The Minnesota Twins started slowly but put together big innings late in the game to rally past the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Tuesday night at Anaheim, Calif.
Angels starting pitcher Trevor Cahill held the Twins hitless until the fifth inning before the Minnesota offense got rolling with three runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh, primarily against the Los Angeles bullpen.
Minnesota got a big boost from the top of the lineup, as the first four hitters -- Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, Marwin Gonzalez and Eddie Rosario -- combined for eight hits, six runs and seven RBIs to lead the Twins to their seventh victory in their past eight games.
The Angels took an early lead against Twins starter Michael Pineda. Mike Trout hit a solo homer in the first inning, his 11th of the season, and Los Angeles added two tallies in the second on an RBI single by David Fletcher and a run-scoring wild pitch.
Cahill took a one-hit shutout and 3-0 lead into the sixth inning, but after yielding a leadoff double to Kepler, Cahill was replaced by Justin Anderson. The right-handed reliever gave up an RBI double to Polanco and a two-run homer to Gonzalez, tying the game 3-3.
In the seventh, the Twins scored four times against Angels reliever Luke Bard, all four runs coming home on two-out hits. Polanco drove in the first with an RBI single, Gonzalez added a run-scoring double, and Rosario capped the scoring with a two-run single.
In the eighth, Luis Arraez hit his first career homer to increase Minnesota's lead to 8-3.
Pineda (4-3) earned the win after throwing six innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks. Four Twins relievers combined to shut out the Angels over the final three innings.
Bard (1-2) gave up four runs in his lone inning to take the loss.
Fletcher led the Angels' offense with three hits. Cahill gave up one run on two hits and two walks in five-plus innings.
--Field Level Media
Minnesota | LA Angels | |
Michael Pineda | Player | Trevor Cahill |
Win | W/L | No Decision |
6.0 | IP | 5.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 5 |
4 | Hits | 2 |
4.50 | ERA | 1.80 |
Minnesota | LA Angels | |
Luis Arraez | Player | David Fletcher |
2 | Hits | 3 |
1 | RBI | 1 |
1 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 3 |
.500 | Avg | 1.000 |