Byron Buxton made an immediate impact with a first-inning home run, Ryan Jeffers also provided power with a blast in the sixth inning and the Minnesota Twins held off the Texas Rangers 6-5 on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
Buxton connected on his 23rd of the season. Jeffers drove in two, and his seventh home run of the season put the Twins in front for good.
Minnesota salvaged the series finale after dropping the first two games.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager homered in all three games, and his opposite-field shot in the eighth inning was a towering drive that made it a one-run game. On the play, left fielder Gilberto Celestino made a leaping attempt, but the ball popped out of his glove over the wall.
Dylan Bundy (5-4) turned in five innings for the Twins, giving up four runs on six hits. Tyler Duffey picked up his second save, and Brock Burke (4-2) suffered the loss.
Rangers starter Dane Dunning had a short outing, lasting just 2 1/3 innings, while being charged with four runs and six hits.
The Twins struck quickly off Dunning in the first inning on Buxton's two-out, opposite-field home run to right.
Minnesota tacked on two more runs in the second inning. Jose Miranda and Jeffers each had RBI singles.
Texas answered by loading the bases in the second inning, and Josh H. Smith laced a three-run double, tying it at 3.
Minnesota regained the lead in the third inning. With the bases loaded, Dunning hit Miranda with a pitch, forcing home Jorge Polanco.
Seager's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning scored Smith and pulled the Rangers even at 4.
The Twins went back on top, 5-4, in the sixth inning on Jeffers' opposite-field homer off Burke.
An error in the seventh inning enabled the Twins to pad their lead to two runs. Reliever Matt Bush walked Polanco and yielded a single to Alex Kirilloff. Bush's errant throw on a pickoff attempt at first base plated Polanco.
--Field Level Media
Minnesota | Texas | |
Dylan Bundy | Player | Dane Dunning |
Win | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 2.1 |
4 | Strikeouts | 2 |
6 | Hits | 6 |
7.20 | ERA | 15.43 |
Minnesota | Texas | |
Alex Kirilloff | Player | Corey Seager |
2 | Hits | 2 |
0 | RBI | 2 |
0 | HR | 1 |
2 | TB | 5 |
.667 | Avg | .667 |