Hill shines in debut as Twins blank Cardinals

[July 30, 2020]  Rich Hill pitched five shutout innings in his Minnesota debut, and Eddie Rosario homered as the Twins completed a two-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 3-0 victory on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.

Hill, pitching for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery in October, allowed just two singles and a walk while striking out two. He didn't permit a runner to reach second base before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Tyler Duffey, who struck out the side, Sergio Romo, Tyler Clippard and Taylor Rogers each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Twins. Rogers, who had 30 saves in 2019, picked up his first of the season as Minnesota extended its winning streak to three.

Hill (1-0), at 40 years and 140 days, became the oldest Twin to start a game since Bartolo Colon, then 44, in 2017. He threw 68 pitches, 41 for strikes.

St. Louis' Daniel Ponce de Leon (0-1) gave up three runs on two hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings. Ponce de Leon, a substitute starter for Miles Mikolas, who was scratched Tuesday with a season-ending flexor tendon injury in his right arm that will require surgery, struck out eight and also hit a batter.

Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Luis Arraez walked and scored on Nelson Cruz's two-out line double into the gap in right-center.

Cardinals starting pitcher Daniel Ponce de Leon (62) pitches in the first inning against Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Rosario made it 2-0 in the fourth with his first home run of the season, a 398-foot drive off the front of the upper deck in right. One out later, Ponce de Leon hit Jake Cave and then walked Marwin Gonzalez. After Tyler Webb replaced Ponce de Leon on the mound, Alex Avila drove in Cave with a bloop single to left.

St. Louis managed just one hit over the final 7 2/3 innings, an eighth-inning leadoff single by Dexter Fowler, who was later erased on a double play.

--Field Level Media

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