It wasn’t quite 17-5, but the Twins lit up Texas Rangers starter Chi Chi Rodriguez, and this time Tyler Duffey was good enough to hang around for six innings and pick up the win, Minnesota’s third in a row.
“Tyler was obviously scuffling from the get-go,” manager Paul Molitor told the Star Tribune, alluding to the four walks and two hit batters. “We talked to him between innings, and tried to get him to settle down a little bit.”
Duffey only gave up two hits, however, the second night in a row a Twins starter has done that. Ervin Santana had a two-hit complete game against the Oakland A’s the day before, making it only the second time this season that Twins starters have not given up a run.
“The first inning was bad, the second inning was a little rough, but I’ve been in the process of learning how to slow the game down. I think I did that today,” Duffey told the Star Tribune.
“I feel like I was in check a little better today. In the heat of the moment, it’s hard to keep your emotions, but I’m getting better at it.”
Minnesota scored early and late, tagging Rodriguez for four runs in the first two innings and adding five in the eighth after a Max Kepler home run to seal the game. Kennys Vargas and Kurt Suzuki also homered.
“That was a good win. It wasn’t pretty early. We left men on base, but we were able to score a little bit,” Molitor told The Associated Press. “Offensively, after four early, it didn’t feel comfortable. I thought Max’s home run to extend that was good even though it was late. Then we were able to get the big inning.”
[Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, The Associated Press]
