Twins' triple and 2 bases-loaded walks in 10th beat Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Minnesota Twins are starting to get comfortable in extra innings.

Luis Arraez hit an RBI triple to start the Minnesota 10th and the Twins then drew two bases-loaded walks to beat the Texas Rangers 7-5 on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series matching last-place teams.

“When I hit the ball, I wanted three (bases),” Arraez said. “I’m ready for that moment. Prepared my mind that I needed to move the runner.”

Arraez tripled to deep center field over the head of Adolis García, whose homer in the Texas seventh had tied the game at 4-4, and Willians Astudillo rumbled home from second base. The Twins have won three consecutive extra-inning games since losing their first eight this season.

Josh Sborz (3-3), the sixth Texas pitcher, then struck out two but also had three walks, including an intentional pass to slugger Nelson Cruz before Ryan Jeffers got a free pass with the bases loaded. Demarcus Evans took over and walked Alex Krilloff to force in another run.

“That was probably the most frustrating part of the game is we gave them the game. Literally, we handed them a win by walking to those two guys,” Texas manager Chris Woodward said. “Getting one run in that scenario with a runner on second and nobody out is what we tell our pitchers, it's OK. It's kind of expected in that situation."

Hansel Robles (3-3) worked a perfect ninth before Tyler Duffey worked the 10th for his second save, allowing a one-out bloop RBI single to Joey Gallo.

Minnesota, at the bottom of the AL Central standings, has won consecutive games for only the second time this month. The AL West last-place Rangers have lost 17 of their last 20 games, and are 9-27 overall since leaving Minnesota after three consecutive wins there the first week of May.

Trevor Larnach...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Twins-triple-and-2-bases-loaded-walks-in-10th-16259009.php