So it falls to Brad Radke to try to avoid the sweep by the Mariners. Luis Rodriguez takes over for Nick Punto at second and bats second. Jacque Jones moves over to center field and Michael Ryan starts in right, batting eighth. Jones and Morneau bat 5-6 once again. Juan Castro gets the start at shortstop for Jason Bartlett and bats ninth. Terry Tiffee gets the start once again at third base for Cuddyer and bats seventh.

UPDATE: Radke's control was less than spectacular in the first. He went to a three-ball count against four consecutive batters, including issue a walk to Richie Sexson. He started several batters 1-0, but managed to escape without giving up a run.

UPDATE: Hitting woes with runners in scoring position continue. After LeCroy and Jones struck out, Morneau and Tiffee hit back-to-back singles, but Michael Ryan grounded out to first to end the top of the second.

UPDATE: Bradke is a control pitcher. When his control isn't there, he has nothing. He has walked two or more batters on only three occasions this year, and he lost all three games. He walked his second batter already of the game, Jeremy Reed, to lead off the bottom of the second. He has been lucky not to have been burned yet by a walk, but when his control isn't on, it's only a matter of time. He typically starts throwing fastballs right down the middle of the plate or hangs an off-speed pitch, and next thing you know, the ball ends up in the outfield seats.

UPDATE: Still wondering if Lew Ford is injured, but haven't heard or read anything. He left last night's game in the bottom of the sixth and isn't in the starting lineup tonight. Could just be Gardy wanting to give him a night off and get Ryan some playing time, but it just seems a little bizarre.

UPDATE: One is better than none. Jones and Mauer on first and second with one out, Morneau hit a bloop single to left scoring Mauer. Tiffee grounded into a double-play to end the inning, but the Twins lead 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth. Good thing too, because the Mariners tv analysts were mentioning earlier in the inning that the Twins hadn't scored since the third inning of Monday's game.

UPDATE: That didn't last long. One out in the bottom of the fourth, Richie Sexson hit the fourth homerun of his career off of Radke to tie the game 1-1.

UPDATE: In Oakland, Angels lead the A's 2-1 going into the bottom of the fourth. Barry Zito has walked five Angels batters in the first four innings.

UPDATE: The guy I'm facing this week in my fantasy league has had a huge day so far today. There have been a lot of high scoring games around the majors today, and his players have been on the winning end of every one.

UPDATE: Not much doing in Seattle. Mauer hit a one-out double to the wall in left, but LeCroy grounded out to third and Jones grounded out to second to end top of the sixth.

UPDATE: The sweep is starting to look certain. Radke got smacked around in the bottom of the sixth. He gave up a leadoff double to Bloomquist, who scored on a single by Ibanez. Radke walked Sexson for the second time in the game, and then Beltre smacked another single to load the bases. Reed grounded into a double play, but it scored Ibanez and moved Sexson to third. Radke escaped by getting Betancourt to pop out, but the M's now lead 3-1 at the end of six.

UPDATE: Radke came back out in bottom of the seventh and sat the Mariners right back down 1-2-3, including strikeouts of Snelling and Ichiro. Too little too late, M's still lead 3-1.

UPDATE: What would the Twins do without Joe Mauer? Castro led off the eighth with a single and moved to second on Stewie's groundout. L'il Rod then grounded out as well to bring up Mauer with two outs. Mauer singled to left, scoring Castro to cut the lead to 3-2, and then stole second with LeCroy at the plate to get himself into scoring position. LeCroy struckout for the third time in the game, but Mauer did everything he could to give the team a chance to win. Going into the bottom of the eighth, Twins still trail 3-2. Radke is replaced by Matt Guerrier in the bottom of the inning. Radke's numbers tonight: 7IP, 7H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K.

UPDATE: Oakland tied it up 2-2 in the seventh on an RBI single by Nick Swisher that scored Jay Payton.

UPDATE: Going to the ninth in Seattle, Mariners lead 3-2. Eddie Guardado is coming on to try to pick up another save.

UPDATE: Looking around the league at other postseason contenders, White Sox beat Yankees 2-1, Boston beat Texas 16-5, Cleveland beat Kansas City 6-1, Toronto beat Detroit 4-3, and Oakland is now leading the Angels 4-2.

