Halos sweep Twinkies: move into tie for 2nd

9/15 - 9/17 - Metrodome
GAME 1 - Angels 6, Twins 4 (10 inn)
Minnesota rallied to score 3 runs in the 7th off of Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who wasted Ramon Oritz' awesome 2 hit 6 inning performance.  The old Angels would have crumbled and surrendered.  This group has showed deep resolve as of late and this road game sure tested it.  In the top of the 10th Darin Erstad led off with a single off of Len Whitehouse.  He was bunted over to 2nd and scored when Garrett Anderson singled him home.  A walk, a wild pitch and a sac fly by Troy Glaus plated an insurance run, which was more than enough for close Troy Percival to protect for the win and his 3rd save of the season.  Mo Vaughn who has spent most of the season languishing in mediocrity went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and his 5th homer of the season.

GAME 2 - Angels 7, Twins 3
Anaheim spotted the hometown Twins 2 runs in the bottom of the first, then went on an offensive tear that was capped off with a 4 run 3rd inning.  Mike Smithson (2-2, 3.98) had his worst outing of the year (7 runs in 8+ innings) as the Twins have now hit a huge slide at the worst time.  Adam Kennedy had 4 of the Angels 12 hits.  Tim Salmon hit his 3rd homer of the season.  Lost in the shuffle was the 5 shutout relief innings tossed by Lou Pote, who allowed 4 hits, but no runs in relief of Brian Cooper, who was ineffective in 4 innings of work.

GAME 3 - Angels 6, Twins 3
Once again the Angels manager Douglas Zaner was doing his best "Dr. Hook" impersonation, when he was quick to pull Seth Etherton who posted the same exact numbers as Brian Cooper did (4 IP / 3 R) in game #2.  Alan "the accountant" Levine (3-1, 4.73) threw 4 scoreless innings of relief, then gave way to Percival who pitched a scoreless 9th to notch his 4th save.  The Twins were nursing a 1 run lead until the 8th when the Halos unloaded on starter John Butcher (3-3, 4.35).  By the time Ron Davis was brought in from the pen the damage (4 runs) was done.  Garrett Anderson and Mo Vaughn both hit 2 run dingers in that fateful inning.  Kent Hrbek hit his 10th homer of the season for the Twins and raised his average to .395 as he hopes to keep pace with Colavito for the triple crown.