Minnesota Twins get a great outing from Ervin Santana, defeat Cleveland
Two wins in a row now for the Minnesota Twins and it all was possible after another great starting pitching performance. Ervin Santana was on the hill for the Twins on Tuesday and went seven innings only allowing one run on five hits and he struck out seven as the Twins defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-1.
Minnesota only scored in one inning, but that was enough to beat a solid starter in Danny Salazar. Salazar allowed all three runs in the third inning. Salazar pitched six innings for the Indians.
Aaron Hicks got the scoring going in the third with an RBI triple that scored Eduardo Escobar. Brian Dozier was the next man up and the second basemen doubled to score Hicks and give the Twins a 2-0 lead. The parade again continued with the very next batter for the Twins when Joe Mauer hit an RBI double himself to make it 3-0.
Jose Ramirez reached on an infield single in the fifth that scored a run, but that was all that Cleveland could muster on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
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It was also another night with a beautiful bullpen performance. The eighth inning belong to Glen Perkins who pitched a perfect frame. Now closer Kevin Jepsen came in for the save and his only mistake was a double to deep center for Yan Gomes. The double was so deep the fast-as-lightning Byron Buxton couldn’t even catch up to it. The Indians would strand Gomes.
The win puts the Twins a game further ahead of the Indians in the Wild Card chase. The Twins have two more games in the series to further that lead.
The Houston Astros also lost on Tuesday brining the Twins to only two games out of the final Wild Card spot. The Los Angeles Angels are right behind at 2.5 games out.
Game two of the series is scheduled for a 7:10 first pitch from Target Field on Wednesday.
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