ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Carlos Santana hit a tiebreaking three-run homer, Ryan Jeffers also went deep using a bat that looked like a pencil and the playoff-contending Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Friday night.
A night after hitting a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, Santana’s 17th homer with one out in the fifth put Minnesota up 4-1. It also chased Texas starter Andrew Heaney (4-13), who has the most losses in the majors.
“Challenging game,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We battled through it and found ways to do good things. We had a couple of really big swings … Jeffers and Santana coming through really big for us.”
The Twins (69-53) moved to 16 games over .500 for the first time since their 101-win season in 2019, and they moved within three games of Cleveland for the AL Central lead after the Guardians lost. Minnesota has an MLB-best 62 wins since April 22, after only seven in its first 20 games, and holds the AL’s second wild card..
Reigning World Series champion Texas (56-67) dropped to 11 games under .500 for the first time this season. They have lost 15 of 20 since a five-game winning streak in late July.
Twins rookie Simeon Woods Richardson (4-3), a Texas native, allowed two runs over five innings. Jhoan Duran, the sixth Minnesota pitcher, worked the ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances.
“We battled our butts off, you know, every pitch. It wasn’t, from my standpoint, wasn’t the best outing, but I knew I had to keep everything controlled and just give my team the best chance to win. And for the bullpen to come in and give a tremendous job, our bats coming alive. … All that stuff really matters.”
Heaney struck out eight while throwing 97 pitches, the first 16 to Manuel Margot to start the game. The Twins leadoff hitter fouled off 11 pitches, eight in row after getting to a full count, before his flyout to left. Santana and Max Kepler followed, both flying out on one pitch.
“I told my teammates I’ll be tired,” Margot said with a grin.
That was the second-longest at-bat in the majors this season, behind only an 18-pitch at-bat by Colorado’s Ryan McMahon against Washington on June 22.
Marcus Semien hit his 18th homer for the Rangers, a two-out solo shot in the bottom of fifth. Wyatt Langford had a sacrifice fly in the second and an RBI single in the sixth.
Jeffers led off the Twins third with his 18th homer. He was hit by a pitch to start the fifth before scoring on Santana’s long ball.
Adolis García had his 16th hit in the last nine games, and the Rangers right fielder also took a likely homer away from Royce Lewis. García jumped near the wall and had his glove extended above the wall when making the catch to end the fifth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: RHP Joe Ryan got a second opinion that confirmed the team’s initial diagnosis of a significantly strained muscle in his throwing shoulder that will keep him sidelined for an extended period. … All-Star SS Carlos Correa (plantar fasciitis in right foot) is starting to run on a daily basis, which is a final step before he can progress to a rehab assignment. He has been on the injured list since July 20. … Twins trainer Nick Paparesta said CF Byron Buxton’s right hip inflammation appears to be scar tissue from a previous injury in 2022.
Rangers: RHP Max Scherzer (shoulder fatigue) threw a 25-pitch bullpen. The three-time Cy Young Award winner said all went good and he expects to throw 40 pitches in another session Sunday.
UP NEXT
RHP Nathan Eovaldi (8-6, 3.75 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for Texas on Saturday night, a week after coming out of his last start because of right side tightness. Rookie right-hander David Festa (2-2, 5.20) starts for Minnesota.
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