After a two hour rain delay and in a game that wasn’t always that well played, the Minnesota Twins survived a late rally attempt by the Cincinnati Reds to emerge with an 8-5 victory Tuesday night.
Minnesota overcame three errors and three unearned runs to pick up the win.
It was the fourth consecutive victory for Twins starter Phil Hughes (7-6) He allowed four runs (two earned) in 6 2/3 innings, while striking out four.
3:19 time of game, on top of a 2:01 rain delay. I wish I could write what I'm thinking right now
— LaVelle E. Neal III (@LaVelleNeal) July 1, 2015
The Twins took an early lead on a first inning home run from Torii Hunter.
Hunter finished 3-for-5 with the home run, a double and a pair of runs scored.
Minnesota added to it with one more in the second after Eduardo Nunez led off the inning with a double and scored after back-to-back ground balls from Kurt Suzuki and Danny Santana.
Cincinnati closed the gap on the Twins lead with a solo home run from Eugenio Suarez cutting the Twins lead in half.
Hughes serves up a solo blast to Eugenio Suarez and the Reds cut it to 2-1. That's 18 HRs allowed by Hughes this year.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) July 1, 2015
But the Twins kept adding to the lead by scoring one in the fifth, then appeared to break the game open with a four-run top of the seventh inning, keyed by some clutch two-out hitting.
The only problem, the bottom of the inning was disastrous for Minnesota. Errors by Nunez and Brian Dozier gave the Reds a few extra chances, allowing them to score four of their own.
The Twins added some insurance in the top of the eighth as Joe Mauer followed Hunter’s two-out double with a single to push the Twins lead back to three.
Glen Perkins pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save in as many chances as he struck out Todd Frazier to end the game.
Trevor May makes the start for the Twins on Wednesday afternoon. It could be a big start for the rookie right hander as Ervin Santana appears poised to return to the Twins rotation on Sunday in Kansas City.
