Twins Hit Big In 6-4 Victory Over Rays
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eduardo Nunez led off the game for Minnesota with an inside-the-park home run, Max Kepler picked up his first two major league RBIs and four Twins relievers combined for five scoreless innings in a 6-4 win over the reeling Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.
Byung Ho Park went a career-best 3 for 3 for the Twins, who had a season-most 15 hits and recovered smoothly from a rocky start by Phil Hughes that ended with a two-run homer by Evan Longoria in the fifth that put the Rays up 4-3.
Taylor Rogers (1-0) struck out two over two perfect innings for his first major league victory. Ryan Pressly and Brandon Kintzler followed with scoreless frames, and former Rays right-hander Kevin Jepsen worked the ninth for his seventh save in 10 tries.
Matt Moore misfired in his chance to win consecutive starts for the first time this year, but reliever Erasmo Ramirez (6-4) took the loss after hitting Brian Dozier on the elbow with a bases-loaded pitch in the sixth inning.
The Rays have lost five straight games and 11 of their past 13. They had only one hit after Hughes was removed with none out in the fifth.
Right fielder Brandon Guyer, fighting the early evening shadows and the setting sun, jumped for Nunez's drive at the warning track. The ball bounced off his glove into the corner, and Nunez raced around the bases and into home with a head-first slide and a big smile. His helmet had fallen off between first and second, where it often does.
Nunez, the affable utility infielder who has quietly been making a case to be the team's All-Star game representative, notched the first inside-the-park home run to start a game for the Twins since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961.
Moore finished five innings, allowing eight hits, four runs and two walks while striking out four. After posting a 7.36 ERA over five May starts, this was not the outcome he or the Rays were targeting.
The same went for Hughes and the Twins, who scratched Kyle Gibson in the afternoon because of a stiff back and kept the right-hander on the disabled list. Gibson has been out since April because of a right shoulder injury.
Hughes, who was supposed to go to the bullpen to accommodate Gibson's return, allowed eight hits, four runs and one walk. In 11 starts this year, he has completed seven innings only once and given up two runs or fewer just twice.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: 2B Steve Pearce was on the bench for the second straight game because of a sore right elbow. His status is day to day.
Twins: RHP Glen Perkins will throw a bullpen session Saturday. He's missed the past 46 games because of left shoulder trouble.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (2-3, 3.36 ERA) will take the mound Friday, fresh from one of his best starts of the season despite a loss to the Yankees. He retired the first 16 batters and allowed only one hit in seven innings, a two-run HR by Starlin Castro.
Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco (2-3, 3.93 ERA) will take his turn Friday, after becoming only the second Twins starter to reach two wins. He beat Seattle last weekend with six strong innings.
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