Morneau hits walk-off home run

Justin Morneau did it again.

Morneau hit the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning over the baggie in right field for his third walk-off homer of the season to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 10-9 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in Minneapolis.

The blast by the reigning A.L. MVP bailed out teammate Lew Ford, whose two fielding miscues in the top of the inning allowed Milwaukee to tie the game off closer Joe Nathan (3-1).

Morneau hit his 20th homer of the season off Chris Spurling (1-1) in the bottom of the inning to help the Twins avoid a sweep in a game that appeared to be in the bag midway through. He also hit game-ending homers on April 12 to beat Tampa Bay and May 8 to beat the Chicago White Sox.

Thomas breaks record

Frank Thomas hit his 244th homer as a designated hitter in Toronto’s 4-2 loss to the Washington Nationals in Toronto, breaking Edgar Martinez’s major league record.

“I’m proud to pass him,” Thomas said. “What a great player he was.”

With two out in the third, Thomas hit the first pitch from Washington’s Micah Bowie into the second deck in left to tie it at 2.

IL hit streak continues

Brandon Watson extended his hitting streak to 43 games, breaking a 95-year-old International League record with a base hit in the Columbus Clippers’ 9-8 loss to the Ottawa Lynx in Ottawa.

Watson hit a leadoff single off J.D. Durbin in the sixth inning.

Jack Lelivelt set the IL record for the Rochester Hustlers in 1912.

Clearing the bases

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, third base coach Steve Smith and catcher Carlos Ruiz all were ejected in the top of the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers in Philadelphia. Ruiz was tossed first for apparently arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Bill Welke. Manuel came out to defend his catcher and was ejected moments later. Smith yelled from the dugout and then it was his turn to get thrown out. … Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was ejected by home plate umpire Ted Barrett after Barrett came out to break up a visit on the mound in the seventh inning against Colorado in Denver. … Dodger’s right fielder James Loney bruised his right knee when he crashed into an unpadded section of the wall in the eighth inning against the Angels in Los Angeles. The game was delayed for several minutes while Loney lay on the warning track. He was taken off the field on a cart and waved to fans. … Toronto Blue Jays right-hander A.J. Burnett felt pain in his right shoulder during a throwing session and was scratched from his scheduled start next Saturday against Colorado.