--1B Justin Morneau doubled in the fourth inning and has now collected a hit in five consecutive games. Morneau, who also collected his 103rd RBI of the season on a sacrifice fly, is batting .500 (9-for-18) over that span.

--2B Alexi Casilla's five-game hitting streak came to an end, but the rookie contributed a spectacular fielding play. Casilla sprawled to his right to spear Daric Barton's hard groundball in the fourth inning, and he scooped it toward second base in the same motion. SS Nick Punto grabbed the ball barehanded and completed the double play.

--LHP Glen Perkins doesn't feel like a rookie, having pitched briefly for the Twins in each of the past two seasons. But he is beginning to make a case for Rookie of the Year, going 10-1 since May 1. He is 12-3 with a 3.96 ERA, with another six or seven starts in the middle of a pennant race still to come. "I don't know anything about it. I'm just trying to win every time I go out there," Perkins said. "All that other stuff, great, it would be an honor. But my focus is just to pitch well."

BY THE NUMBERS: 2 -- Twins who have driven in 100 runs in three consecutive seasons. Justin Morneau on Aug. 24 joined Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew (1969-71) with that distinction.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He gets in the batter's box when he's ready, one foot in and then a pause to gather himself, and he takes command. But he does it very discreetly. Elegantly. It's like he's playing a different game, where the pitcher isn't in control." -- Twins batting coach Joe Vavra, on star pupil Joe Mauer.