Arraez, Miranda go back-to-back to lift Twins over Rangers
The Twins used a back-to-back first inning home runs to squeeze by the Rangers and 2-1 Friday night in Minneapolis.
Luis Arraez stepped to the plate in the bottom of the first with two outs and launched his seventh home run of the season into the right field seats. Two pitches later Jose Miranda sent his 13th home run of the season into the left field bleachers to double the lead, 2-0.
The Rangers made it interesting with a run in the top of the sixth but the bullpen trio of Caleb Thielbar, Trevor McGill, Jhoan Duran and Jorge Lopez held Texas in check en route to Minnesota's 62nd win of the season. It's the Twins' fourth win in a row and keeps them within a game of Cleveland, who beat the White Sox 5-2 Friday night.
Dylan Bundy worked through 5.1 innings, giving up just two hits and one earned run. Minnesota survived a seventh inning scare when MeGill struggled through the order with the tying run reaching third before he was bailed out with a deep center fly out off Bubba Thompson’s bat.
Duran came out in the eight and blew through the order in 10 pitches, the final three clocking in at 102, 103, 102 mph.
Jorge Lopez came in for the ninth and got into a bit of trouble before a the Twins turned a double play on a fly out from Max Kepler, who fired a one-hopper to Carlos Correa at second base to catch Charlie Culberson before he could tag up on time.
Lopez secures his third save as a Twin and 22nd of the season
Up next: Twins vs. Rangers, 6:10 p.m. Saturday
