Minneapolis ? Gary Knotts tied the Twins up for nearly eight innings to secure the victory — and his spot in Detroit’s starting rotation.

Knotts pitched three-hit ball into the eighth, and Craig Monroe drove in four runs, leading the Tigers over Minnesota, 6-0, Saturday.

“I’m just going out there and pitching like every start is my last,” Knotts said after his longest outing of the season. “When I got switched from the bullpen, I just said to myself, ‘One start at a time.'”

Knotts (3-1) made nine relief appearances before making the first of his five starts May 14. Since then, he is 3-1 with a 2.89 ERA and doesn’t look like he’ll be back in the bullpen anytime soon.

“He’s one of the starters, and he’s earned that,” manager Alan Trammell said. “I’m happy for him, and we can build on this.”

Ivan Rodriguez went 4-for-5 with four singles, and Carlos Guillen and Carlos Pena each homered for Detroit, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Steve Colyer and Ugueth Urbina finished the three-hitter, the Tigers’ fourth shutout of the season.

Matthew LeCroy had two of the three hits for the Twins, who have lost 11 of their last 16 games. It was the third time Minnesota has been shut out.

“Last night was a big win, and I thought we might turn it around (today), but (Knotts) pitched a pretty good game,” LeCroy said.

“We’d been winning with injuries, and all of a sudden we’ve hit a brick wall,” Jacque Jones added.

Detroit pitcher Gary Knotts waits for visit from manager Alan Trammell in the eighth inning. Knotts earned the victory as the Tigers blanked Minnesota, 6-0, Saturday in Minneapolis.

Knotts held Minnesota hitless until Lew Ford doubled with one out in the third inning. But Ford was stranded at third.

Knotts struck out two and walked four in 72/3 innings, Colyer recorded one out in the eighth, and Urbina pitched the ninth.

“We’re just not clicking on the ball consistently,” manager Ron Gardenhire said after his team stranded seven runners. “It’s a matter of breaking out of this little funk.”

Seth Greisinger (2-5), making his first start against his former team, allowed four runs and eight hits in 51/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Pena hit a 424-foot solo home run off Greisinger with two outs in the second inning to give the Tigers the early lead. It was Pena’s ninth homer of the season.

Guillen hit a solo shot in the third, also with two outs, for his eighth homer. The Tigers tried to add to the lead in the inning, but Rodriguez was thrown out at home by left-fielder Ford trying to score from second on a single.

Detroit score twice in the sixth to extend its lead to 4-0. Guillen led off with a double and moved to third on Rodriguez’s third single of the game. After a fielder’s choice and walk loaded the bases, Monroe hit a two-RBI single off Greisinger.

Monroe added a two-run single off Joe Roa in the eighth to make it 6-0.

“Both of those hits were big for me, I’ll be honest,” Monroe said.

Athletics 4, Blue Jays 0

Oakland, Calif. — Tim Hudson pitched an eight-hitter to give Oakland a much-needed win from a starting pitcher. Scott Hatteberg hit a three-run homer in the third inning against Pat Hentgen (2-5), and Bobby Crosby added a solo shot in the fourth. That proved to be more than enough for Hudson (6-2), who improved to 69-2 in his career when getting at least four runs of support.

Hudson’s win snapped a seven-game run of no-decisions for Oakland’s starters, which tied the major-league record. The starters had pitched well in the stretch, posting a 1.84 ERA, but spotty relief and a lack of hitting hurt Oakland.

Hudson made sure none of that mattered, pitching his seventh career shutout to earn just the second win from one of Oakland’s stellar starters in the last 13 games. He walked one, struck out five and didn’t allow a runner to reach third base until the ninth inning.

Mariners 4, White Sox 2

Seattle — Bret Boone ended a 1-for-19 slump with a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth, and Ryan Franklin pitched seven strong innings to help Seattle defeat Chicago. Boone hit his ninth homer of the season off Scott Schoeneweis after John Olerud walked with one out in the fifth. The 438-foot shot landed in the second deck in left field.

Franklin (3-4) won for the first time since May 7 and ended his two-game losing streak. He allowed two runs on six hits and three walks, and had four strikeouts.

Eddie Guardado pitched the final 11/3 innings for his 10th save in 13 opportunities. The White Sox loaded the bases on walks in the eighth — two by J.J. Putz and one by Guardado — but Guardado got Paul Konerko to foul out to end the threat.

Indians 3, Angels 2

Anaheim, Calif. — Coco Crisp homered, and Casey Blake hit a go-ahead, two-run double in Cleveland’s win over Anaheim. Rick White (3-1) got with the victory in relief after taking over for injured starter Joe Dawley. Matt Miller struck out Jose Guillen with two on to end the eighth. Jose Jimenez, the fifth Cleveland pitcher, recorded three outs for his third save in five chances.

John Lackey (3-7), whose five-game suspension for throwing at Toronto’s Simon Pond on May 24 is being appealed, lost his fourth straight decision.

Rangers 8, Yankees 1

New York — Juan Dominguez shut down the New York Yankees for his first major-league win, and Brad Fullmer homered and scored a career-high four runs in Texas’ victory. Mark Teixeira also connected and drove in three runs as Texas teed off on Jon Lieber, handing the Yankees only their second loss in 12 games. New York had won four straight, all come-from-behind victories.

Fullmer homered leading off the second, then doubled, singled and walked.