MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kyle Farmer hit a three-run home run in the second inning to provide a well-timed jolt for a sputtering lineup, and Matt Wallner and Carlos Santana also went deep for the Minnesota Twins in a 10-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night to stop a four-game losing streak.
Pablo López (15-8) won his fourth straight start on the strength of 10 strikeouts over seven innings without an earned run, withstanding a three-run homer by Zach Neto in the fifth that cut the lead to 6-4.
The Twins (77-68), who had lost 15 of their previous 21 games, preserved a three-game edge with 17 games to go in the chase for the last of three AL wild-card spots in the playoffs that has tightened with their recent slide. Boston, Detroit and Seattle, the closest competitors, all began the night at 73-71.
Wallner hit a solo shot in the third and a two-run double with two outs in the sixth that chased Angels starter Griffin Canning (5-13), who surrendered a career-high 10 runs on nine hits and three walks. One run was unearned, due to a grounder that skidded between first baseman Nolan Schanuel’s legs.
Trevor Larnach reached base all four times he batted, with a single and three walks, and scored three times for the Twins, who also got two RBIs from Ryan Jeffers and a two-run shot by Santana for his team-best 21st homer.
After scoring only four runs on their four-game skid and just 13 runs over their last seven games, the Twins had 10 runs on 10 hits to help send the Angels (60-85) to their 21st loss in their last 30 games.
López has been Minnesota’s most valuable player since the All-Star break, stabilizing an injury-thinned rotation that’s currently stocked with three rookies. He would’ve escaped the fifth inning without any damage, but a two-out error by second baseman Eduoard Julien on a bobbled ball and hesitated throw preceded an RBI single by Taylor Ward and the three-run blast by Neto for his 21st homer this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon went to the injured list for a third time this season, with an oblique strain. RHP Ben Joyce, the team’s current closer, was also placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation.
Twins: CF Byron Buxton (hip inflammation), SS Carlos Correa (plantar fasciitis), RF Max Kepler (patellar tendinitis) and OF Manny Margot (groin strain) took live batting practice from minor-leaguers before the game. Correa, who has been out the longest at 49 games, said this week he’s close to returning.
UP NEXT
Angels: Rookie RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-4, 4.89 ERA) takes the mound on Wednesday night. He has logged five consecutive quality starts of six innings or more and three runs or less.
Twins: RHP Zebby Matthews (1-3, 7.36 ERA) pitches the final game of the series. The rookie has allowed 13 runs on 19 hits in seven innings over his last two starts.
