PHOENIX (AP) — Byron Buxton hit a grand slam in a 10-run fifth inning and the Minnesota Twins clobbered the Arizona Diamondbacks 16-8 on Saturday night.
Buxton has 24 homers to tie Houston’s Yordan Alvarez for the American League lead. He has three career grand slams.
The Nos. 6-9 batters combined for 13 of the Twins’ 20 hits, with Brooks Lee having four and missing a cycle by a home run. Victor Caratini, Luke Keaschall and Ryan Kreider each had three hits.
The Twins had 16 hits in the fourth and fifth innings when they sent a combined 24 batters to the plate.
Minnesota started the fifth with three hits to chase Zac Gallen (3-6), who was charged with nine runs in four-plus innings to raise his ERA to 6.10.
Buxton’s home run, to right-center, came off Yilber Díaz, who gave up seven hits and seven runs. He threw 44 pitches and recorded two outs. Philip Abner relieved and got the final out of the inning.
Taj Bradley (6-3) went five innings, giving up three hits and two runs — both on Jorge Barrosa’s second homer of the season. The Twins have won five of their last six games.
Ildemaro Vargas’ three-run double was the big hit in the Diamondbacks’ five-run seventh against reliever Justin Lawrence.
Vargas, who entered mid-game for defense as both teams went to the benches, eventually finished the game on the mound for Arizona, pitching 1 2/3 hitless innings.
Up next
Neither team had announced a starting pitcher for the series finale Sunday.
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