Mauer’s bat is starting to come alive.
From the Pioneer Press:
Joe Mauer didn’t know his batting average was so much lower at home, .245 in 110 at-bats, than on the road, .359 in 117 at-bats.

Once he realized it, of course, he began to even out the two numbers, raising his home average to .263 by going 3 for 4 with a walk and driving in the game-winning run in Sunday’s 4-3 victory over Oakland.

Mauer came to the plate with no outs in the ninth inning after Luis Castillo’s leadoff triple and Jason Bartlett’s four-pitch walk. After Bartlett took second base on defensive indifference, Mauer wasn’t sure he would get a chance at a hit.

“I kind of figured they might kind of pitch around me a little bit,” Mauer said, “but with a left-hander up there I had to be ready for anything. I got two strikes and just had to protect and just tried to hit something up the middle.”