Minneapolis ? The Minnesota Twins failed to win the AL Central last year because they couldn’t beat Cleveland, and a lopsided four-game sweep last week by the Indians suggested this season would bring more of the same.

On Friday night, the Twins showed they have the ability to defeat their rivals.

Kyle Lohse threw seven strong innings and Tom Prince homered twice in a 12-3 Twins’ victory.

“Bottom line: We were embarrassed in Cleveland and it hurt,” said Doug Mientkiewicz, one of six Twins with two hits. “One game is not going to do it. It’s something we’ve got to do consistently over the year.”

Losers of 14 of 19 to the Indians last season, the Twins scored four in the fourth inning and six in the fifth to build an 11-0 lead. Brian Buchanan came off the disabled list to drive in three runs on a double in the fourth.

The Indians have lost four straight after starting the season 11-1. Because of a rainout last Sunday and a day off on Monday, they haven’t won in nearly a week.

“Win 10 in a row and lose four in a row now. Why? If I had the answer, I wouldn’t be standing here talking tonight,” said Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel, ejected in the ninth for arguing.

Before Manuel’s ejection, umpire Phil Cuzzi had warned both benches when Minnesota reliever Mike Jackson hit Ricky Gutierrez with a pitch. Jackson was wild in warmups and apologized to Gutierrez as he walked to first.

The Twins might have been a little irked by last week’s beanball battle that got reliever Jack Cressend suspended for three games for hitting Gutierrez in retaliation for Bartolo Colon beaning A.J. Pierzynski.

Rangers 9, Mariners 0

Seattle Texas stopped Seattle’s 10-game winning streak as Rafael Palmeiro hit his 450th career homer and Kenny Rogers pitched his first shutout in three years. The Mariners, home after sweeping a 10-game road trip at AL West rivals Anaheim, Texas and Oakland, are 3-4 at home. Alex Rodriguez, back in Seattle for the first time this season, was booed by the crowd of 45,346 but not as loudly as he was last season the first after he left the Mariners to sign a record $252 million, 10-year contract with the Rangers.

Tigers 8, White Sox 2

Chicago Randall Simon tied his career high with four hits, and Oscar Salazar hit his first major league home run to lead Detroit over Chicago. Steve Sparks (1-1), backed by a 5-0 lead in the second, allowed five hits in eight innings.

Yankees 6, Blue Jays 5

New York Gerald Williams threw out the go-ahead run at the plate in the top of the ninth and scored the winning run in the bottom half as New York bailed out Mariano Rivera and beat Toronto. Trailing 5-1, the Blue Jays scored three runs in the seventh and then tied it in the ninth inning against Rivera.

Orioles 6, Devil Ray 5 (14)

St. Petersburg, Fla. Brook Fordyce drove in the go-ahead run with a squeeze bunt in the 14th inning as Baltimore beat Tampa Bay. Tony Batista and Marty Cordova singled to start the 14th off Jesus Colome (1-2). Mike Bordick sacrificed and Fordyce followed with a bunt down the first-base line.

Angels 9, Athletics 7

Oakland, Calif. Bengie Molina had three hits and three RBIs, and Garret Anderson hit a two-run double to lead Anaheim over Oakland.