MINNEAPOLIS — Clete Thomas scored the game-winning run on a single by Brian Dozier in the bottom of the 13th inning and the Twins topped the Astros, 4-3 Friday night at Target Field.
Thomas reached first base with a one-out walk and he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Correia.
Correia, a pitcher, had to hit because the Twins ran out of bench players and used pinch hit for their designated hitter in the ninth.
With the game tied 2-all in the ninth, Matt Dominguez took a Glen Perkins pitch and hit it off the wall in left for an RBI double, putting the Astros on top by one.
The Twins responded in the bottom of the ninth when Dozier drove in pinch runner Doug Bernier with a bloop single to center. With runners at first and second and one out, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau failed to drive in the winning run.
Mauer gave the Twins a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the third, and Twins starter Samuel Deduno seemed in control until a bad finish to the fifth inning.
Three straight two-out walks in the fifth unraveled Deduno’s fantastic start. The free passes paved the way for a two-run single by Jason Castro, giving the Astros a 2-1 lead.
It was a night of threes for Deduno. He gave up a single and double to start the second, but struck out three of the next four hitters looking to get out of the jam without allowing a run.
The Twins tied the game in the eighth after Dozier doubled and came around to score on Justin Morneau’s RBI single to right.
Note: Deduno allowed just two runs on four hits and five walks over six innings. He lowered his ERA to 3.17.
