News » By the time their series opener against Kansas City concluded

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-julio-teheran-jersey , the Minnesota Twins had played almost as much dominoes as baseball.Play was halted for 1 hour, 31 minutes in the top of the fourth inning and again for 53 minutes in the bottom of the sixth. The game concluded at 12:56 a.m. local time.When all was said and done, the Twins were rewarded for their patience with a 6-4 win over the Royals in a game that ended early Saturday morning.“It was a long night,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “It’s a lot easier when you win.”Jake Cave drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning to score the go-ahead run for the Twins, who held on to win their 50th game of the season.Minnesota had a one-run lead when heavy rain forced the game’s first stoppage. After the delay, Kansas City scored two runs in the top of the fifth off Twins reliever Gabriel Moya (1-0) to take a 4-3 advantage. The Twins responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning against Brian Flynn (2-3), including one on the walk by Cave.“I just got behind just about everyone it felt like from that second inning on,” Flynn said.Minnesota added a run in the sixth before more rain stopped the action once again for nearly an hour.Players from both sides had time to kill while they waited for a series of storms to pass. Dominoes were a popular way to pass the time, while some players watched other games on TV or stayed loose in the batting cages.“I think you learn about people when you go through long nights and stopping and playing, stopping and playing,” Molitor said. “We just tried to keep it as loose as we could up here in the clubhouse and at the same time remind these guys that we had to finish what we had started.”The multiple delays forced both teams to dig into their bullpens. Twins starter Jake Odorizzi exited after 3 1/3 innings, while Royals right-hander Heath Fillmyer was limited to three innings in his start. The two teams combined to use nine relievers.“Just a grind. We just struggled,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We were behind the counts. It was just a grind for us.”Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.Minnesota struck first on Friday with a three-run second inning. Miguel Sano’s liner down the third base line bounced off the glove of Hunter Dozier and into foul territory, allowing two Twins runs to score.Salvador Perez’s 19th home run of the year cut Minnesota’s lead to 3-2 in the third.SANTANA RETURNS TO MINNESOTAFor the first time in more than a decade, former Twins ace Johan Santana is back in Minnesota.Santana made his return to Minneapolis for the weekend as he prepares to be induced into the Twins Hall of Fame on Saturday. The two-time Cy Young winner was joined at Target Field by several former teammates, including Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau, Christian Guzman.While talking about his return Greg Maddux Jersey , Santana got a bit nostalgic about the Metrodome, the since-demolished former home of the Twins. On the old Metrodome site sits U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.“When I saw that, I couldn’t believe the Metrodome wasn’t there, because that was home,” Santana said. “That’s where all the magic happened.”Santana spent eight years with Minnesota before a trade sent him to the Mets. He was 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA during his Twins tenure. He’ll be inducted during a pregame ceremony prior to Saturday’s game between the Twins and Royals.TWINS CLAIM TWO OFF WAIVERSPrior to Friday’s game, Minnesota claimed RHP Oliver Drake off waivers from Toronto and INF Johnny Field off waivers from Tampa Bay. Drake will join the Twins on Saturday, while Field will report to Triple-A Rochester. Drake will take the roster spot of Matt Magill, who will be placed on the paternity list.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Burch Smith is making just his fifth start of the year after moving from the bullpen to the rotation in early July. Smith posted a 7.47 ERA in his first four starts this season.Twins: RHP Jose Berrios is looking to bounce back from his last outing, in which he needed 106 pitches to get through 4 2/3 innings in a loss to Boston. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Aside from that fearsome left-handed swing everybody knew, Willie McCovey provided an example of humility in how he lived for many of his San Francisco Giants teammates year after year.“McCovey was our leader,” Gaylord Perry said as his fellow Hall of Famer was remembered in a celebration of his life Thursday at AT&T Park.McCovey died Oct. 31 at age 80 after suffering from ongoing health issues.Hall of Famers, former teammates and winners of the Willie Mac Award named for him attended on a picture-perfect day. McCovey’s 44 was written into the infield dirt next to his position at first base.The San Francisco Fire Department paid tribute with a spraying show from a boat in his namesake McCovey Cove in the bay beyond the right-field arcade. Bouquets of flowers were left on McCovey’s statue across the water.A first baseman and left fielder who won NL Rookie of the Year in 1959 and MVP 10 years later, McCovey was a .270 career hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBIs in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.“What he did on the field, everybody knows what he did,” Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda said. “But as a human being http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-david-justice-jersey , Willie McCovey was very special.”McCovey wore No. 44 to honor Hank Aaron — who like McCovey grew up in Mobile, Alabama.“If there is a second life, I’d like to come back as a major league baseball player,” McCovey once said.“Stretch,” as he was fondly known, never won a World Series after coming so close. The Giants lost the 1962 World Series to the New York Yankees, dropping Game 7 1-0 when McCovey lined out to second baseman Bobby Richardson with runners on second and third for the final out.“Willie’s indelible moment happened to be a screaming line drive that found Bobby Richardson’s glove in Game 7 of the 1962 World Series,” Giants CEO Larry Baer said. “A few feet one way or another, people say, and Willie’s legacy rises to a whole different level. Well, I couldn’t disagree with that more. Even if that line drive had gotten past Bobby Richardson and driven in the winning run, that one heroic moment would never have defined Willie’s legacy. His legacy transcends baseball, transcends his six All-Star appearances, his Rookie of the Year award, his MVP, even his Hall of Fame induction.”McCovey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 after his first time on the ballot.Those who played with him cherished McCovey for his thoughtful ways both on and off the field. Home run king Barry Bonds called him “Uncle Mac” ”because I’ve always admired him and he’s always taught me the game of baseball as much as Willie (Mays) and my dad have,” Bonds said Thursday.“I got to know Willie Mac the man,” said Felipe Alou R.A. Dickey Jersey , who was roommates with McCovey in the majors, minors and even winter ball in the Dominican Republic. “We came here in 1958 a bunch of kids. Willie obviously came up in ’59, another child, another kid. I have been a very privileged person, I got to play with five Hall of Famer players with the Giants.”Past Willie Mac Award winners in attendance included Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow, Dave Dravecky, Buster Posey, Jack Clark, Shawon Dunston, Nick Hundley, Marvin Benard and Mike Felder.The honor is voted on by the players, coaches and training staff to recognize the Giants player who most exemplifies McCovey’s inspirational ways on the field and in the clubhouse.“I have never been around a more humble man and I’ve never been around someone who lifted up others around him more than himself,” Dravecky said. “I’ve never been around a man who loved so deeply and cared so much about wearing the Giants uniform. For Willie, he showed us the way.”