1.   Lemke absolved Kreuter of blame, though it almost certainly was no accident when Red Sox reliever Ron Mahay hit Kreuter with a pitch to start the ninth.

2.   The game almost turned ugly in the eighth when Astros reliever Doug Henry hit Rodriguez in the back.

3.   The relievers hit better than the starters.

4.   The Twins reliever hit Rodriguez with a pitch, walked Griffey to force in another run and then allowed a sacrifice fly by Edgar Martinez.

5.   Davenport added an insurance run when reliever Jesse Boehm hit Chris Kolar with the bases loaded.

6.   Tempers flared briefly in the ninth when Phillies reliever Jose Mesa hit former teammate Omar Vizquel in the back with a pitch.