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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