Twins 8, Reds 6

Ramon Ramirez gave up two-run homer in the ninth to blow the save. Marcus McBeth gave up a two-run homer in the 10th to blow the game, and the Reds lost 8-6 to the Twins after leading 6-4 going into the ninth.

"Their young guys beat our young guys," Dusty Baker said. "They've got the good arms. They couldn't close it out. What hurt Marcus is the walk before the home run."

Reds had retaken the lead in the eighth on Andy Green's three-run homer. Green's a UK grad. He played last year in Japan. He had a monster year in Triple-A in 2005. He hit .343, led Pacific Coast League in run (125), hits (182), doubles (46) triples (13). However, he hit .199 in 226 at-bats with Arizona over parts of three seasons.

Reds scored one in the first. With out, Norris Hopper and Ken Griffey walked. Adam Dunn singled them in Hopper. Jeff Keppinger hit into a 4-6-3 DP.

Twins tied it in the first. Jemery Affelt walked Carlos Gomez. He moved up on a groundout, stole third and scored on a groundball.

Affledt pitched a scoreless second.

Reds added two in the third. Double from Andy Phillips, Chris Dickerson K'd. Hopper singled. Griffey hit a double play ball, that was booted momentarily. Phillips scored. Dunn with another RBI single -- this one to center, last one was to left.

Affeldt pitched a perfect third. His line, assuming he's done: 3 IP, 1 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 1 strikeouts. I've got him in the rotation. Just kidding, it's waaaaaaaaaaay too early to make those kind of calls.

Richie Gardner pitched a scoreless fourth.

Scott Sauerbeck had another awful outing: 1 IP, 3 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks.

Affeldt used his change-up quite a bit.

"It was my most effective pitch," he said. "That's what I'm going to go home smiling about. I really, really happy with it."

Affeldt is trying to get the changeup back. It would give him a third pitch to go with his plus-fastball and curveball.

He wasn't happy about the leadoff walk. "Especially to that guy (Carlos Gomez)," he said. "I never came set in the first and still stole off me."