MINNEAPOLIS — Jonathan Hernández walked three batters within the thirteenth inning, amongst a season-high 10 walks by Texas pitchers, and the Rangers dropped out of first place within the AL West for the primary time since early April with a 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
Texas wasted a 5-0 lead constructed with Jonah Heim’s grand slam and J.P. Martinez solo homer, and Royce Lewis began Minnesota’s comeback with a sixth-inning slam.
The Rangers had held a share of first place in each day of the season besides after they fell one sport behind the Los Angeles Angels on April 8. Texas (73-57) has misplaced 9 of its final 10 video games, falling behind Seattle (74-56).
“We’ve got a lot of baseball to play this last month. Whoever plays the best baseball will be playing at the end. That’s the way I look at it,” Marcus Semien mentioned.
Minnesota overcame a 5-4 deficit within the ninth when Aroldis Chapman walked Michael A. Taylor with one out, and Taylor superior on a disengagement violation. Donovan Solano adopted with an RBI single, Chapman’s fifth blown save in eight possibilities.
Corey Seager hit a sacrifice fly within the twelfth however Jorge Polanco hit right into a run-scoring forceout within the backside half.
PHOTOS: Rangers drop from AL West lead as Twins win 7-6 in 13 innings, overcoming 5-run deficit
With Carlos Correa on second as the automated runner, Hernández (1-2) walked Joey Gallo on 4 pitches, Matt Wallner on a full rely and Taylor on 4 pitches. The Twins gained on a walk-off stroll for the primary time in precisely a 12 months, since final Aug. 27 in opposition to San Francisco.
Hernández threw simply eight of 23 pitches for strikes.
“During this little tough streak, there’s been a lot of walks involved. Unfortunately, they come back to get us and then we had the violation and that hurt too,” Texas supervisor Bruce Bochy mentioned.
Dylan Floro (5-6) acquired three straight outs after a leadoff stroll within the thirteenth.
Lewis’s slam off Chris Stratton began the comeback for AL Central chief Minnesota, which took three of 4 within the collection and has a six-game lead over second-place Cleveland. Lewis’ solely earlier slam was May 13 final 12 months.
“I had chills after the game. I was so impressed with our group,” Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli mentioned.
Texas starter Jordan Montgomery pitched 5 shutout innings, then left with the bases loaded.
Heim was hitless in 13 at-bats earlier than his fourth-inning homer in opposition to Bailey Ober landed within the flower pots above the right-field wall. His different slam was in opposition to the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani on April 14 final 12 months.
Martinez hit his first huge league homer for Texas within the second.
FRUSTRATION
Correa grounded into his main league-high twenty sixth double play.
KEUCHEL OUT OF THE ’PEN
Dallas Keuchel allowed 5 hits in 5 scoreless innings for Minnesota, his twelfth aid look and first since Oct. 2, 2021. Signed to a minor-league deal June 22, and activated by the Twins Aug. 3, Keuchel hadn’t pitched since taking an ideal sport into the sixth inning Aug. 20.
“It was kind of talked about the last three or four days. There were about three or four different scenarios. I mean, would I like to relieve? Not really. At the same time, I want to win,” he mentioned.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Nathan Eovaldi, out since July 27 with a proper forearm pressure, is anticipated to throw his subsequent bullpen session Tuesday. Manager Bruce Bochy mentioned Eovaldi felt good in his Thursday bullpen, and his arm feels good since, however with slightly tightness in his facet they’re going to precautionarily “back off a little bit.”
Twins: Taylor returned after lacking two video games with a good hamstring.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Jon Gray (8-7, 3.76) begins Monday night time’s opener of a three-game collection on the New York Mets, who ship RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54) to the mound.
Twins: RHP Kenta Maeda (3-7, 4.22) begins Monday in opposition to visiting Cleveland and RHP Xzavion Curry (3-2, 3.51).
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