Joe Mauer has 5 hits, but Twins fall to Indians, 9-8

No man is an island, and Joe Mauer's heroic effort couldn't power the Minnesota Twins to a win over the Cleveland Indians.

Mauer had five hits and drove in four runs, including a game-tying home run in the bottom of the 10th to extend the ballgame. But a Michael Brantley sacrifice fly gave the Indians a 9-8 advantage in the 12th inning, and although Mauer came up again with two outs in the bottom half, he couldn't repeat, striking out, and the Indians scooched a half game closer to a Wild Card berth.

The 5-for-7 performance was Mauer's fifth career five-hit game, although he's never had six. Clete Thomas helped out with three hits, while Justin Morneau and Chris Colabello had two each, but Mauer was the obvious star. He's now hitting .321 on the year with a .867 OPS; Oswaldo Arcia is second on the team in both categories with a .263 average and entering the game with a .778 OPS. Since Mauer can't play all nine positions, the team is 53-65, 16-1/2 games back of the division-leading Tigers.

Jason Giambi hit a three-run shot for the Indians as part of a four-run rally in the eighth inning to tie the game, with a gross third-of-an-inning, three earned-run performance for Casey Fien ballooning his ERA from 2.92 to 3.44. Chris Perez got rewarded for allowing the homer to Mauer by getting the decision.