Major League Baseball

Perfect 10: Twins stop 9-game skid with 5-4 win over Angels

Published Apr. 16, 2016 2:24 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Minnesota Twins became the last team in the major leagues to win this season, after Byung Ho Park drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the eighth inning for a 5-4 victory Friday night over the Los Angeles Angels.

Both Minnesota and Atlanta stopped nine-game losing streaks Friday. The Braves beat Miami earlier in the night. That left the 2002 Detroit Tigers with the dishonor of being the last team to start a season 0-10 or worse.

Albert Pujols and Kole Calhoun homered for the Angels, whose four-game winning streak ended.

Miguel Sano and Trevor Plouffe hit consecutive RBI doubles in the sixth off Angels starter Garrett Richards, the third multi-run inning for the Twins this season. This was the first time they topped three runs in a game, but they're still last in the majors with 19 runs.

Park, the 29-year-old Korean slugger making his major league debut this season, knocked in Plouffe with his one-out hit off Fernando Salas (0-1) for his second RBI this year.

Eduardo Nunez went 3 for 3 with two runs scored. Casey Fien (1-0) picked up the victory after getting the last out of the eighth inning with runners at the corners, and Kevin Jepsen worked a hitless ninth for his first save.

Nunez, who was subbing at second base and in the leadoff spot for resting regular Brian Dozier, was a one-man sparkplug for this sputtering club. Hit by a pitch on the left elbow to start the sixth, Nunez came home on Sano's double for the first run. He had already been whacked in the face by Sano's glove, when the two converged on a bloop double by Yunel Escobar in the fourth inning and collided.

Then in the seventh, Nunez's two-out RBI double brought the Twins within one.

Joe Mauer smacked a single into left-center, and Nunez raced around third base, his helmet flying off as usual. After sliding into the plate with the tying run, Nunez popped right up, raised both arms and excitedly pointed at Mauer in appreciation.

Mauer made an impact, too. When the ball rolled away from Nunez and Sano after the fourth-inning crash, the first baseman alertly sprinted out to retrieve it in right field. Displaying the arm that drew him a football scholarship offer from Florida State, Mauer fired a perfect strike to third for the out on an advancing Escobar.

Twins starter Tommy Milone didn't allow a run until Escobar's RBI double in the sixth, but after the Twins gave him the lead the left-hander lost it five minutes later in the seventh inning on the long balls by Pujols and Calhoun sandwiched around a walk.

Calhoun's towering drive bounced off the canopy behind the last row of right-field seats to put the Angels ahead 4-2.

AILING ANGELS COACH

Bullpen coach Scott Radinsky didn't travel with the Angels to Minnesota after experiencing chest pains Wednesday after the game at Oakland. He was undergoing tests in Orange County to determine the cause.

TWINS BULLPEN MOVE

The Twins placed LHP Fernando Abad on the bereavement leave list so he can attend the funeral for his grandmother. He'll rejoin the team Monday, so a replacement reliever will be recalled from the minors before the game Saturday.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: LHPs C.J. Wilson (left shoulder) and Andrew Heaney (left flexor muscle) have been playing catch, but neither member of the rotation has progressed far enough in their recovery to be cleared to throw from a mound.

Twins: CF Byron Buxton felt better than expected after a pitch bruised his left hand Thursday. Buxton wasn't ready to hit yet, but he was available for defense and running if needed. GM Terry Ryan said a DL stay was unlikely.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Jered Weaver (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will make his second start of the season Saturday. He's 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA in 16 career appearances against the Twins, including a no-hitter on May 2, 2012.

Twins: RHP Ricky Nolasco (0-0, 1.29 ERA) will take the mound for the second time this year in the Saturday matinee. He had a stellar first turn, allowing only one run on three hits over seven innings.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball