Manuel Margot sparked a seven-run rally with a run-scoring triple in the 10th inning as the visiting Minnesota Twins avoided a three-game sweep with an 11-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.
Margot’s hit off Ben Heller (0-1) drove in automatic runner Kyle Farmer to help the Twins snap a five-game losing streak. Carlos Santana doubled in two runs during the rally, Carlos Correa added a two-run single, and Max Kepler singled in a run.
Correa had three hits for Minnesota, which had been shut out in the first two games of the series and had scored a total of 11 runs during its losing skid. Willi Castro was twice hit by a pitches, including once in the 10th inning with the bases loaded.
Jhoan Duran (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the win.
Connor Joe drove in two runs while Oneil Cruz, Nick Gonzales and Rowdy Tellez each had two hits for Pittsburgh, which scored a run in the bottom of the 10th on Cruz’s RBI single.
Minnesota ended a 22-inning scoreless streak with three runs against Jared Jones in the first inning. Jose Miranda drew a bases-loaded walk with one out and Correa scored on Alex Kirilloff’s fielder’s choice grounder.
With runners on the corners following a wild pitch, Kepler scored from third on a passed ball that appeared to hit Byron Buxton’s bat on a check swing.
Jones allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out three.
Pittsburgh pushed a run across against Minnesota starter Bailey Ober in the second inning when Tellez hit a two-out double and scored on Jared Triolo’s single to left field.
The Pirates moved ahead with three runs in the fifth inning. Ober issued back-to-back walks with two outs and Bryan Reynolds followed with an RBI double.
Joe ended Ober’s outing with a two-run triple before Cruz lined out against Caleb Thielbar. Ober allowed four runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Minnesota pulled even in the sixth inning when Ryan Jeffers scored on Royce Lewis’ sacrifice fly with the bases loaded against Justin Bruihl.
–Field Level Media