PITTSBURGH (AP)
-- First baseman Sean Casey will be out of the Pittsburgh Pirates' lineup for six to eight weeks with two fractures in his left lower back.
Casey was injured during Friday night's game against the Cubs while he was stretching for a throw. As John Mabry was running out an infield single in the third inning, he stumbled crossing the bag and may have clipped Casey with his hip or left elbow.
Casey took several strides toward the pitcher's mound with the ball before dropping to his knees in obvious pain. He was assisted off the field and needed help getting to the Pirates' clubhouse before being taken to a hospital for tests.
"He had a shooting pain that was really bothering him," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said.
The fractures occurred in an area of the lower back where the muscles attach to the vertebrae, but the 31-year-old Casey isn't expected to undergo surgery. He was injured in his first game back after missing three starts with a bruised rib.
With Casey out, first baseman-outfielder Craig Wilson is expected to get most of the playing time.
To replace Casey on the 25-man roster, the Pirates purchased the contract of utilityman Mike Edwards from Triple-A Indianapolis. Edwards, who was hitting .316 in Triple-A, was a utility infielder last season for Tracy with the Dodgers.
To make room for Edwards on their 40-man organizational roster, the Pirates moved right-hander Kip Wells from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Wells needed an operation during spring training to repair a blocked artery and isn't expected to return until midseason.
Casey, then with the Cincinnati Reds, missed the final 16 games of last season with the third concussion of his career, also after being injured in Pittsburgh. He was accidentally hit in the head by Pirates catcher Humberto Cota's elbow as Cota was running out a ground ball during a Sept. 16 doubleheader.
Casey grew up in suburban Pittsburgh but had played all but six games of his nine-year major league career with the Reds before being traded to the Pirates during the offseason. Casey is in the final season of a contract that is paying him $8.5 million this season.
Casey was off to a good start before getting hurt, hitting .312 with two homers and five RBIs in nine Pirates games.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -- Lawyer Ron broke quickly to the lead -- faster than jockey John McKee had planned. It was as if the horse couldn't wait to show off his speed in his final Kentucky Derby tuneup. "He got real aggressive with me going into the turn. Fortunately enough there was some room to get through the hole, and he just kind of took over the race," McKee said. "I thought I would be third or fourth, mid-pack. We had to go to Plan B after that." Plan B led to the same result as usual. Lawyer Ron moved ahead at the start of the backstretch and never looked back, winning the $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday for his sixth straight victory. Trainer Bob Holthus' chestnut colt is now 7-for-7 lifetime on dirt -- and remains one of the favorites to win three weeks from now at Churchill Downs. The last two Arkansas Derby winners -- Smarty Jones in 2004 and Afleet Alex last year -- each went on to win two legs of the Triple Crown. Holthus hopes Lawyer Ron can continue the trend. "They're both talented -- all three of them are -- and hopefully we can follow in their footsteps," he said. Lawyer Ron had already won Oaklawn Park's first two big prep races for 3-year-olds -- the Southwest in February and the Rebel last month. He was a heavy favorite all week and paid $3.00, $2.60 and $2.20. Steppenwolfer, the runner-up in the Southwest and third in the Rebel, was second in the Arkansas Derby, 23/4 lengths behind. He paid $4.40 and $3.20. Third-place finisher Private Vow paid $3.60. With a record crowd -- announced at 72,484 -- cheering him on, Lawyer Ron bumped into With a City at the start. But he was safely near the middle of the pack toward the inside going into the first turn. "The only thing I asked of John was try not to get trapped on the rail," Holthus said. "Give him a place to run." That wasn't a problem. Lawyer Ron moved quickly to the front around the turn and led by a length at the half-mile mark. From there, McKee was able to keep him ahead of the other 12 horses. Private Vow made a bid down the stretch, but Lawyer Ron immediately pulled away at McKee's urging. "In the stretch I was a little concerned and hit him a couple times and he just took off and I was like, 'Wow!"' McKee said. The 71-year-old Holthus, a Hot Springs resident, has been racing at Oaklawn since 1953. His only other Arkansas Derby win came in 