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MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Ruben Sierra singled home Rafael Palmeiro in the 12th inning and Frank Catalanotto stole home as the Texas Rangers avoided a sweep with a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Travis Miller (1-3) retired Royce Clayton to start the 12th inning, but walked Luis Alicea, who appeared to get hit with Miller's 3-1 pitch. Alicea left the game with tightness in his left calf and Palmeiro came on to pinch-run. Miller walked Catalanotto but struck out Gabe Kapler before Sierra's RBI single put Texas on top, 5-4. "We've had a lot of games like that this year," Texas manager Johnny Oates said. "So many that by the time we got to that point I forgot all the answers. (Sierra) hasn't emarrassed himself. He's had a lot of quality at-bats." "It's great to have a game like that, especially when you help the team win," said Sierra, who had three hits and a stolen base. Miller made a pickoff attempt on Sierra and Catalanotto sprinted home before the throw from first baseman Ron Coomer. John Wetteland (6-5) surrendered an 11th-inning lead, his ninth blown save of the season, but notched the win. Wetteland allowed a leadoff triple to Cristian Guzman and a sacrifice fly to Luis Rivas that tied the score, 4-4. He did retire Jacque Jones and Coomer on consecutive groundouts to preserve the tie. Mike Venafro allowed a one-out single to Torii Hunter in the bottom of the 12th, but got Jay Canizaro to ground into a double play. It was Venafro's first career save. Hunter had three hits and two RBI for Minnesota, which was trying to win four straight games for the first time since May 26-30. "There were times that we didn't cash in," Minnesota manager Tom Kelly said. "When something like that happens in the ninth it make you think about all the missed opportunities." Minnesota starter J.C. Romero, who has lost five straight decisions since his last win on August 11, gave up one run and five hits over seven innings. He walked two and struck out a season-high eight batters. Texas trailed 3-1 when Sierra led off the ninth with a single up the middle. One out later, Scott Sheldon hit Eddie Guardado's 0-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for his fourth home run. Guardado walked B.J. Waszgis and Chad Curtis and LaTroy Hawkins came in to get pinch-hitter Rusty Greer on a comebacker and Alicea on a flyout. "I wasn't trying to do too much," Sheldon said. "I was just trying to put a good swing on it. I wasn't thinking home run." Hunter gave the Twins a 1-0 lead in the fourth with an RBI single. Texas tied the score in the sixth on Ledee's run-scoring single. Matt LeCroy had a one-out double off Texas starter Doug Davis in the sixth and went to third on a wild pitch. Hunter singled to score LeCroy, giving the Twins a 2-1 edge. Davis walked Brian Buchanan and Casey Blake singled to load the bases before Chad Moeller lofted a sacrifice fly to right-center to make it 3-1.
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