Minnesota Twins’ pitchers couldn’t handle Angels batters in a 14-4 loss on Sunday afternoon at Target Field. The Angels swept the four-game series as well as the seven-game season series, according to MLB.com.
The Twins sent six pitchers to the mound, but none seemed able to stop the Angels, who got three homers and five more extra-base hits, the Star Tribune reports.
Minnesota lost the previous three games to the Angels in late innings, but on Sunday their collapse started much earlier in the game.
Left-hander Logan Darnell started in place of Tommy Milone, who was resting his arm, and gave up five runs on five hits and one walk in 4 2/3 innings. Darnell is 0-2 and his ERA is at 8.64.
The Twins led 3-1 after the second inning, but the Angels tied the game on a two-run homer in the third. They scored three more in the fifth inning, another six in the sixth inning, and two runs in the seventh, to sew up the win.
Twins reliever A.J. Achter came in for Darnell and pitched the rest of the fifth and part of the sixth, giving up five runs. Lester Oliveros came on to close out the sixth inning, and he gave up two runs before getting the last out.
Then it was Ryan Pressly’s turn. He gave up two runs in the seventh inning. Then Brian Duensing and Caleb Thielbar each worked one scoreless inning to close out the game.
Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson, who went 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts.
The Twins scored their three runs in the second, when Wilson issued three straight walks to open the inning. Aaron Hicks hit a two-run double with one out and Brian Dozier brought in a run on a sacrifice fly to right.
The offense went cold after that, as Wilson settled down and retired 11 in a row before giving up an infield single to Eduardo Escobar in the seventh inning.
The Twins scored their last run of the game on a solo homer by Kennys Vargas in the eighth inning.
Minnesota has lost 12 of its last 15 games, and will officially finish the season below .500. Their record is 61-82 with 19 games left to play, according to the Star Tribune.