1988 with Proper Reality. "Tonight I might run for governor," he said. Holthus has had four Kentucky Derby horses, but this one could be his best shot at a win. Lawyer Ron is ranked No. 3 in the NTRA 3-year-old poll behind Brother Derek and Barbaro. His team came prepared this weekend with black "Lawyer Ron" hats, with the scales of justice logo above the horse's name. Lawyer Ron's owner, James T. Hines Jr., died in February. The horse's winnings go into a trust overseen by Ron Bamberger, the lawyer the colt is named after. Lawyer Ron covered the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:51.38 on the fast track, the slowest Arkansas Derby since 1982. Dan Peitz, Steppenwolfer's trainer, has said all along he thought his horse could perform well at longer distances. The Arkansas Derby -- on the final day of Oaklawn's season -- completes a progression of prep races at the Hot Springs track that includes the mile-long Southwest and the 1 1/16-mile Rebel. The Kentucky Derby is 1 1/4 miles. Peitz, who figured his horse would need to finish first or second to have enough graded stakes earnings for the Kentucky Derby, was pleased with the way Steppenwolfer overcame traffic. "I'm not saying he would have gotten to the winner, but had he had a good trip he would have made the finish closer," Peitz said. "One thing about Steppenwolfer is that he will run all day." Private Vow has plenty of graded stakes earnings, but he had other concerns. He won four of six starts in 2005, but his only race as a 3-year-old had been a seventh-place finish in the Rebel. He finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Steppenwolfer on Saturday. "I think he ran a good race and right now I'm happy with him," said Steve Asmussen, Private Vow's trainer. "He's still not right where I want him in fitness." With a City, who also entered the race with plenty of earnings, finished last. Smarty Jones was the last horse to sweep the Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby -- a good omen for Lawyer Ron if there ever was one. "He flies to Kentucky Monday morning," Holthus said. "Odds for the Kentucky Derby? I think he will be no worse than second choice. Of course, I might have a bias."

CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James tested his sprained left ankle during a team practice Saturday and proclaimed himself ready to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers' lineup.
"I feel good right now," James said as he walked off the practice court at Quicken Loans Arena, adding that he expects to play Sunday in Washington against the Wizards.
"It feels about 85 percent now and that's good enough to play without hurting the team," said James, who missed a 91-87 home win over New York on Thursday after rolling his ankle late in the third quarter the previous night in a 23-point loss in Detroit.
James intends to play in Cleveland's remaining three regular season games to stay sharp for the Cavaliers' first trip to the playoffs since 1998 -- when he was a 13-year-old in junior high school. Still, he doesn't want to risk further injury and put the team's postseason hopes in jeopardy.
"I'll play it game-by-game and see how I feel," he said. "I want to be 100 percent when it counts the most."
The third-year guard, who is averaging 31.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and is a candidate for league MVP honors, said his initial worry turned to relief shortly after crashing to the court.
"When it first happened, I didn't know what to expect," he said. "It was a big relief when I was able to walk to the locker room. When I could put pressure on it, I knew it wasn't as bad as other sprains I've had."
Coach Mike Brown said his blood pressure subsided after reaching James on the court.
"I knew he was OK when he started arguing that he wanted to shoot the free throws," Brown said.
One game with his 21-year-old star on the bench almost proved too much to bear for Cleveland's first-year head coach.
"I got nervous looking to my right and seeing LeBron pacing around, not knowing what to do with himself," Brown said. "He's such a competitor. I don't know if he gets more worn out sitting or playing. But it wore me out."
Brown said he wants to play his starters just enough minutes to keep them in rhythm over the next three games, while extending guard Larry Hughes' playing time. Hughes scored 26 points in 40 minutes Thursday -- his best game since returning April 2 after missing three months with a broken finger on his right hand.
A Cleveland victory Sunday would damage the Wizards' chances at locking up a fifth-place seed in the playoffs -- which would pit them against the Cavaliers, who have the fourth spot locked up.
