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 For the second consecutive night, the Twins walked off the
Cleveland Indians, this time winning 5-4 on a one-out RBI single by
Miguel Sano.
Following a one-out double by Brian Dozier, Joe Mauer was
intentionally walked, setting up Sano, who hit a 1-1 fastball off
Indians closer Cody Allen (0-2) into center field.
Oswaldo Arcia hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning
Monday to give Minnesota a 4-3 victory. Before that at-bat, Sano
told Arcia to be ready for the fastball. He was, and he didn't miss
it when he got it.
This time around, it was Arcia, standing in the on-deck circle for
Sano's single, giving the advice.
"Arcia told me to be ready for a fastball and try to finish the
game," Sano said. "Arcia told me, 'You can be a leader, the big guy
in the game.' (Allen didn't) pitch to Mauer. He tried to pitch me.
I'm so really happy about the moment."
With Cleveland trailing 5-4 and down to its final out in the top of
the ninth, Mike Napoli crushed a fastball from Twins fill-in closer
Kevin Jepsen 420 feet into the second deck in left field, tying the
game.
 Jepsen (2-3) earned the victory after surrendering a save for the
third time this season. He allowed the one run on one hit in one
inning.
"Kevin has been throwing the ball good," Twins manager Paul Molitor
said. "I know it doesn't look particularly good with results, (but)
he's not catching many breaks. Napoli, we've been able to elevate
with him this series, but he was ready for that one. But we
responded."
Minnesota right-hander Ricky Nolasco threw 7 1/3 innings of four-run
ball. He allowed a pair of solo homers among five hits but walked
none and struck out nine in giving the Twins their longest outing by
a starter this season. He was in line for the win until Napoli's
homer in the ninth.
Indians right-hander Cody Anderson struggled again, allowing five
runs for the third time in as many starts. He yielded 10 hits and a
walk over 5 2/3 innings as his ERA rose to 7.65.
"I'm making a few good pitches here, and there and then I'll leave
one up," Anderson said. "Unfortunately, they're not missing it."
Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki had a pair of RBI singles. Danny Santana
and Dozier had three hits apiece for Minnesota, and Byung Ho Park
added two hits.
Tyler Naquin led the Indians with two hits. Jason Kipnis and Juan
Uribe each hit solo homers for Cleveland.
Kipnis went deep in the first inning to give Cleveland a quick 1-0
lead.
Minnesota responded in the bottom of the first, getting a leadoff
double from Santana followed by an RBI single to right by Dozier to
tie the game at 1-1.
The Twins followed a similar formula to take the lead in the second,
getting a leadoff double from Park and a one-out single to center by
Suzuki to grab a 2-1 lead.
Uribe blasted the first pitch of the third inning over the
left-field wall for his first homer before Park and Suzuki used
combined to give Minnesota the lead again in the fourth. Park's
double down the left field line set up Suzuki for a two-out single
to center.
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Four consecutive Twins hitters reached base to start the fifth
inning, but a baserunning gaffe by Santana cost Minnesota at least
one run.
Santana led off the inning with a single before a bloop single to
right bounced away from Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall.
Santana, caught between first and second, lagged on his way to third
and was thrown out at third.
Replays showed Santana's left hand beat the throw to third, but the
Twins had already lost their challenge on a close play at second in
the first inning.
Dozier, who advanced to second on the throw, scored on a ground-rule
double by Mauer, increasing Minnesota's lead to 4-2.
"(Anderson) battles like crazy, he just had a hard time keeping them
off the scoreboard," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It never
got out of hand, it never was a crooked number or anything like
that, it was just hard for him to keep them off the scoreboard."
Cleveland tied the game in the sixth on a Santana RBI double and a
Francisco Lindor sacrifice fly.
Eddie Rosario's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth put Minnesota
back on top, 5-4.
NOTES: Indians LF Michael Brantley made his first start of the
season one day after being activated off the disabled list, and he
went 0-for-4. Brantley, who missed the first 16 games following
offseason shoulder surgery, made a pinch-hitting appearance Monday.
... Twins RHP Jose Berrios was recalled from Triple-A Rochester.
Berrios, the No. 2 prospect in the organization, was 2-0 with a 1.06
ERA and 20 strikeouts in 17 innings over three starts in Rochester
this season. ... Twins RHP Ervin Santana was placed on the 15-day
disabled list because of back spasms. Santana is 0-1 with a 3.15 ERA
in four starts this season. He is expected to miss one start. ...
Twins RHP Kyle Gibson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a
right shoulder strain. Gibson is 0-3 with a 6.10 ERA in four starts
this season. ... Twins INF Jorge Polanco was recalled from
Rochester. Polanco has one double in six at-bats with Minnesota this
season. ... Cleveland and Minnesota will complete their three-game
series Wednesday. The Indians will send right-hander Josh Tomlin
(2-0, 1.54 ERA) to the bump against Berrios, who will be making his
major league debut.
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