Yang makes first start in majors; Rangers beat Twins 3-1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hyeon-Jong Yang made his first major league start after 14 years in the Korea Baseball Organization, getting the Texas Rangers off to a strong start in an eventual 3-1 win against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.

Yang, the former KBO MVP, struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced and eight overall in 3 1/3 innings. Making a spot start after two relief appearances earlier this season, Yang gave up four hits.

John King (3-1) picked up the win in relief of Yang, giving up just two hits in 2 2/3 innings. Ian Kennedy notched his ninth save.

Nate Lowe had a pair of hits and scored a run for Texas, who won for the fourth time in five games. The Rangers scored their runs on a fielder’s choice, wild pitch and sacrifice fly.

Lewis Thorpe (0-1) surrendered three runs on five hits in five innings in his return to Minnesota. Thorpe was recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A St. Paul for his third stint with the Twins this season as manager Rocco Baldelli made the decision to push his rotation back a day.

Mitch Garver homered for Minnesota’s lone run.

Yang, 33, won the regular-season MVP and Korean Series MVP in 2017, leading the Kia Tigers to the KBO championship. He was a two-time ERA leader in the league and twice won the Choi Dong-won award, the Korean equivalent to the Cy Young award.

The Gwangju, South Korea native signed a non-roster contract with Texas in February.

The left-hander kept the Twins off balance with a high-80s fastball, slider and fading changeup. He became just the second pitcher in Rangers’ history with as many as eight strikeouts in a stint of 3 1/3 innings or fewer.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Yang-makes-first-start-in-majors-Rangers-beat-16155321.php