"It's not a statement game, although we want to win," Brown said. "My concern is more with working on the little things, defense, and playing the game the right way heading into the postseason."
James has a slightly different outlook.
"They're in a dogfight and are going to be playing with a little extra," he said of the Wizards. "We're trying to get as many teams out of the playoffs as possible. So, if we beat them, that's good for us."

NEW YORK (AP)
-- Larry Brown did not travel to Detroit on Saturday and will not coach the Knicks on Sunday when they play the Pistons.
Brown was hospitalized Thursday night in Cleveland with a stomach ailment after becoming ill during the Knicks' 91-87 loss to the Cavaliers. He returned home Friday, but assistant coach Herb Williams ran the team in a 97-80 loss to Milwaukee.
Brown will miss a chance to coach in Detroit, where he spent the two previous seasons, winning a title in 2004, before joining the Knicks last summer. He got a mixed reception when the Knicks played at the Palace of Auburn Hills in December, losing 106-98.
It is not known if Brown will coach the final two games of the regular season, Monday at home against Charlotte or on Wednesday at New Jersey. The Knicks are 22-57, the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
The 65-year-old Brown missed a game for the first time this season Friday. He also was hospitalized in Memphis in February because of pain in his chest, but returned before the next game.
While coaching the Pistons last season, he missed 17 games after having a hip replaced. That operation led to a bladder problem that required surgery in November. Brown needs more surgery for the bladder problem, but he's putting that off until after the season.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP)
-- Aaron Baddeley hopes to cap a big weekend with his first PGA Tour victory.
Baddeley shot a 66 on Saturday and was tied for the lead with Jim Furyk (68) at 14-under entering the final round of the Heritage Verizon.
First, the 25-year-old Australian and wife Richelle will celebrate their first wedding anniversary, and he will be the featured speaker at an Easter Sunrise Service at Harbour Town Golf Links.
"It's something I definitely cherish," Baddeley said. "I think it's a perfect way to set the day."
And Baddeley knows how he wants to close it.
"I'm very confident. I'm hitting the ball very nicely. I'm putting very well," he said. "I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a fun day."
The final round could be one to remember at Harbour Town. Billy Mayfair (68) was three shots behind at 11 under. Then at 10 under came Jerry Kelly (66) and Ernie Els, the only one of golf's "Big Five" to play the week after the Masters.
Lucas Glover (66), Chris Riley (68) and former champion Jose Coceres (68) were another shot back.
Els shot a 65, tying for the lowest score of the round, to get back in contention.
While Furyk saw that he and Baddeley had separated themselves a bit from the pack, he won't sleep easy. "There's quite a few guys not that far back, some good players," Furyk said.
Furyk started the round ahead by two over Baddeley, lost that lead on the front nine yet rallied to move a stroke in front with three straight birdies on Nos. 15-17.
But Furyk was long with his 8-iron from the 18th fairway, his ball rolling in a bunker behind the lighthouse hole's green. Furyk had an awkward stance and said he tried to guide the ball onto the green. As most duffers can tell you, that rarely works. Furyk's shot came up short of the putting surface and he settled for bogey and the tie.
Furyk said he played the approach the way he wanted, so "it's pretty easy just to say, 'Oh well," and forget it.
Furyk is trying for his first victory since last year's Western Open. Baddeley has not won a tour event.
Mayfair, who lost to Jose Coceres in a playoff in the 2001 tournament, had birdies on two of his final four holes.
Furyk's largely solid play disappeared on the front nine, missing par saves of less than 10 feet on the seventh and eight holes. His rally started with a a birdie on the 12th hole and kept going down the stretch with birdie putts of 6, 2 and 11 feet.
Baddeley will have a very long Sunday. He's scheduled to speak at the tournament's Easter Sunrise Service at 7:30 a.m. before his final round pairing with Furyk.
After the first two rounds, it seemed like the most memorable part of Els' visit to the island resort would be the morning bike rides with his family.
He was eight shots behind after the first round and seven strokes down when he teed off for the third round. Els quickly showed the form that's made him No. 5 in the world with birdies on four of his first five holes.