UPDATE: It's a whole new ballgame! With two out in the ninth, Gardy sent Cuddyer to pinch-hit for Tiffee, and he singled up the middle. Bloomquist's throw to Sexson at first was well over his head and sailed into the stands to advance Cuddyer to second. Punto came on to pinch-run for Cuddyer. Gardy then sent Lew Ford on to pinch-hit for Ryan, and he singled to left, which scored Punto from second. Lew tried to advance to second on the throw, but was thrown out by catcher Gonzalez to end the inning. The game is tied 3-3 and Guardado's consecutive saves streak is over. Punto stays in to play third for Tiffee and Ford takes over in right for Ryan.

UPDATE: It's Huston Street time in Oakland. Angels and A's go to the ninth with Oakland up 4-2.

UPDATE: Angels pulled one back on a leadoff homer by Steve Finley, but Oakland held on to win 4-3. Angels and A's are tied again atop the AL West and the AL Wild Card.

UPDATE: LeCroy blows is AGAIN. Castro got a leadoff single in the tenth and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Stewie. L'il Rod flied out to left and Mauer was intentionally walked. Castro pulled himself out signalling an apparent leg injury, so Bartlett was sent on to pinch run, but it didn't matter, because LeCroy popped out to the catcher to end the inning. Bartlett stays in the game to play short for Castro.

UPDATE: Word from the Mariners broadcasters is that Castro has a left knee strain.

UPDATE: I see Lew is clean-shaven tonight. Did I miss that earlier in the week or is that new tonight? He nearly connected on a two-run homer down the left field line in the eleventh, but the ball sailed just foul.

Twins are down to just Mike Redmond on the bench and just Rincon, Romero, and Nathan in the bullpen.

Punto singled with two outs and Lew followed with a single to second that moved Punto to third, but Bartlett flied out to Ichiro in right to end the threat in the eleventh.

UPDATE: DAMN YOU MATTHEW LECROY!!! Stewie got a leadoff double in the 12th and was sac bunted over to third by L'il Rod. Mauer was intentionally walked once again to bring up Matthew Friggin' LeCroy who... get this... grounded into an inning-ending double play. If the Twins get around in the lineup again, here's hoping Gardy sends Redmond in to pinch-hit for LeCroy. Sheesh. Nathan takes over for Jesse Crain in the bottom of the twelfth.

UPDATE: Whew! Nathan escaped a jam. He walked pinch-hitter Hansen, who was then lifted for pinch runner Torrealba. Ichiro bunted off the plate and Mauer and Punto collided fielding the ball. Punto's throw to first was late and the M's had runners at first and second with nobody out. Nathan then ditched the change-up and the slider and started throwing mid-nineties gas. Bloomquist popped out to Mauer, Ibanez struck out, and Sexson grounded out to end the inning. Going to the thirteenth tied 3-3.

UPDATE: Nathan stays in for another inning. After striking out Beltre and Reed, Betancourt singled to short, but was caught trying to steal second to end the inning... and we go to the fourteenth. Due up for the Twins: Lew, Bartlett, and Stewie.

UPDATE: Leadoff walks kill. Nelson walked Lew to start the inning. Bartlett popped out to first trying to bunt, and then Nelson plunked Stewie. Li'l Rod scored Lew with a single to left and Mauer scored Stewie and Li'l Rod with a double to left-center. LeCroy singled to left moving Mauer to third. Jones reached on a fielder's choice scoring Mauer, LeCroy out at second. That brought up Morneau, who reached on a throwing error by second baseman Bloomquist, moving Jones to second, and the Mariners finally got out of the inning when Punto hit into a fielder's choice - Morneau out at second. The Twins hit around in the inning and put four on the board in top of the fourteenth. Juan Rincon is coming on now to try to finish the game off.

Mauer's stats at the plate tonight are sweet: 4-5, 2 1B, 2 2B, 2IBB, 2R, 3 RBIs.

UPDATE: It's over! The game is over! The losing streak is over! After giving up a leadoff single to Chris Snelling (who was lifted for pinch runner Scott Spiezio), Rincon struck out Torrealba and got Ichiro to hit into a game-ending double play. The final in fourteen innings, Minnesota wins 7-3. Joe Nathan picks up the win to improve to 5-3, while Jeff Nelson takes the loss, dropping to 1-2. The win ends Minnesota's three-game losing streak and six-game road losing streak.

The Twins are off on Thursday (thank goodness!), but travel to Oakland, where they'll open a three-game set against the Athletics on Friday. Johan Santana (10-6) will take the mound for Minnesota against Danny Haren (10-7) for Oakland. Gametime is 10:05pm ET/9:05pm CT.