Pablo López wins 4th straight start in Twins' 10-5 win over Angels
Kyle Farmer hit a three-run home run in the second inning to provide a well-timed jolt for a sputtering lineup, and Matt Wallner and Carlos Santana also went deep for the Minnesota Twins in a 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night to stop a four-game losing streak.
Pablo López (15-8) won his fourth straight start on the strength of 10 strikeouts over seven innings without an earned run, withstanding a three-run homer by Zach Neto in the fifth that cut the lead to 6-4.
"It's no secret how the vibes were feeling lately," López said. "We're not used to that. We're used to playing loose. We're used to having fun, and that was really cool and special to see that."
The Twins (77-68), who had lost 15 of their previous 21 games, preserved a three-game edge with 17 games to go in the chase for the last of three AL wild-card spots in the playoffs that has tightened with their recent slide. Detroit (74-71) is the next closest competitor to Minnesota, which trails Cleveland by six games in the AL Central.
"Yes, our margin for error keeps shrinking, but we're just in the mindset that winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners," said López, who shrunk his ERA to 3.88, the lowest it's been since April 11.
Wallner hit a solo shot in the third and a two-run double with two outs in the sixth that chased Angels starter Griffin Canning (5-13), who surrendered a career-high 10 runs on nine hits and three walks. One run was unearned, due to a grounder that skidded between first baseman Nolan Schanuel's legs.
Trevor Larnach reached base all four times he batted, with a single and three walks, and scored three times for the Twins, who also got two RBIs from Ryan Jeffers and a two-run shot by Santana for his team-best 21st homer to send Canning to an 0-10 record in 13 road starts.
"Facing one of the best pitchers in the game, we certainly needed a shutdown inning in that fifth, but he just couldn't do it," Angels manager Ron Washington said.
After scoring only four runs on their four-game skid and just 13 runs with 72 strikeouts over their last seven games, the Twins sent the Angels (60-85) to their 21st loss in their last 30 games.
"They'll beat the heck out of you if you can't keep 'em in the ballpark," Washington said.
López has been Minnesota's most valuable player since the All-Star break, stabilizing an injury-thinned rotation that's currently stocked with three rookies. He would've escaped the fifth inning without any damage, but a two-out error by second baseman Eduoard Julien on a bobbled ball and hesitated throw preceded an RBI single by Taylor Ward and the three-run blast by Neto for his 21st homer this season.
THE CURE?
Farmer's homer even prompted a reappearance o f the lucky summer sausage the Twins made a mascot of earlier in the season.
"It's been a couple months," López said. "Who knows where that thing's been?"
Said manager Rocco Baldelli: "No one can kill it. It's probably going to be around for long after all of us."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon went to the injured list for a third time this season, with an oblique strain. RHP Ben Joyce, the team's current closer, was also placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation.
Twins: CF Byron Buxton (hip inflammation), SS Carlos Correa (plantar fasciitis), RF Max Kepler (patellar tendinitis) and OF Manny Margot (groin strain) took live batting practice from minor-leaguers before the game. Correa, who has been out the longest at 49 games, said this week he's close to returning.
UP NEXT
Angels: Rookie RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-4, 4.89 ERA) takes the mound on Wednesday night. He has logged five consecutive quality starts of six innings or more and three runs or less.
Twins: RHP Zebby Matthews (1-3, 7.36 ERA) pitches the final game of the series. The rookie has allowed 13 runs on 19 hits in seven innings over his last two starts.