But Els stumbled badly with a bogey on the par-3 seventh and a double-bogey on the eighth. Els' first try at blasting out of a greenside bunker on No. 8 ended with his club nipping the wood tie framing the trap and missing the ball.
"So I had fresh air there, as they say," said Els, smiling.
Els used that easy-going demeanor to regroup and play his best golf of the week. He had birdies on five of his final 10 holes, including three straight on Nos. 15-17, to move into contention.
Els says mistakes like he made in the third round have typically cost him.
"But today I was a bit more determined not to let it get to me too much, and I played a good back nine," he said.
Els is also determined not to repeat his final-round folds of the past at Harbour Town.
In 2000, he was out front and four strokes ahead of eventual winner Stewart Cink before a stretch of three bogeys in five holes took him out of it. Three years ago, Els held a two-shot lead with three holes to go. But he drove it out of bounds on the 16th hole, then made two more bogeys coming in to finish in a tie for 10th.
Els, who has five top 10 finishes in seven previous Harbour Town tournaments, has learned plenty from his near-misses.
"I don't think I'll hit driver on 16," he said.
Divots: Bob Estes, the first one off and playing alone, finished his third round in 2:37. Estes shot an even-par 71. ... Heath Slocum tied Els for the round's best score at 65. Slocum shot a 30 on the front nine, two off Craig Barlow's record set in 2003.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)
-- The Orlando Magic are trying not to think too much about the postseason, even though they are suddenly playing like a playoff team.
Dwight Howard scored a season-high 28 points and grabbed a career-high 26 rebounds to lift Orlando over Philadelphia 102-97 Saturday night, keeping the Magic's postseason hopes alive and further damaging the 76ers'.
"They stuck with us the whole game," Howard said. "To me it felt like a little playoff game. It kept going back and forth."
Allen Iverson had 36 points and five assists, while Chris Webber added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers.
Philadelphia has lost two in a row, falling 11/2 games behind idle Chicago with two to play. The win was the Magic's eighth in a row overall and 12th straight at home, and leaves them 21/2 games behind the Bulls. The Magic have two games left and the Bulls have three.
The Magic host Chicago on Monday night and finish the regular season at Indiana on Wednesday. Philadelphia plays at home against New Jersey on Tuesday and finishes at Charlotte on Wednesday.
Both teams need help from Chicago. Besides their game at Orlando, the Bulls play Sunday at Miami and host Toronto on Wednesday.
"It's unfortunate that we have to rely on other teams to try and give us some help," 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "But stranger things have happened in the NBA where people get a chance to get in."
Magic coach Brian Hill said he didn't plan to watch the Bulls-Heat game Sunday.
"I can't control it, so there's no sense in watching it," he said. "I'm going to go to church with my family and I'm going to have a (good) Easter dinner with my family. If I happen to see a little basketball somewhere in between, so be it."
Neither team led by more than three points until the end of a tight fourth quarter, which the Magic didn't sew up until the final minute.
Trailing by three, Webber drove the lane and missed inside, and Hedo Turkoglu nailed two free throws to cement the victory.
Jameer Nelson had 21 points and eight assists for Orlando, while Turkoglu added 23 points.
Howard fell two points shy of the fourth 30-point, 20-rebound game in the NBA this season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Marcus Camby, Elton Brand and Shawn Marion had them.
Poor free throw shooting almost ruined Howard's big game -- which marked an NBA season high in rebounds and his second 20-point, 20-rebound game this season. He fell two short of Shaquille O'Neal's franchise-record 28 set in 1993.
After hitting his first four from the line, Howard made just six of his next 15. Appropriately, the 76ers took a page from their O'Neal-era playbook on the Magic, fouling the young big man virtually every time he went to the rim.
He redeemed himself after making the front end of two foul shots with 2:59 left, then getting his own rebound for an 8-foot hook.
"That was the biggest play of the game," Iverson said. "He gave them a three-point play."
