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 Friday night against the Chicago Cubs, Hughes looked like his old
self.
Hughes had his best outing of the season, allowing just two hits and
one run over eight innings as the Twins beat the Cubs 7-2 at Target
Field.
"I really haven't had my best stuff all year so I've been taking the
mentality of just getting through it and worrying about executing
pitches," Hughes said. "(My stuff was) not what it can be, but it
was good enough to get through a pretty good lineup."
Hughes allowed a second-inning single to Miguel Montero and a solo
homer to Anthony Rizzo in the fourth but retired the final 15 men he
faced. He struck out four and walked none, issuing no free passes
for the fifth time this season (15 starts).
"He did step it up a little bit," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
"Results aside, he just had a little more life and he was confident
that he could get some jam-shots and some swings and misses with his
fastball."
Hughes, who has suffered from run support issues this season, was
given plenty of early help. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe had two
doubles and drove in four. Second baseman Brian Dozier and right
fielder Eddie Rosario each had a pair of hits and scored two runs.
The top four of the Twins' lineup went a combined 7-for-14 with
three doubles, a triple, four RBIs and a stolen base. They also
scored five of the Twins' seven runs.
Plouffe, who entered the game hitting just .164 in June, had his
second game this season with at least four RBIs. He had driven in
just five runs in his last 16 games.
"We were hoping that what Joe (Mauer) and (Kennys Vargas) did
yesterday would spark us," Plouffe said. "We came into today pretty
fired up. Hopefully that continues. We struggled for a couple weeks
now, but we're over struggling, we don't want to do that any more.
We want to score runs."
Minnesota also took advantage of a pair of Chicago errors, scoring
two runs as a direct result of Chicago miscues.
The Twins started the game with three consecutive singles, loading
the bases with nobody out against Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks.
Plouffe grounded to short for what appeared to be a sure double
play.
Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro booted the ball, however, allowing one
run to score. As Castro retrieved the ball and looked away in
disgust, Rosario took off from third and scored a second run, giving
the Twins a 2-0 lead.
"That's really bad. That's the kind of mistake that can't happen,"
Castro said. "It's really embarrassing. That's not supposed to
happen. I have no excuse for that."
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Trailing 5-1 in the sixth, the Cubs' defense again made a mistake,
allowing the Twins to extend their lead.
After an RBI single by Twins left fielder Eduardo Escobar, the throw
home allowed Escobar to advance to second. Montero's throw sailed
wide of the bag, allowing another run to trot in and Escobar to
advance to third, giving the Twins a 7-1 lead.
Hendricks took the loss, allowing a season-high seven runs (six
earned) and one walk with one strikeout in five innings.
"It looked more awful that it actually was, I thought," Cubs manager
Joe Maddon said. "We got out of some jams, hit some balls really
hard. We made a couple of mental mistakes that hurt tonight."
Rizzo added a solo homer in the ninth off Twins reliever J.R.
Graham. It was his second multi-homer game of the season and ninth
of his career.
After starting the month of June 4-11, the Twins have won three
consecutive games. Chicago has lost back-to-back games for the first
time since June 3.
NOTES: Cubs 3B Mike Olt began a rehabilitation assignment with
Double-A Tennessee on Friday. Olt has been out since mid-April with
a fractured right wrist. ... Cubs OF Jorge Soler took batting
practice on the field. Soler has been on the 15-day disabled list
since June 3 with a sprained left ankle. ... Twins OF Jordan Schafer
was released. Schafer has been on the disabled list with a sprained
knee. ... The Cubs and Twins will play the second game of a
three-game series at Target Field on Saturday. Chicago LHP Jon
Lester (4-5, 3.99) will oppose Minnesota righty Trevor May (4-5,
4.26 ERA).
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