Nationals beat Twins 12-6; recap: 9/12/19
The Washington Nationals took two out of three games in their series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field to keep in front of the pack in the Wild Card race. Thursday’s win was a 12-6 slugfest that saw a combined six home runs.
The Nats took a 1-0 lead in the first on a solo shot from Anthony Rendon for his 33rd of the season.
The Twins tied it in the bottom of the first as Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin ran into trouble. Luis Arraz got on with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Nelson Cruz. Eddie Rosario drove him home with a single to right field.
The Nationals responded with two runs in the third. After loading the bases, Juan Soto beat out a double play attempt as Trea Turner crossed the plate. Asdrubal Cabrera later followed with a line drive into center field to score Adam Eaton to go up 3-1.
The Twins got one back in the bottom of the frame with Nelson Cruz’s 36th homer of the season. In the fifth, Eaton smashed a solo shot over the big right field wall for his 14th.
With Soto on first later in the inning, Cabrera came through again, this time with a triple to right field to bring him home. Cabrera scored on a wild pitch from Twins starter Kyle Gibson to make it 6-2.
Minnesota answered in the bottom of the fifth with Cruz’s second RBI of the game, a single that scored Mitch Garver. The very next inning, the Nationals tacked on four more runs. First Rendon doubled home Victor Robles. Then Juan Soto smashed a two-run shot for his 34th of the year. Reminder: he’s 20.
The Twins rallied for four runs in the eighth which included a two-run homer from Jonathan Schoop but within four runs was the closest they would get. The Nats added insurance in the ninth with a two-run homer from Yan Gomes for his 10th of the season.
The Nats open a three game series with the first place Atlanta Braves beginning tonight.
