The Minnesota Twins’ six game winning streak came to an end Thursday night, as they fell 5-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays in the final game of their three-game series.
The Rays scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead and they held on for the victory. With the score tied at 4 and Joey Butler standing on third base, a ball got by catcher Kurt Suzuki allowing Butler to score the go-ahead run.
Drew Smyly lasted just 4 1/3 innings, so it was Tampa Bay reliever Brandon Gomes (2-4) who picked up the win. Brad Boxberger struck out the side in the ninth for his 31st save.
Logan Forsythe finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored to lead the way for the Rays. Jay Butler was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as well.
Tommy Milone (6-4) didn’t give the Twins the start they needed. He gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Eduardo Escobar homered for the third time in two games. He finished 2-for-4 with the home run and two runs scored. Suzuki was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as well for Minnesota.
The Twins were robbed of a run when Miguel Sano hit a ball so hard it hit the catwalk atop the stadium, and fell back into play, forcing Sano to stop at second base instead of trotting around the bases with his 13th home run of the season.
Miguel Sano's 3rd-inning double was calculated at 425 feet and would have been a HR at all 30 MLB ballparks had it not hit the catwalk
— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) August 28, 2015
Miguel Sano's double left the bat at 111 mph and was estimated to have gone 409 feet, per Statcast. But hit the catwalk so it was a double.
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) August 28, 2015
Sano finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
The loss drops the Twins a half game back in the American League wild card race.
They return to Target Field on Friday night to face the Houston Astros. Kyle Gibson (8-9) will get the start for Minnesota against Houston lefty Scott Kazmir (7-8).
