Alex Kirilloff blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to help the Minnesota Twins rally for a 5-3 win against the Texas Rangers in the second game of their three-game series Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis, Minn.
Twins starter Chris Paddack allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Cole Sands (2-0) threw two innings of scoreless relief before Jhoan Duran pitched the ninth for his sixth save for the Twins, who have won four in a row following a seven-game losing streak.
Rangers starter Michael Lorenzen allowed one run and three hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Ezequiel Duran homered and Leody Taveras had two hits and an RBI for Texas, which has lost six in a row and 12 of 14.
Lorenzen came out for the seventh inning, but departed after showing discomfort in his lower body following a couple warm-up pitches.
Jesus Tinoco replaced Lorenzen and gave up a lead-off single to Kirilloff followed by an eight-pitch walk to Carlos Santana.
David Robertson (2-2) replaced Tinoco with one out and appeared to strike out Edouard Julien on a foul top that was caught by catcher Jonah Heim, but the home plate umpire ruled the ball hit the ground before it was caught, leading Rangers manager Bruce Bochy to be ejected for arguing the call.
Julien eventually walked to load the bases and Carlos Correa followed with a sacrifice fly to center to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Twins put their first two runners on base for the second straight inning in the eighth.
After getting a strikeout, Robertson left a slider over the plate and Kirilloff lifted it over the fence in left-center field for a 5-3 lead.
The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the first when Ryan Jeffers drew a bases-loaded walk.
The Rangers’ Adolis Garcia delivered a ground-rule double down the right-field line to score Corey Seager from second to tie the score 1-1 in the fourth.
Duran lifted a change-up deep over the fence in left to move Texas ahead 2-1 in the fifth.
Kody Funderburk replaced Paddack to start the sixth and walked Josh Smith with one out.
Smith stole second and came home on a two-out double off the wall in right-center field by Taveras to extend the lead to 3-1.