Minnesota had an 8-0 lead going into the fifth inning and Kyle Gibson was in line for the win, but the Twins starter lost command of his fastball and gave up six earned runs, allowing the Cleveland Indians back into the game.
“I don’t know what happened, to be honest,” Gibson told the Star Tribune. “This is one of the odder interviews, because we’re talking about me throwing bad — but it’s a win, and I’ll take that every time.”
Michael Tonkin, Ryan Pressly, Taylor Rogers and Brandon Kintzler were able to hold the Tribe scoreless, however, and Minnesota tacked on two in the ninth to take the series from the first-place Indians.
“I’m not sure exactly how to verbalize what transpired there,” Twins manager Paul Molitor told the Associated Press. “It was a good tester for our guys and we found a way to win.”
The Twins offense knocked Carlos Carrasco out after 3.2 innings, and every Minnesota hitter recorded at least one hit in the game. Danny Santana finished 3-for-4; Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier finished 2-for-5. Jorge Polanco, recently recalled from Triple-A, was 2-for-4.
“We’re seeing the offense we knew we had,” Gibson told the Star Tribune. “I don’t think it’s a fluke.”
Last-place Minnesota is now 7-4 against Cleveland, leaders of the AL Central. Just as they went into Texas and knocked the Rangers out of first place in the American League, now they’ve done the same to the Indians.
“I don’t know what they do against everyone else,” Indians manager Terry Francona told the Associated Press, “but they’ve played us pretty darn well.”
[Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, Associated Press]
