MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Jose Miranda hit a game-ending, three-run homer against Milwaukee´s Josh Hader as the Minnesota Twins finally got a timely hit to beat the Brewers 4-1 on Wednesday.
Miranda´s third hit of the game traveled to the second deck in left field.The 23-year-old rookie knew it was gone as he threw his bat and looked at the Minnesota dugout before the ball landed. The Twins have five walk-off wins this season, and Miranda supplied one with a single against Baltimore´s All-Star closer Jorge López at the start of the month.
“He´s having a good time and he should,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said.”When you hit a ball like that in front of a great crowd and you do it off, probably, one of the five most dominant pitchers in baseball – and I might be shortchanging Hader at this point – you can have some fun. He´s earned his fun right there.”
Miranda, who broke out last season with 30 homers and a .344 average in 127 games between Double-A and Triple-A, has multiple hits in three of his last five games.He´s hitting .348 with four homers and 16 RBIs in his last 14 games.
“He threw me the first one, slider down, and I kind of knew he was going to come with the same pitch, but maybe for a strike,” Miranda said. “He threw it where I wanted. Executed the plan.”
Hader (0-3) walked Jorge Polanco and allowed a single to Max Kepler before Miranda´s drive.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Jace Peterson jogs home after hitting a solo home run off Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan, right, in the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)
“The slider wasn´t working the way it was,” Hader said. “I fell behind in a few counts and I think at the end of the day you´ve got to stick with what you know. Falling behind 1-0 and trying to squeeze in a very errant pitch and he took a hold of it. You tip your cap and keep moving. Sometimes it goes your way. Sometimes it doesn´t.”
Jhoan Duran (1-3) earned the first win of his career with one inning in relief, allowing one hit and a walk.Milwaukee had runners on first and second in the ninth inning, but Jace Peterson grounded into a 3-6-3 double play to end the threat.
Peterson homered earlier for the Brewers´ lone run. Milwaukee has lost five of its past seven games with three losses by two runs or less.
“We´ve kind of been in a dogfight here the last couple of weeks or so, a lot of close games,” reliever Brad Boxberger said.”It´s a matter of grinding through these last couple in San Fran and go into the All-Star break hot.”
Minnesota had plenty of chances to put the game away, but the Twins were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base through the first nine innings.
“We did a lot of good things, all the things you look for to win a game,” Baldelli said.”At some point when you get some baserunners on, someone´s got to come up and whack one, and we got it.”
FOR STARTERS
Joe Ryan gave up just two hits in 5 1/3 innings for Minnesota. He allowed Peterson´s solo homer leading off the third.
Aaron Ashby struggled to put away Twins hitters – until it mattered.In his third start since coming off the injured list for left forearm inflammation, Ashby threw 101 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. He surrendered six hits and walked three but allowed just one run.
Minnesota left seven runners on base in the first four innings against the left-hander, but Ashby´s day was done after a pair of one-out singles in the fifth.Trevor Gott came on in relief and stranded both runners.
TRAINER´S ROOM
Brewers: OF Christian Yelich missed his second straight game with mid-back tightness.
Twins: RHP Joe Smith was reinstated from the 15-day injured list after recovering from upper trap tightness.RHP Josh Winder was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul. … RHP Chris Archer, on the 15-day injured list with left hip tightness, is lined up to start Sunday.
UP NEXT
Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes (7-4, 2.20 ERA) opens Milwaukee´s four-game series in San Francisco on Thursday.The Giants will counter with LHP Carlos Rodón (8-5, 2.70) in a matchup of two starters headed to the All-Star Game.
Twins: RHP Sonny Gray (4-2, Turnkey Sportsbook Software 3.03) starts Thursday as Minnesota hosts the White Sox for a four-game series. Gray surrendered a season-high five runs in 4 2/3 innings against Texas in his last start.Chicago is scheduled to start RHP Johnny Cueto (3-4, 2.91).
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Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby throws against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Minnesota Twins center fielder Gilberto Celestino (67) makes a jumping effort but Milwaukee Brewers’ Jace Peterson home run eludes him in the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Gott (48) throws in relief of starter Aaron Ashby against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby heads to the dugout after he was pulled in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby, right, waits to be pulled in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Minneapolis.(AP Photo/Jim Mone)