Twins rally in ninth to top Rangers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Eduardo Nunez tied the game with a single, eluded Adrian Beltre on his way to third to keep the inning alive and then sprinted home when Joakim Soria was unable to handle an innocent dribbler to win it.
The Minnesota Twins rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to edge the Texas Rangers, 4-3, in the second installment of a four-game set.
Oswaldo Arcia hit a one-out double into right center before Nunez knotted the contest two batters later with a base hit into right to bring him home. Nunez advanced to second on the throw to the plate and then circled around Beltre on his way to third when Kurt Suzuki bounced one to the All-Star third baseman.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rangers manager Ron Washington came out to argue that Nunez was out of the basepath, but it is not a reviewable play.
"Last year I ran out to left field in Houston and they called me out. Nobody tagged me. So this guy is safe? I just don't know where the line is," Beltre said.
Eduardo Escobar was intentionally walked by Soria (1-2) to load the bases and Soria bobbled Danny Santana's roller to the left of the mound, which allowed Nunez to cross the plate.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"A very exciting baseball game," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Fortunately for us, the breaks finally went our way in the end."
Arcia also added a solo homer for the Twins, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Glen Perkins (2-0) tossed a scoreless top of the ninth to pick up the win.
Alex Rios smacked a triple and a double among his three hits to go with a run scored for Texas, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Texas scored a pair in the second before Minnesota pushed across a run in the home half and another in the third to knot the contest.
Rios and Chris Gimenez led off the second with consecutive base hits and Leonis Martin moved them both over with a sacrifice bunt.
Aaron Hicks then made a tremendous leaping grab at the wall in center to take a three-run homer away from Donnie Murphy, although Rios came around on the sacrifice fly. Rougned Odor slapped a ground-rule double down the left field line to plate Gimenez for a 2-0 Rangers lead.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Arcia belted a leadoff shot into the deepest part of the ballpark in right center in the home half, while back-to-back two-out doubles by Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer in the third tied the game.
The Rangers plated a run in the sixth to go ahead.
Mitch Moreland and Beltre hit back-to-back singles to begin the frame and Moreland moved to third when Rios grounded into a double play. Gimenez ripped a base hit into right to bring home Moreland and give the Rangers a 3-2 edge.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mauer had runners on the corners with two away in the eighth, but Alexi Ogando struck him out to end the threat.
Game Notes
Twins starter Phil Hughes allowed three runs on eight hits over seven frames, while Scott Baker surrendered a pair of runs on three hits over six innings for Texas ... Minnesota was 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and Texas finished 2-for-10 with RISP.