MINNEAPOLIS -- The next time Minnesota faces Jeremy Sowers, it might behoove the club to spot Cleveland a few runs in exchange for allowing the game to begin in the sixth inning. Saved time would make up for the concession.

For the second time in a week, Sowers was perfect against the Twins through five innings. For the second time in a week, Twins starter Nick Blackburn outdueled Sowers, overcoming a lack of early run support by baffling Cleveland hitters. And for the second time in a week, Minnesota hung on despite early offensive futility to win, this time, 4-1.

"That guy, he always holds us off for a couple innings, but we usually get to him," Blackburn said.

Brendan Harris broke up the perfect game with a leadoff double in the sixth inning. Adam Everett's sacrifice bunt moved Harris to third, and a Carlos Gomez bloop single gave the Twins a 1-0 lead.

In Sowers' last start, July 27 in Cleveland against the Twins, the young left-hander also retired the first 15 batters allowed only three hits total, but Minnesota won, 4-2.

Blackburn ran into problems in the seventh after allowing a leadoff double to Kelly Shoppach and a single to Ryan Garko. Jhonny Peralta next singled in Shoppach, tying the game.

"It was frustrating giving up that run after we worked so hard to finally get one," Blackburn said, "so I wasn't too happy about the way it worked out."

The Twins showed faith in the rookie right-hander, leaving him on the mound to attempt to wriggle out of the jam.

Blackburn retired the next two hitters and then intentionally walked Grady Sizemore to load the bases. In serious trouble with the game in the balance, Blackburn struck out Jamey Carroll on a fastball to end the inning.

"That was his ballgame," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "You have your starter out there and you want him to get those outs. That's a learning experience. In those situations, getting big outs in a tie ballgame, it's his game -- win or lose. He made the big pitch there, and we came through and scored some runs for him. ... His last two [starts] have been really good ballgames, and he deserved to win them."

"I've shown that I can get out of situations," Blackburn said. "I was around the plate, I wasn't throwing bad pitches, I wasn't out of control -- so I think they trust that I can get out of it if I just make a couple [of the] right pitches."

Minnesota, once again cognizant of Sowers' fallibility, took control of the game for good in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Punto led off the frame with a single. The next batter, Mauer, charged an 0-1 fastball over the left-center-field wall, giving Minnesota a 3-1 lead.

"I kind of figured he would try to go outside and maybe try to get me to hit into a double play, and he just left it up," Mauer said. "I was looking for something out over the plate, and I got it. I'm glad it went over."

An RBI double by Harris later in the inning gave Minnesota all the runs it would need.

"They manufacture runs better than anybody I've ever seen, any team," Sowers said. "A guy gets on second, [and] it's pretty automatic."

Harris, who was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and an RBI, said the club wasn't concerned about the early difficulty against Sowers.

"We weren't panicking because [Blackburn] was throwing so well," Harris said. "We figured if we push a few [runs] across, it wouldn't take seven or eight the way he was throwing."

Blackburn was stellar, going seven innings while allowing one earned run on six hits and one walk. He ceded the contest to Matt Guerrier, who tossed a perfect eighth. Closer Joe Nathan (1.18 ERA, 30 saves) pitched a scoreless ninth to ice the game.

The series-opening win comes at a time when the Twins could have experienced a letdown. The club was fresh off taking three of four in an intense series with the division-leading White Sox.

"That series with Chicago, the atmosphere here was awesome, it was a playoff atmosphere," Mauer said. "It would have been easy for guys to take it lightly [against Cleveland]. But you can't. In the Central Division, there are good teams throughout."

The victory helps Minnesota, a half-game back, keep pace with Chicago, who beat Kansas City, 4-2.

"We're young, we're talented, and we're right there," Mauer said.