Twins, Berrios shut down Diamondbacks

Jose Berrios allowed just two hits while striking out seven in seven innings of shut out wor

k as the Twins beat Arizona 5-0 to stay in a virtual tie for the last playoff spot in the American League Wild Card race. Alan Busenitz pitched the final two innings for the Twins and did not allow a hit.

The win was the Twins third straight and puts them three games over .500 at 62-and-59. The interleague series with Arizona wraps up on Sunday at Target Field as the Twins send 44 year old Bartolo Colon to the mound.

TWINS NOTES:

1. THE TWINS have now won 10 of their last 13 games…they improved to 10-7 in Interleague Play this season…they have now won seven of their last eight at home against the Diamondbacks, dating back to 2008…Minnesota allowed just two hits tonight for the second time this season (last on May 23 at Baltimore)…they have won seven straight Interleague games.

2. TWINS PITCHERS retired the last 19 batters to end the game, not allowing a base runner after a third inning double by Pollack.

3. JOSÉ BERRÍOS made his first career start vs. Arizona tonight…allowed two hits in 7.0 scoreless innings, earning his 11th win of the season…tossed seven strikeouts, his most since June 26 at Boston (7)…retired each of his final 13 batters.

4. JOE MAUER (3-for-3) is hitting .500 (18-for-36) with two doubles and nine RBI in his last nine games…recorded his 26th multi-hit game of the season.

5. JORGE POLANCO (1-for-4) is hitting .415 (22-for-53) with five doubles, two triples and six RBI in 15 games this month…he has multiple hits seven times in his last 11 games.

6. EDDIE ROSARIO (1-for-3) extended his hitting streak to nine games…he is hitting .432 (16-for-37) with five extra-base hits and five multi-hit games during the streak…is now hitting .308 (16-for-52) with three home runs and seven RBI in interleague play this season.

7. BRIAN DOZIER (2-or-3) has a hit in six of his last eight games, with multiple hits in five of those…is batting .364 (12-for-33) with a triple, two home runs and five RBI in that span…is hitting .324 (23-for-71) with seven home runs and 14 RBI in 17 games in the month of August.

8. BYRON BUXTON (1-for-4) recorded his third triple of the season tonight in the bottom of the fifth inning…extended his hitting streak to a career-high nine games, batting .438 (14-for-32) in that span.

9. MITCH GARVER made his MLB debut in the bottom of the seventh inning pinch hitting for Miguel Sanó and striking out.

10. MIGUEL SANÓ left tonight’s game with left low leg shin soreness and considered day-to-day.