Arcia's Hit In The 12th Lifts Twins Over Angels, 3-2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oswaldo Arcia's single down the left field line scored Byron Buxton in the 12th inning and the Minnesota Twins completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 3-2 victory on Sunday.
Trevor Plouffe had three hits and an RBI and Kyle Gibson gave up two runs on four hits in seven innings for the Twins, who have won three straight after starting the season 0-9. Michael Tonkin (1-0) struck out four in two innings for his first win.
Albert Pujols hit his 562nd career home run for the Angels. Nick Tropeano gave up one run on five hits and struck out three in 5 2-3 innings, but the Angels managed just four hits, none over the final eight innings.
The Twins got 13 hits and were on the bases all day against Angels pitching. But they had a hard time cashing in, including in the ninth inning when Joe Smith intentionally walked Joe Mauer to load the bases with two outs.
Buxton put good wood on Smith's offering, but it was hit right to shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who got Eduardo Nunez at second base to push it to extra innings.
Minnesota came through in the 12th with the Angels outfield playing Arcia to pull. The left-handed hitter beat the shift for the third time in two days and Buxton scored easily from second.
Mauer had two hits to raise his batting average to .372 and also walked twice.
Plouffe had to leave the game in the 11th inning with a right intercostal strain in his ribcage. He is listed as day to day.
Cory Rasmus (0-1) got one out.
Pujols hit a two-run shot into the second deck in left field in the first inning. His second homer of the season, and of the series, moved him within one of tying Reggie Jackson for 13th on baseball's career list.
The Twins came back to tie it with a double from Plouffe in the fourth and a groundout from Oswaldo Arcia in the eighth, and the Angels went 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts over the final four innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: Manager Mike Scioscia said LHP Andrew Heaney (left elbow) is making progress, but there remains no timetable for his return to throwing. "He's got a ways to go," he said. "It's a controlled progression, so he's got a little ways to go before he's on the mound."
UP NEXT
Angels: LHP Hector Santiago (0-0, 3.00) will face the team that drafted him in the 30th round when the Angels open a series in Chicago against LHP Carlos Rodon (1-1, 1.38) and the White Sox.
Twins: RHP Phil Hughes (0-2, 4.38) will try for his first win of the season when he faces RHP Chase Anderson (1-0, 0.00) in the series opener against Milwaukee.
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