MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Scott Baker sparkled over eight crisp innings and Joe Mauer drove in three runs to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Baker (5-4) faced one batter over the minimum, struck out seven and allowed two hits, both in the fourth inning. Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save in 25 opportunities.
Gil Meche (7-8) was nearly as good for the Royals, whose four-game winning streak ended. After struggling in the first inning, Meche settled down and allowed two runs through seven innings, striking out five.
It was the third win a row for Minnesota (54-51), which traded second baseman Luis Castillo to the New York Mets for minor leaguer catcher Drew Butera and minor league outfielder Dustin Martin two hours before gametime. The Twins moved within six games of AL wild-card leading Cleveland, which was idle.
Minnesota's first four batters of the game reached against Meche. Mauer dropped a double inside the left-field line to score Jason Tyner and Jason Bartlett.
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Mauer singled in Tyner in the eighth to make it 3-1. Tyner went 3-for-4 and Mauer finished with two hits.
Baker retired the first nine batters he faced before giving up a leadoff double to David DeJesus in the fourth. Mark Grudzielanek followed with a single to drive in DeJesus.
The back-to-back hits were the only offense the Royals could muster against Baker.
The 28-year-old then retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced.
Despite the Castillo trade, Twins general manager Terry Ryan told reporters before the game that the team is not giving up on reaching the playoffs this season.
The Twins recalled infielder Alexi Casilla to replace Castillo, though he wasn't able to make it in time to join Monday night's lineup against the Kansas City Royals. Casilla hit .233 with two RBIs and four stolen bases in 14 games earlier this year, showing plenty of promise but also had several rough moments in the field.
With Casilla, current third baseman Nick Punto and top prospect Matt Tolbert, Ryan said he's satisfied with what the team has at second and third for the future. He also said he was comfortable enough with Casilla that the Twins can still stay in the playoff chase despite losing their leadoff hitter.
"No, we're not giving up at all," Ryan said. "We're six-and-a-half games back, and we're better than we were last week. If we didn't think we could absorb this, we certainly wouldn't have done it."
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The clubhouse was quiet while players and coaches came up for hugs and handshakes with Castillo, and the Twins certainly weren't happy to see one of their best players go.
"That's acceptable, and that's expected and I know that happens within the confines of the clubhouse, but I have a job to do," Ryan said.
Butera is batting a combined .231 with six homers and 26 RBIs this year at Double-A Binghamton of the Eastern League and Class A St. Lucie of the Florida State League. He's the son of former Twins catcher Sal Butera. Martin is hitting a combined .289 with five homers and 52 RBIs for St. Lucie and the Gulf Coast League Mets.