Trailing by five points or less most of the third quarter, the 76ers tied the game at 71 on Iverson's 3-pointer with 5:02 left. Iverson scored 15 of Philadelphia's 24 points in the third quarter, but the teams traded buckets until Orlando closed out with an 83-80 lead to open the fourth.
Orlando grabbed a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter with a 13-2 run fueled by Nelson's three jumpers. Before that, Howard scored 10 straight points for the Magic, including two dunks and four free throws. The second-year forward didn't score the rest of the first half, missing four straight free throws but pulling down 14 rebounds.
Philadelphia charged back in the second quarter, using two dunks from Steven Hunter and two straight buckets by Willie Green -- the second a 3-pointer -- to pull within three points.
Kyle Korver hit a 20-foot jumper just before the halftime buzzer to cap a 10-4 run and draw Philadelphia to 58-56 at the break.
Notes: Magic G Carlos Arroyo missed his fourth straight game with a strained left hamstring. ... Philadelphia shot 16-of-20 from the free throw line, while Orlando made just 21 of 34. ... Cheeks remained on 199 career wins over his five NBA seasons. ... The Magic won three of four games against Philadelphia this season.

NEW YORK (AP)
-- Tomo Ohka came up to the plate with the score tied in the fourth inning and two on, just after Chad Moeller's bloop near the right-field line popped out of Xavier Nady's glove for a single.
Milwaukee's pitcher faked a bunt and pulled his bat back, then slapped the ball to right. It sailed over Nady's head for a run-scoring double, and the Brewers never looked back in an 8-2 victory Saturday that stopped the New York Mets' winning streak at seven.
"I tried to make a line drive to the first-base side. I was a little disappointed it was a fly ball," Ohka said. "I didn't care how far it went. The team needed a runner moved up. If the right fielder catches the fly ball, that doesn't happen. I was fortunate it was far enough he couldn't catch it."
Pitching against a team that began the day with an NL-high .310 batting average, Ohka (1-1) allowed two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in seven innings. He had been 0-5 in seven appearances at Shea Stadium coming in.
New York, which had trailed after the end of only two innings previously this season, was trying for the first 9-1 start in franchise history and for its first eight-game winning streak since taking nine in a row from April 16-25, 2000. But Steve Trachsel (1-1) struggled with his command, allowing four runs and nine hits in five innings, and all three Mets outfielders had trouble picking up balls that dropped for hits.
Carlos Lee hit his fifth homer and Geoff Jenkins his first, and Matt Wise finished the six-hitter for the Brewers, who had not scored five runs in a game since April 8.
"Even though we've been struggling, I think we have a decent lineup," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "I think we will score some runs. Maybe today is a start for us."
Moeller's two-out RBI single put Milwaukee ahead in the second, but throwing errors by second baseman Rickie Weeks and Ohka helped load the bases with one out in the bottom half. Ramon Castro followed with a sacrifice fly, and Trachsel grounded out.
"I felt good after that inning because just one run is fine. They could have scored many more," Ohka said.
Prince Fielder, who went 3-for-5, singled with one out to start the go-ahead rally in the fourth, and Moeller reached on the swerving ball Nady almost caught.
"It's frustrating," Nady said. "In the past, I've been able to hang onto them."
Then came Ohka's second extra-base hit in 212 career at-bats.
"It just kept going and going," Nady said. "I thought when he first hit it I'd have a play on it, and then it was over before I knew it. "
Brady Clark hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning, and Fielder boosted the lead to 4-1 in the fifth with a pop to center that appeared to be catchable but dropped in front of Carlos Beltran for an RBI single.
"I took a step back and when it was time for me to come forward -- too late," Beltran said.
David Wright's sacrifice fly cut the gap in the sixth. Lee homered on Darren Oliver's first pitch of the seventh, a drive into the left-field seats.
New fan whipping boy Jorge Julio was beat up again in the eighth, allowing J.J. Hardy's run-scoring single that dropped in front of left fielder Cliff Floyd and Jenkins' two-run homer, which clanked off the linescore on the scoreboard in right-center. Lee followed with a drive that Beltran caught against the center-field fence.
