The Minnesota Twins are just a game back in the AL Central, thanks in no small part to rookie outfielder Denard Span.
Span cut down the tying run at the plate with a perfect throw from right field and Minnesota broke out of its slump by beating Seattle 6-5 Wednesday night, ending a confounding series against the league's worst team.
Another bottom-feeder helped the Twins - Baltimore shook off a slump of its own and thumped the first-place White Sox 11-3, reducing the margin atop the Central to a single game.
The Twins, who snapped a four-game losing streak, needed some good news after dropping close games in Seattle the past two nights.
``I don't like this place,'' Span said. ``I don't know what it is about this place, but they play us tough.''
In the other AL games Wednesday, it was: Baltimore 11, Chicago 3; Tampa Bay 1, Toronto 0; Boston 11, New York 3; Cleveland 9, Detroit 7; Texas 3, Kansas City 2; and Oakland 6, Los Angeles 5.
The Mariners gave the Twins fits all season, and won two close ones in the previous two nights. Minnesota almost fell farther back thanks to a shaky bullpen.
Former Seattle closer Eddie Guardado entered with one out in the eighth and struck out Jeremy Reed before allowing consecutive doubles to Kenji Johjima and Jeff Clement to trim the Twins' advantage to 6-5.
Miguel Cairo grounded a single to right field and the pinch-running Tug Hulett was sent home by third base coach Sam Perlozzo. Span fielded the grounder cleanly and threw a perfect strike to catcher Mike Redmond, getting Hulett by a few feet.
``I can see why so many third-base coaches send runners,'' Span said. ``The chances of a perfect throw are very slim.''
Joe Nathan then worked the ninth for his 36th save in 40 chances, giving Minnesota just its fifth win this season when trailing after seven innings.
The Twins were only in position for the win thanks to an eighth-inning rally off Seattle's bullpen. Fittingly, it was Minnesota's Justin Morneau who started the comeback. After Tuesday night's loss, Morneau questioned the energy and enthusiasm of his team.
Trailing 4-3 entering the eighth, Morneau hit a sharp liner to center, Randy Ruiz followed with a single to left and Jason Kubel hit a bloop double between center fielder Wladimir Balentien and right fielder Ichiro Suzuki to score Morneau with the tying run.
Brian Buscher, pinch-hitting for Brendan Harris, followed with a two-run single.
Brian Roberts had three RBIs as host Baltimore ended a five-game losing streak.
Aubrey Huff hit his 29th homer and drove in three runs, and Melvin Mora and Kevin Millar also homered for the Orioles.
The announced attendance was 12,678, the fifth straight Rays' home game with a crowd under 20,000.
White Sox starter John Danks (10-7) allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings. He was unbeaten in nine road starts since May 3.
Matt Garza and two relievers combined on a six-hitter and Carlos Pena homered for the AL East leaders.
Garza (11-7) allowed six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 7 2-3 innings. Dan Wheeler pitched the ninth for his ninth save for the host Rays.
In New York, Jason Bay drove in four runs and Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam for Boston.
Pedroia's first career slam capped a seven-run eighth inning and the Yankees dropped seven games behind Boston, which leads the AL wild-card race by 2 1/2 games over Minnesota.
The Red Sox remained 3 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East.
In Detroit, Kelly Shoppach homered and drove in three runs and Shin-Soo Choo hit a home run to lift Cleveland to its 10th straight win.
Cleveland's team record is 13 consecutive wins, accomplished twice, the last time in 1951.
Magglio Ordonez and Curtis Granderson homered for Detroit, which lost its fourth straight.
Fausto Carmona (7-5) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings to beat Justin Verlander (10-14), who gave up five runs and seven hits in six innings, walking three and striking out eight.
In Kansas City, Mo., Texas' Matt Harrison won for the fourth time in August.
The Royals have lost 10 of their last 11 games and 17 of 20, falling to a season-worst 21 games below .500.
Harrison (6-3), a 22-year-old rookie left-hander, went 4-1 in five August starts. He held the Royals to two runs, one earned, and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Chris Davis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit two-out doubles in the seventh to tie it, then Saltalamacchia scored when pitcher Brian Bannister dropped Joaquin Arias' routine popup.
Bannister (7-14), who struck out a career-high eight, has not won in 11 starts, since June 23. He gave up three runs, two earned, and six hits.
In Anaheim, Calif., Emil Brown homered and drove in three runs and Rajai Davis had a career-high four hits for Oakland.
The Athletics won two of three from the Angels and took a series for the first time in their last 13 attempts since July 7-10, when they won three of four from Seattle.
