Minneapolis ? Though Johan Santana was just as dominant as usual, the Minnesota Twins found themselves in an unfamiliar situation following a start by their left-handed ace.

They actually lost, thanks to Bartolo Colon and two home runs by the Los Angeles Angels.

Colon ended Santana’s 17-game winning streak by allowing just two hits in 71/3 scoreless innings of the Angels’ 2-1 victory over the Twins on Sunday afternoon.

“The only way to beat good pitching,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said, “is with good pitching.”

Santana (4-1) allowed only two hits himself, equaling his career low, but they were homers by Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Molina. The AL’s reigning Cy Young Award winner struck out seven over eight innings, yet lost for the first time since July 11, a span of 21 regular-season starts.

“It doesn’t mean the fun’s over. We’re still working,” Santana said as Latin music played loudly on the clubhouse stereo, a custom after his outings.

Santana’s previous two-hit game, coincidentally, also was his last loss — a 2-0 decision to the Detroit Tigers at the Metrodome right before the 2004 All-Star break.

“We knew if Johan’s streak was going to be broken, it was probably going to be in one of these — where we couldn’t score many runs off their guy,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Colon (4-2) had no such streak. Alex Rodriguez hit three homers, and the Yankees scored 10 runs against him over 32/3 innings in New York earlier this week.

But Colon sure was ready for this one, retiring the first nine batters in order — all on groundouts. Shannon Stewart’s line-drive single leading off the fourth inning was the first ball to leave the infield.

Lew Ford was the only other player to reach base until the eighth, on a fielder’s choice grounder to third that forced Stewart out at second. Colon set down the next 11 hitters, leaving after an infield single by Jacque Jones with one out in the eighth.

“In New York, it was not my day,” Colon said through an interpreter. “Today, it was my day.”

Colon struck out seven, walking none.

“Sometimes you have to tilt your hat,” said the Twins’ Torii Hunter. “I hate to do that, but we have to tip it today.”

Santana nearly was as dominant, save for two pitches. Guerrero, homering for the first time in 11 games, sent a flat 1-0 changeup soaring with that powerful uppercut swing of his in the fourth. The ball hit two-thirds of the way up the left-field foul pole, which in this stadium is just a thin yellow net.

Molina’s home run was his first and just his seventh hit of the year. He hit Santana’s first pitch of the sixth inning into the left-field seats to make it 2-0. Molina is 2-for-16 on this road trip.

“That’s the way it is,” Santana said. “You make mistakes, even though it doesn’t look like it, you have to pay for it.”

White Sox 8, Tigers 0

Chicago — Jon Garland (5-0) pitched his second straight four-hit shutout and became the first five-game winner in the AL. Coming off his 6-0 victory Monday over Oakland, Garland struck out six and walked one, extending his scoreless streak to 23 innings and lowering his earned-run average to 1.38. It was his third shutout and fourth complete game in 132 career starts. Wilfredo Ledezma (1-2) gave up six runs — five earned, six hits and four walks and two balks in five-plus innings.

Orioles 7, Devil Rays 4

Baltimore — Melvin Mora hit a pair of home runs, Miguel Tejada homered for the fourth consecutive game, and Baltimore won its eighth straight. Bruce Chen (3-1) struck out a season-high seven in six-plus innings, and B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Dewon Brazelton (1-5) dropped to 0-14 on the road, the longest road drought for a pitcher at the start of his big-league career since Cincinnati’s Kent Peterson went 0-18 in 1947-49. Tampa Bay has lost seven in a row.

Blue Jays 8, Yankees 6

New York — Frank Menechino came off the bench to drive in three runs, and Eric Hinske doubled in the seventh off Mike Stanton (0-1) to break a 6-all tie. Shea Hillenbrand had four hits, and Corey Koskie homered for the Blue Jays, who have won five of six following a five-game skid. Gary Sheffield homered and drove in three runs for the Yankees (10-15), who dropped 71/2 games behind AL East-leading Baltimore, their largest deficit since September 1997. Pete Walker (1-0) pitched 12/3 hitless innings, and Miguel Batista got three outs for his seventh save.

Red Sox 6, Rangers 5

Arlington, Texas — Trot Nixon had a key two-run double for the Red Sox, who went ahead 4-3 on Kevin Youkilis’ RBI single in the fifth and won a series in Texas for the first time since 2000. Matt Clement (3-0) gave up three runs, four hits and four walks in six innings, and he escaped two bases-loaded jams without giving up runs. Keith Foulke gave up Mark Teixeira’s two-run homer in the ninth, but earned his fourth save. Ryan Drese (2-3) allowed four runs, eight hits and four walks in four-plus innings.

Athletics 3, Mariners 2

Oakland, Calif. — Barry Zito (1-4) ended an eight-start winless streak by allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings. He had lost five straight decisions since Sept. 12, matching his career-worst streak. Erubiel Durazo hit a two-run double in the sixth inning off Joel Pineiro (2-2). Octavio Dotel opened the ninth with two hits, then struck out Adrian Beltre and got Richie Sexson to hit into a double play for his sixth save. A’s rookie right fielder Nick Swisher left in the third because of an injured right collarbone.