Hunter leaves Dome on high note

April 04, 2008 at 4:00 AM

Ex-Twin uses

home run to help beat former team

By Jon Krawczynski

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — After four days of standing ovations, two pregame ceremonies to honor him and a week’s worth of reminiscing, Torii Hunter is ready to go home.

For the first time in 10 years, home does not mean Minnesota. He’s headed back to Los Angeles with the Angels after a draining opening series against his former team, but he made sure to leave Twins fans with a little something to remember him by.

In the final game of an emotional return to the Metrodome, Hunter homered leading off the seventh inning to back a strong start from Ervin Santana and help Los Angeles beat Minnesota 5-4 on Thursday.

"That’s big, to kind of end it that way," said Hunter, who was honored with a pregame video on opening day and given his Gold Glove before Game 2. "I started to slow down the last two games. I didn’t have any opening-day ceremonies or anything like that.

"It was more emotional, man, than anything. Just coming back, walking up the wrong way, going in the wrong clubhouse, running to center field from the wrong side. It was weird."

Prior to his drive, Hunter had gone just 2-for-14 to start the season and admitted to being gassed from the pageantry and warm welcomes he received from Twins fans who watched him star in center field for the previous nine years.

ANGELS 5, TWINS 4

LOS ANGELES MINNESOTA

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Figgins 3b 4 0 2 0 Gomez cf 5 1 2 0

Mth jr. rf 4 1 1 2 Mauer c 3 1 2 2

Grrero dh 4 0 0 0 Cddyer rf 5 0 0 0

Andrsn lf 4 0 1 0 Mrneau 1b 2 0 0 1

Hunter cf 4 1 1 1 Young lf 4 0 1 0

Ktchm 1b 4 0 1 0 Kubel dh 4 1 1 1

Kndrck 2b 3 1 1 0 Lamb 3b 4 0 0 0

Napoli c 4 1 1 1 Harris 2b 4 1 1 0

Izturis ss 4 1 1 1 Everett ss 2 0 1 0

Tolbert ph 0 0 0 0

Totals 35 5 9 5 Totals 33 4 8 4

Los Angeles 003 000 200 — 5

Minnesota 000 002 110 — 4

E—Figgins (1). LOB—Los Angeles 4, Minnesota 8. 2B—Anderson (2), Kotchman (1), Kendrick (2), Mauer 2 (2). HR—Matthews jr. (1), Hunter (1), Napoli (2), Kubel (1). SB—Figgins (2). CS—Figgins (1). SF—Mauer, Morneau.

IP H R ER BB SO

Los Angeles

Santana W,1-0 6 4 2 2 2 3

Oliver 2-3 3 1 1 0 0

Speier 1 1-3 1 1 1 0 0

Rodriguez S,2 1 0 0 0 2 2

Minnesota

Slowey L,0-1 3 1-3 4 3 3 0 2

Bass 3 1-3 3 2 2 0 1

Rincon 1 1 0 0 0 1

Reyes 2-3 1 0 0 0 2

Guerrier 2-3 0 0 0 1 0