in the game. … Angels LF Vernon Wells made an outstanding catch on a dead run to rob Mauer of an extra-base hit in the sixth. …. The Angels have the day off on Thursday before beginning a big series at Texas on Friday. LHP C.J. Wilson (4-2, 2.61) will pitch his first game against the Rangers on Friday night while RHP Yu Darvish (4-1, 2.54) will pitch for Texas. … The Twins open a four-game series against the Blue Jays on Thursday. Jason Marquis (2-1, 5.40) will pitch Game 1 for Minnesota against RHP Henderson Alvarez (2-2, 2.83).

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The Minnesota Twins are becoming concerned with Francisco Liriano‘s struggles.

Desmond Jennings had one of the Rays‘ team record four sacrifice flys and drove in three runs as Tampa Bay beat Liriano and the Twins 6-2 on Sunday.

”Frankie had another rough start. … It doesn’t look like he’s pitching with a lot of confidence right now,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”We’re going to step back and see what we need to do to try and help him out, get his confidence back, and try to figure some things out to help him. We’re going to review the whole situation and see what’s best for our ballclub and him.”

Gardenhire plans to talk with Liriano and Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson.

Jennings had a sacrifice fly during a two-run third and made it 5-0 in the fifth with a two-run homer off Liriano (0-3).

”As soon as a couple things happened out there, he started misfiring,” Gardenhire said. ”Quit attacking the zone. I think he gets away from wanting to throw his fastball, and that’s his bread and butter. He pitches off the fastball.”

”You can see him start kind of moping around a little bit on the mound,” Gardenhire added. ”He’s a really good pitcher with great stuff. We just have to figure out a way to get his confidence back up there to where he commands everything.”

Liriano went five innings, allowing five runs, three hits and four walks. The left-hander has given up 22 runs, 25 hits and 13 walks over 16 1-3 innings this season.

”I haven’t talked to anybody, but whatever it is, if it’s going to help me I’m going to do it,” Liriano said. ”They’ve given me a chance to go out and start, but I haven’t done my job. So whatever they’re going to do, it’s OK with me.”

Liriano threw just 47 of 86 pitches for strikes.

”I can’t locate my pitches at all,” Liriano said. ”Not even my fastball, my changeup, nothing. Nothing is working so far.”

Tampa Bay’s four sac flys were the most by an AL team since Seattle had five in a game – which tied the major league record – against Kansas City on April 15, 2008.

”From a spectator’s perspective, it’s one of the more boring plays in all of baseball,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. ”But from the dugout perspective, I can to tell you how exciting it is to see that.”

Josh Willingham went 0 for 2, which ended his season-opening 15-game hitting streak that had tied Kirby Puckett’s Twins’ record set in 1994. Willingham walked once and was hit by a pitch.

The Rays took a 2-0 lead – on sacrifice flys by Jennings and Ben Zobrist – in the third without getting a hit. Liriano loaded the bases with no outs with two walks and a hit batter.

Evan Longoria got the Rays’ first hit leading off the fourth, a high fly to left that struck an overhanging catwalk and then landed in shallow center. He scored to make it 3-0 on B.J. Upton’s sacrifice fly.

Upton added another sacrifice fly in the eighth, which gave the Rays the team record.

Tampa Bay’s Jeff Niemann didn’t allow a hit until Clete Thomas’ two-out single in the fifth. He left one inning later with the bases loaded and one out. After Jake McGee struck out Justin Morneau, pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit cut the Twins’ deficit to 5-2 on a two-run single off Wade Davis.

Niemann (1-2) gave up two runs and three hits in 5 1-3 innings. His teammate at Rice University, Phil Humber, threw the first perfect game in the majors in almost two years as the Chicago White Sox beat Seattle 4-0 on Saturday.

”He put some pressure on me to go out there and do something myself,” Niemann said. ”It was weird for Humber to go out there the day before and do something like that. We spent three years in college together. It was almost like a ‘Here it goes again’ kind of thing. It was fun.”

The Twins went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, and were 4 for 27 overall in losing two of three to Tampa Bay.

”We had one big hit, obviously not enough big hits,” Gardenhire said. ”Just a rough day for us.”

NOTES: Minnesota RHP Nick Blackburn (right shoulder) threw a 52-pitch bullpen session and is scheduled to pitch Tuesday night against Boston. … Former Twins star Tony Oliva threw the ceremonial first pitch. He was inducted this weekend into the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame, which is located at Tropicana Field. … Minnesota RHP Jason Marquis (1-0) and Boston LHP Jon Lester (0-2) are the scheduled starters Monday night. … The Rays are off on Monday.

The Minnesota Twins are looking forward to getting the 2012 season underway. Many memories were made in 2011 and plenty more will be created this upcoming season. Will this be the year the Twins surprise everyone and dominate the American League?

Opening Day at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins
Wikimedia Commons

Note: All start times Central

April 2012

Fri 6, Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles, 2:05 p.m.

Sat 7, Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles, 6:05 p.m.

Sun 8, Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles, 12:35 p.m.

Mon 9, Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins, 3:10 p.m.

Wed 11, Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins, 7:10 p.m.

Thu 12, Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins, 12:10 p.m.

Fri 13, Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, 7:10 p.m.

Sat 14, Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, 12:10 p.m.

Sun 15, Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, 1:10 p.m.

Mon 16, Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Tue 17, Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Wed 18, Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Thu 19, Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Fri 20, Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays, 6:10 p.m.

Sat 21, Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays, 6:10 p.m.

Sun 22, Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays, 12:40 p.m.

Mon 23, Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins, 7:10 p.m.

Tue 24, Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins, 7:10 p.m.

Wed 25, Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins, 7:10 p.m.

Fri 27, Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins, 7:10 p.m.

Sat 28, Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins, 12:10 p.m.

Sun 29, Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins, 1:10 p.m.

Mon 30, Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Angels, 9:05 p.m.

Sources:

All data provided by MLB.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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