Danny Santana’s ground ball squibbed off the end of the bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning allowing the game-winning run to score and lifting the Twins to a 4-3 victory, at Target Field on Tuesday night.
The win snapped Minnesota’s four-game losing skid.
Oswaldo Arcia hit a one-out double in the ninth to put the game-tying run in scoring position. Eduardo Nunez delivered a clutch single to score Arcia to even the score at 3. Nunez moved up to second on the throw.
Kurt Suzuki then hit a ground ball to third and reached base when Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre missed an attempt to tag out Nunez at third. After Suzuki moved up to second, the Rangers walked Eduardo Escobar, setting the stage for Escobar.
Texas built an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. One of the runs scored when Aaron Hicks robbed Donnie Murphy of a three-run homer.
Former Twins pitcher Scott Baker kept the Twins off balance. He went six innings and left with the Rangers leader 3-2. Baker won 63 games in 159 starts over seven seasons as a Twins starter.
Phil Hughes gave the Twins another quality start. He pitched seven innings and gave up three runs. He did not factor in the decision.
Casey Fien in for Phil Hughes. Hughes turned in seventh straight quality start. Still hasn't walked a batter since April 20.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) May 28, 2014
Arcia cut into the Rangers lead, with a solo-home run in the second inning. It was Arcia’s first home run of the season. He finished 2 for 4 with the home run and the double in the ninth.
Joe Mauer tied the score at two when he drove in Brian Dozier with a double to right field.
Texas reclaimed the lead 3-2, taking advantage of a Twins miscue in the outfield.
But the Twins battled back to tie the score, then win it on Santana’s dribbler.
The win went to Twins reliever Glenn Perkins, who pitched the ninth inning. Texas’ Joakim Soria was tagged with the loss.
Quite a skyline tonight at Target Field. #MNTwins and Rangers still locked at 2 through five innings. pic.twitter.com/IogsfKc7R6
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 28, 2014