"I feel fine," said Julio, whose ERA rose to 19.64.
Some fans chanted "Bring Back Benson!" -- a reference to the offseason trade that brought him to New York for Kris Benson. Julio said he didn't hear the jeers, but some of his teammates took offense.
"Someone gets booed -- we're all a team, we're all a family, and I think everyone takes it kind of personally," Nady said.
Notes: Milwaukee planned to activate RHP Ben Sheets to start Sunday in his season debut. The Brewers will have to make a corresponding roster move. ... Weeks has four errors this season. ... The sellout crowd of 55,831 was a Mets' record for a Saturday afternoon home game. Before the game, the teams honored Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947. His widow, Rachel Robinson, walked to the mound as part of the tribute.

ATLANTA (AP) -- John Smoltz gave the Braves pitching staff a much-needed lift.
Smoltz served as the Braves' stopper with a four-hit shutout to lift Atlanta past Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres 2-0 Saturday night.
Smoltz (1-1), relying more on a changeup he says he threw about 25 times, recorded his 16th career shutout and 51st complete game.
"This is the type performance I expect," said Smoltz, who earned the first victory by an Atlanta starter this season.
The Braves starting staff began the day with the worst ERA in the major leagues.
"I would say normally it's no big deal but when you've dealt with what we've dealt with over the last week and a half ... this hopefully will get guys thinking more positively," Smoltz said.
Peavy (1-2) gave up only four hits and two runs in seven innings as the Braves were held under four runs for the first time this year. He struck out eight batters and issued two walks, one intentional.
"Against John Smoltz, you have to be really good to win," Peavy said. "I wasn't good enough."
Smoltz walked two batters in his first shutout since June 21, 2005, a 5-0 win over Florida. He pitched his first complete game since June 26, 2005, against Baltimore.
"It was a well-pitched game on both sides," said Padres manager Bruce Bochy. "[Smoltz] was on the top of his game. He threw great. We didn't get many opportunities."
Braves manager Bobby Cox said the 2-0 score "was indicative of the way both guys pitched, which was outstanding."
The Braves needed the strong start by Smoltz. Through their first 11 games, no Atlanta starter had a win and they had an 8.17 ERA to rank last in the majors.
"Statistically there was no way they could keep doing what they had been doing the first week and a half of the season," said Adam LaRoche, who gave the Braves a 1-0 lead with his second-inning home run. "It was gonna turn. It was just a matter of time."
It is the first time in franchise history the Braves played their first 11 games without a win from a starting pitcher.
"This broke the ice," Smoltz said. "It's been a storyline for a while and it's an interesting one because it's never happened before."
But the Braves stayed close to .500 by leading the majors with 74 runs through 11 games. They set another franchise first by scoring four or more runs in each of the first 11 games.
After all the early season offense, the Braves finally returned to their one constant of the last 15 years.
Smoltz, the only player left on the roster from the 1991 team that started the string of 14 straight division championships, was the logical choice to provide the Braves' first quality start.
Smoltz allowed only one baserunner past second base. In the third inning, Peavy reached on an infield hit, moved to second on Dave Roberts' bunt and advanced to third on a long fly ball to center by Termel Sledge. But Brian Giles lined out to right field to end the inning.
Smoltz had the help of some strong defensive plays, especially in the outfield. "Our defense won the game," he said.
Andruw Jones made a diving catch while running toward the infield to catch a sinking liner hit by Vinny Castilla in the fifth inning.
Later in the inning, Jones had to race to the warning track to catch up with a long drive hit by Peavy. Still running at full speed, Jones had to reach up for the catch.
"Andruw ran down everything he could run down, and then some," Smoltz said.
After LaRoche's third homer of the year, Peavy gave up only one more hit -- a third-inning single by Edgar Renteria -- until the seventh inning.
Peavy hit Jones with a pitch to lead off the inning. He stole second and moved to third on an infield hit by LaRoche. Jeff Francoeur followed with an RBI single.
