Four Twins Relievers Combine For Five Scoreless Innings In 6-4 Win Over Rays

Eduardo Nunez scored the opening inside-the-park home run for Minnesota, Max Kepler picked up his first two major league RBIs and four Twins relievers combined for five scoreless innings in a 6-4 home victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.

Four Twins Relievers Combine For Five Scoreless Innings In 6-4 Win Over Rays

Nunez’ homer in the first inning, the first to start a game for the Twins in the franchise’s 56-season history, came off left-hander Matt Moore, whose night ended after five innings in which he allowed eight hits, four runs and two walks while striking out four.

“I felt like things were going better than they actually were, and then all of a sudden it was a home run or a couple hits here and there,” said Moore, who has logged five innings or less in 14 of his 23 starts since returning last summer from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 7.36 ERA over five May starts.

Right-handed reliever Erasmo Ramirez (6-4) replaced Moore and hit Brian Dozier on the elbow with the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

The Rays have now dropped five consecutive games and 11 of their last 13. They had just one hit after Twins right-hander Phil Hughes was removed with no outs in the fifth.

“It’s just not happening right now. The big play’s missing us, the big pitch, the big swing,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but that’s the way we’ve got to keep looking at it.”

Right-fielder Brandon Guyer jumped for Nunez’s scoring drive in the first. The ball bounced off his glove into the corner, and Nunez raced home with a head-first slide and a big smile. His helmet fell off between first and second. Both Cash and Guyer stated the play should have been ruled as an error.

Twins left-hander Taylor Rogers (1-0) struck out two over two perfect innings on route to his first major league win. Ryan Pressly and Brandon Kintzler followed with scoreless innings, and former Rays right-hander Kevin Jepsen played the ninth for his seventh save in 10 tries.

South Korean designated hitter and first baseman Byung-ho Park went a career-best 3-for-3 for the Twins.

“It’s just tough, especially the way things are going right now,” Guyer said. “It’s a play I’ve got to make. At the end there was a little glare that came through, but it hit my glove and I’ve got to be able to catch that.”

The two teams will next face off again at Target Field in Minneapolis on Friday night. Right-hander Jake Odorizzi (2-3, 3.36 ERA) will take the mound for the Rays (22-30, fifth in AL East), while right-hander Ricky Nolasco (2-3, 3.93 ERA) will take his turn for the Twins, (16-37, fifth in AL Central) after becoming the team’s second starter to earn two wins by beating Seattle last weekend with six strong innings.

PHOTO: MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 2: Kurt Suzuki #8 of the Minnesota Twins slides safely into third base under the tag from Evan Longoria #3 of the Tampa Bay Rays as umpire Will Little #93 looks on during the sixth inning of the game on June 2, 2016 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)