Twins rally late against Tampa Bay

PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. – Ray Olmedo tripled into the right-field corner, and Clete Thomas, who led off the 10th inning with a double, slid home just out of reach of catcher Mark Thomas on Monday, and the Twins went on to a 6-4 victory over Tampa Bay at Charlotte Sports Park.

Minnesota rallied from a 4-3 deficit in the ninth on back-to-back triples by Joe Benson and Eric Fryer, though Rays reliever J.D. Martin retired the next three hitters on a strikeout and two groundouts without allowing a go-ahead run. Martin gave up two more extra-base hits to open the 10th inning, however, and Mark Sobolewski followed with a sacrifice fly to provide the final margin.

The victory was the Twins' first in four matchups with Tampa Bay this spring. The Twins are 10-7 in Grapefruit League play.

Vance Worley threw 52 pitches and "was begging to go back out," he said, but was removed after allowing two runs on five hits over four innings. Worley gave up three doubles and a solo home run to Rays designated hitter Luke Scott, but worked his way out of further trouble by inducing two double plays.

Worley was enthused by his outing, despite the runs.

"I turned around [to look at the scoreboard] and I was almost [in the] mid-90s, got 94 [miles per hour] once," said Worley, who had bone chips removed from his pitching elbow last September. "I haven't seen that in a couple of years, so I'll take it."

PHIL MILLER