Bullpen failure: Walks, hit batters cost Twins against Rangers
The Texas Rangers snapped an eight game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins Saturday night in Minneapolis, though they didn't have to take many swings to score key runs.
Tied 2-2 in the ninth inning, the Twins gave the ball to Griffin Jax and disaster unfolded. Jax gave up back-to-back singles to start the inning and then got a strikeout. He then hit Ezequiel Duran with a pitch to load the bases. Then he walked the next two batters and just like that the Rangers were ahead 4-2.
Rocco Baldelli pulled Jax in favor of Dylan Floro, who hit Marcus Semien with a pitch to bring in another run for the Rangers. Corey Seager added a sacrifice fly and what was a 2-2 game ballooned into a 6-2 deficit because Jax and Floro struggled to throw strikes.
Minnesota managed just five hits on the night, including an RBI double by Max Kepler in the third inning and a solo homer from Jorge Polanco in the sixth.
Max Scherzer struck out 10 in seven innings for the Rangers. Joe Ryan returned from the injured list for the Twins and struck out seven while allowing just one run on five hits in five innings.
Cleveland lost Saturday to Toronto so Minnesota's lead in the AL Central Division remains six games.
Up next: Twins vs. Rangers, Sunday at 1:10 p.m. CT
