Closer Joe Nathan hasn't needed anything more than a one-run lead all season, so when he entered Sunday's game against Boston with a three-run cushion in the ninth, it seemed a lock. After all, Nathan hadn't yet allowed a run in a save situation.

He also hadn't faced the Red Sox. The pitches, Nathan said, were good, but that didn't stop Boston from hitting them. He got David Ortiz to ground out to first, but then gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis and couldn't retire Mike Lowell.

"I threw him everything but the kitchen sink but just couldn't seem to put him away," Nathan said of Lowell's single that moved Youkilis to third. "So here comes a rally."

J.D. Drew doubled in a run -- the first in a save situation Nathan has allowed and just the second of the year -- and a heads-up play from the shortstop turned pitcher got the second out at third in the next at-bat.

But another run had scored and now that three-run lead was down to one with a runner on first and Manny Ramirez in the on-deck circle to pinch-hit for Kevin Cash.

"(I) really wanted to be aggressive, but make good pitches against Manny," Nathan said. "Fortunately, I ran a two-seam fastball in there."

Ramirez grounded out to short to end the game.

Relief was apparent, and Nathan was tired.

"It goes to show even three-run leads aren't a lock," Nathan said. "(The Red Sox) make you focus on every pitch.

"(Sunday night) was probably about seven appearances in one."

TWINS 9, RED SOX, 8: Craig Monroe homered twice, Adam Everett homered once and the Twins knocked knuckleballer Tim Wakefield out of the game in the third inning as Minnesota took a 2-1 lead in this four-game series.

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