Twins rack up season-high 24 hits in big win over Rockies in series finale

Carlos Correa set a new single-game career high in hits with five in the victory.

Minnesota Twins designated hitter Royce Lewis (23) flips the bat and yells to his dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Colorado Rockies in the sixth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on June 12, 2024. / Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins racked up a season-high 24 hits and they posted a season high in runs in a 17-9 victory over the Colorado Rockies Wednesday afternoon in their series finale at Target Field in Minneapolis.

It started fast with a five-run first inning and the hits just kept coming for the Twins (36-32) after that. Carlos Correa set a new single-game career high with five hits — all singles — finishing his day 5 for 6 overall with an RBI. Royce Lewis — who went 3 for 5 with a double and two RBIs — and Willi Castro both homered, and Carlos Santana had a bases-clearing double as the Twins took two of three.

"It was a great day for the team, man. Everybody was involved, felt like everybody had a great day and we look forward to more days like that," Correa said.

Though the final score wouldn't indicate it, the Twins only had a two-run lead entering the eighth inning. But that's when they plated seven runs to put the game away once and for all.

Leading 10-8 with one out in the eighth, Correa singled for his fifth hit of the day, Lewis doubled and Jose Miranda brought them both home with a double the next at-bat. Santana — who went 3 for 5 with four RBIs — hit an RBI single a couple at-bats later to score Miranda and make it 13-8.

Kyle Farmer hit an RBI single the next at-bat that scored Byron Buxton, who was walked, Castro reached the next at-bat on a single and Christian Vazquez hit a two-run double the ensuing at-bat. Then Max Kepler hit a sacrifice fly to score Castro, and the Twins' lead ballooned to nine at 17-8.

That was more than enough of a cushion for Twins reliever Jay Jackson, who was called back up to the big leagues on Wednesday after a stint in Triple-A. Jackson did surrender an RBI ground-rule double to Jacob Stallings in the ninth inning, but he was able to get through and close it out.

"It was a long day out there on the field for everyone who was playing," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of the marathon of a game that spanned 3 hours, 8 minutes and included a 37-minute rain delay. "And in order to stay competitive throughout for all those hours that they were out there takes some strength, some mental strength right there. ... I just like the way that we kept coming.

"We just kept coming in every way, shape and form."

While the Twins set a new season high and posted their most hits since 2017, the Rockies (24-44) recorded 12 hits of their own and made things a little to close for comfort late in the game.

They continued to keep themselves within punching distance, finding runs off Twins relievers Jorge Alcala, Steven Okert and Caleb Thielbar. Nevertheless, the Twins put the game away in the eighth.

Thielbar pitched for the second day in a row following a rough outing on Tuesday, but his struggles continued. He issued a leadoff walk in the eighth inning to Ryan McMahon, surrendered a double to Stallings and then walked Michael Toglia. Former Twin Jake Cave then put a ball in play, and a throwing error on Correa allowed him to reach first base while McMahon and Stallings both scored.

"He's going through a tough stretch, so it's not like you can sit here and say, 'Oh yeah, he feels great. He feels fine,'" Baldelli said. "No one feels great and feels fine when they're not feeling like themselves, and I think it's fair to say that, but he's figured things out in his career many times."

Jhoan Duran then came on in relief and got Adael Amador to ground into a 6-3 double play that allowed Toglia to score to make it 10-8 after the Twins' lead had been as high as seven runs.

But Duran then got Charlie Blackmon to fly out to left field to end the threat.

The Twins got off to an emphatic start in the first inning as Manny Margot, Correa and Lewis hit three consecutive singles to lead off the inning, and Buxton brought in the first run with an RBI single. Then Santana hit a bases-clearing double and advanced to third base, setting the stage for Farmer to follow up with an RBI single the next at-bat to give the Twins a 5-1 advantage.

Twins starter Pablo Lopez allowed just two runs off five hits while fanning five across five innings.

The Twins chased Rockies starter Austin Gomber after three innings. Gomber came out to start the fourth but surrendered a leadoff homer to Castro, a Vazquez double and an RBI double to Margot before he was relieved by Anthony Molina during Correa's at-bat.

That didn't stop Correa from hitting an RBI single to score Margot and make it 8-2.

Gomber surrendered eight runs off 11 hits while fanning a pair across three innings in the loss.

While the Rockies plated a run in the sixth inning, the Twins got two right back in the bottom of the frame when Correa singled and Lewis followed up with a 424-foot homer the next at-bat.