Twins
back Berrios' strong outing, beat Cardinals
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[May 16, 2018]
The Minnesota Twins ended a
scoring drought and a short losing streak on Tuesday night, beating
the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The Twins had gone 16 innings without scoring, including getting
shut out 1-0 Monday by the Seattle Mariners in a makeup game at
Target Field. But trailing 1-0 on Tuesday, they tied it in the sixth
and went ahead in the seventh to end a two-game skid.
That was all Twins starter Jose Berrios needed. The right-hander,
who had lost three of his previous four decisions, gave up only two
hits and a run in 7 1/3 innings. Berrios (4-4) struck out 10 -- nine
swinging -- and walked only one.
It also marked the third time this season that the Twins defeated
the Cardinals in interleague play. The Twins swept two games in St.
Louis earlier this month, outscoring the Cardinals 13-1.
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Minnesota got a
leadoff double from Logan Morrison against Cardinals lefty reliever
Brett Cecil (0-1). The Cardinals brought in right-hander Luke
Gregerson, who fielded a bunt by Byron Buxton and threw the ball
down the right field line, letting Morrison score and sending Buxton
to second. Buxton promptly stole third.
Gregerson got a groundout for the first out, but backup catcher
Bobby Wilson, who began the day batting .083 in only 15 plate
appearances with no home runs or RBIs, got a pitch over the heart of
the plate and homered to left field.
The Twins, who hadn't scored since the seventh inning of a 2-1 road
loss to the Angels on Sunday, finally reached Cardinals starter Jack
Flaherty in the sixth.
With two outs and Flaherty's pitch count mounting, Brian Dozier and
Eddie Rosario laced singles, and Eduardo Escobar ripped an RBI
single to center field, his second hit of the day, to tie the game.
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Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (32) pitches in the first
inning against Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit:
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Cecil replaced Flaherty and got a flyout to end the inning.
Flaherty, just recalled from Triple-A Memphis when starter Adam
Wainwright went back on the disabled list due to an elbow injury,
entered the game with an 0-1 record for the season and 0-3 in eight
games in his career. He allowed five hits and one run in 5 2/3
innings, striking out three and walking one.
St. Louis opened the scoring in the third inning when Harrison Bader
led off with a single and went to second on a groundout. Carson
Kelly then singled to center to plate Bader.
Then Berrios took command, not allowing another hit. He left in the
top of the eighth after retiring the first batter but hitting Kolten
Wong with a pitch. Right-hander Addison Reed came on to get a pair
of strikeouts to end the inning.
Fernando Rodney threw a perfect ninth inning for his eighth save.
--Field Level Media
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