Rangers Lose To Twins
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MINNEAPOLIS — With their playoff hopes fading and their offense going too quietly into the night once again, the Minnesota Twins’ bats came to life just in time.
Minnesota erased a two-run deficit in the eighth inning and won on an RBI double by Eduardo Escobar with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, upending the Texas Rangers 3-2 at Target Field on Tuesday.
Minnesota could muster just two singles off Texas starter Yovani Gallardo in 5 2/3 innings and had three hits through seven innings before a walk and back-to-back RBI doubles in the eighth turned a 2-0 deficit into a tie game heading to the ninth.
With two outs and nobody on, the game seemed destined for extras. But catcher Kurt Suzuki drew a walk and the shortstop Escobar, the Twins’ No. 9 batter, ripped a full-count offering from Texas right-hander Spencer Patton down the first base line. The ball rattled off the wall down the line, allowing Suzuki, who was off with the pitch, to score from first base.
“I was trying to jump the (dugout) fence but I was stuck,” Twins right fielder Torii Hunter said. “It was a lot of fun. Might as well take a chance there and he (scored) easy.
“You gotta commend Escobar for that at-bat. That pitch was really good. That was a really good pitch to get a ground ball on, but he lifted it up and got a double out of it. That was a big hit.”
The win moved Minnesota one-half game ahead of the Rangers in the American League wild card
standings, three games back of the Los Angeles Angels, who currently own the second wild card spot.
It also jumpstarted a Twins clubhouse that returned home Tuesday after a 1-6 road trip to Toronto and Cleveland.
“We really could use the win,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “We’ve talked about various games and how they might influence future (games). I think we’ve found out, it doesn’t always have a huge effect. Every once in a while there will be a carry over, but it was a nice way to salvage the first game of a homestand.”
Texas led most of the night, thanks to a two-run blast from shortstop Elvis Andrus with one out in the second inning. It was the only offense allowed by either starter; neither of whom factored into the final decision.
Minnesota’s eighth-inning rally began with a leadoff walk by Escobar, who advanced to second on a passed ball. A fly out and a line out threatened to short-circuit the rally, but first baseman Joe Mauer came through with a double to the gap in left-center, scoring Escobar easily.
Designated hitter Miguel Sano followed with a deep drive to the opposite field, coming inches away from clearing the right-field wall. The powerful rookie settled for a run-scoring double, tying the game at 2 off Texas left-hander Jake Diekman.
“You can’t fall behind hitters that much,” Diekman said. “And when your fastball is flat, it’s pretty easy to hit no matter what (the count) is.”
Mauer’s double was the 330th of his career, moving him ahead of Tony Oliva for sole possession of second place on the team’s all-time list.
“(The bullpen) has been really strong for us,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “We had the guys in the game that we wanted to get the game over to (closer) Shawn (Tolleson). Just didn’t get it there.”
Twins closer Glen Perkins then worked a scoreless ninth and was credited with his first win of the season.
Gallardo left the game early after throwing 99 pitches with two outs in the sixth inning. He allowed only the two hits and walked three, striking out one.
Minnesota’s Kyle Gibson was in trouble often, but made just the one mistake; they were the only runs allowed by Gibson in six innings, surrendering seven hits and a pair of walks but fanning seven.
It was a good bounce back outing for Gibson, who allowed a season-high eight runs in 4 2/3 innings his last time out in Toronto on Thursday.
“That was a good team win tonight; offensively, defensively, a really clean game,” Gibson said. “It was nice to actually do my job today and give the team a chance to win.”
Andrus’ fifth homer came on an 0-1 offspeed pitch from Gibson, barely clearing the wall in left field.
The Rangers put together other threats against Gibson early, getting two runners on in both the first and third innings. But a double play grounder by third baseman Adrian Beltre ended the chance in the first and Gibson wiggled out of trouble in the third by getting Beltre and first baseman Mitch Moreland to strike out swinging.
“We had a solid approach and really made some loud outs,” Banister said. “We had an opportunity but couldn’t get the big hit. We left some runners on when we needed it but I still felt good with a two-run lead heading into the later innings with the guys we have.”
