Rangers Lose To Twins
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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Minnesota Twins claimed the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Texas Rangers 4-2 at Rangers Ballpark.
By taking two-of-three from the Rangers, the Twins clinched the season series with Texas after the teams entered with three victories apiece to start the day. The win was just the second in the last eight games for Minnesota.
The Twins (59-76) continue their six-game road trip in the state of Texas when they begin a three-game set with the Astros on Monday.
The Rangers’ (79-57) offensive woes continued as they scored two runs or less in all three games of the series and five of their last eight games. Still, Texas finished with an major league-best 159 runs in August.
Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the fifth, Minnesota used Texas’ misfortune to rally against Rangers starter Travis Blackley.
Jurickson Profar misfired on a double-play attempt, allowing Clete Thomas to reach second on a throwing error. Thomas advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Josmil Pinto’s first major league hit, a double down the left-field line.
Doug Bernier bounced a shallow fly off the right-field foul line for a ground-rule double and
scored when Alex Presley converted on the Twins’ third consecutive hit to give the Twins a 3-1 lead.
Presley finished with three hits in his first game with the Twins after being acquired on Saturday from the Pirates for Justin Morneau.
Minnesota starter Kevin Correia, making his second start against Texas this season, continued to stifle the Rangers. Correia (9-10) held Texas scoreless in eight innings in his previous start and continued his streak through the first two innings until Mitch Moreland battled back from an 0-2 count and belted his 21st homer of the year to open scoring in the third.
Correia responded by allowing just one more hit until the seventh. He worked around a Rangers’ threat with two runners on in the seventh by forcing a double play. The right-hander allowed five hits scattered over seven innings pitched, striking out two and walking one.
Glen Perkins worked a perfect ninth with two strike outs for his 32nd save of the year.
Neftali Feliz replaced Blackley on the mound in the fifth. Feliz made his first appearance for the Rangers since 2012 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The former Rangers closer retired four of the five batters he faced, striking out two and allowing a hit.
Minnesota added a fourth run on a single in the eighth from Josh Willingham to score Presley.
Texas countered in the bottom half with its second run, coming again on a homer by A.J. Pierzynski.