With one out and runners on second and third, Peavy issued an intentional walk to load the bases. Peavy struck out Smoltz on three pitches and ended the inning on Marcus Giles' fly ball to center.
Notes: Rookie Tony Pena replaced Renteria at shortstop to open the seventh inning. Renteria appeared to grimace in pain while swinging in the bottom of the sixth inning. He suffered a strained rib cage and is day to day. ... LaRoche hit his first homer since April 4. ... Josh Barfield stole his third base of the season in the fifth inning.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- With the game on the line and�Mariano Rivera on the mound, Justin Morneau knew he needed to make an adjustment.
So he ditched his bat for teammate Joe Mauer's shorter, lighter stick, and promptly delivered the Minnesota Twins' latest comeback victory.
"I told him I wanted to use his because his has the hits in them," Morneau said.
It sure does.
Morneau hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning to lift the Twins over the New York Yankees 6-5 Saturday night for their fifth straight come-from-behind win.
The Twins trailed 5-4 heading into the ninth with Rivera (0-1), one of the league's best closers for the past decade, on the hill.
But Luis Castillo beat out an infield hit -- his fourth hit of the game -- to start the inning and advanced to third on a single by Mauer, who reached second when Hideki Matsui threw to third.
Rivera came back to strike out Rondell White and Torii Hunter.
Morneau then dropped his 35-inch, 33-ounce bat and picked up Mauer's 34-inch, 31-ounce model, hoping it would help him get around on Rivera's famed cut fastball. He stroked a lazy single to right, and Mauer raced around third to beat Gary Sheffield's throw, whipping the more than 42,000 in attendance into a frenzy.
Rivera and manager Joe Torre both said they thought a check swing by Castillo with two strikes was a full swing and he should have been called out.
"It was kind of inside, but he swung," said Rivera, who came in with one out in the eighth. "He definitely swung. I don't know why the umpire didn't see that.
"I thought it was a strikeout, but you can't change that. That play is over and you have to get the next guy."
The Twins' latest -- and most thrilling -- comeback of this young season put them above .500 (6-5) for the first time following a 1-5 start on the road. They erased two four-run deficits and a three-run hole in a three-game sweep of Oakland, and have come back from one run down in the first two games of the series with the Yankees.
"We said we couldn't wait to get home, that all those losses we could blame on the road," Morneau said. "We're glad we're here. It's a big confidence builder for us."
Francisco Liriano pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings and Juan Rincon (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.
But this victory came a little differently. The Twins fell behind early in each of their last four victories, but jumped ahead 3-0 in this one off an RBI-double by Morneau and singles by Juan Castro and Luis Castillo.
With starter Johan Santana looking strong in the first six innings, scattering six hits and two runs while constantly keeping the Yankees' powerful lineup off balance, the Twins looked like they'd cruise to victory.
The Yankees finally chased him from the game in the seventh. Robinson Cano ripped a single up the middle that almost knocked Santana down to start the inning, and one batter later Johnny Damon doubled.
Derek Jeter followed with his third hit of the game, a two-run single off reliever Jesse Crain that tied it at 4, and Alex Rodriguez broke the tie with an RBI single one batter later.
With Rivera on the mound and 20 saves in his last 21 opportunities against the Twins, game over, right?
"One thing is for sure," Santana said. "We battle until the last out and that's good to see."
Wright's first start of the season was a rough one. He went just three-plus innings with eight hits, four runs -- three earned -- a hit batter and a wild pitch. But Scott Proctor pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Yankees.
"This doesn't happen too often," Jeter said. "We were right in the position we want to be in in the ninth inning, with Mo. Even when they got the first couple of guys on, we still like our chances. ... He made a good pitch, the guy just found a hole."
Notes: Twins CF Torii Hunter and Castillo received their 2005 Gold Glove awards. Castillo won his last year while playing second base with the Marlins. ... The Yankees signed IF Carlos Pena and RHP Jesus Colome to minor league contracts on Saturday. ... White snapped an 0-for-15 slump with a single, just his fourth hit of the season, in the third.