Times wires
Sunday, June 12, 2011
MINNEAPOLIS — Francisco Liriano was six outs from his second no-hitter of the season when a long delay in the seventh derailed his feat.
The Twins didn't mind. They're just happy to have the dominant Liriano back.
Liriano sat for nearly a half-hour before Adrian Beltre led off the eighth with a clean single, but he allowed only three baserunners Sunday and pitched Minnesota past the Rangers 6-1.
"Everything was working for me," Liriano said.
Liriano, who held the White Sox hitless in a wild effort May 3, was perfect through the sixth against the Rangers.
"I felt better today. Way better," Liriano said, comparing this to his no-hitter.
Elvis Andrus was the first to reach, on rookie third baseman Luke Hughes' error with one out in the seventh.
The Twins scored five in the bottom half, eating up 29 minutes. When the lefty returned to the mound, he fell behind 3-and-0 before Beltre hit a hard single to left-center.
"We were really worried when he went back out there, but what a performance by him," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.