Forsythe notches 3 RBIs in Twins’ win over Pirates
MINNEAPOLIS — Logan Forsythe may be best known by Minnesota fans as the player who replaced fan favorite Brian Dozier.
The lone major leaguer of the three players the Dodgers sent to the Upper Midwest on July 31 for the second baseman, Forsythe has filled in capably.
Forsythe had three RBIs, the Minnesota bullpen tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings and the Twins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-4, on Wednesday.
In 13 games with Minnesota, Forsythe is hitting .386 with six multi-hit games. He had eight in 70 games this season with the Dodgers.
“It’s about consistency and these guys throwing me out there every day and letting me play my game is luckily paying off getting some hits and playing some good ball,” he said.
Oliver Drake, Gabriel Moya (3-0), Tyler Duffey and Taylor Rogers allowed five hits and struck out three before Trevor Hildenberger picked up his third save in four chances. Minnesota is 16-4 in its past 20 home games. Josh Harrison had three hits for the Pirates, who were 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Pittsburgh has dropped three straight.
Forsythe’s two-run single off reliever Edgar Santana (2-2) highlighted a three-run sixth as the Twins took a 5-4 lead.
“He just has a calmness about situational hitting. He knows how to execute, he knows how to put the ball in play for a chance to get guys in from third, hits the ball up the middle really well,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Pirates starter Chris Archer retired 10 straight batters before giving up back-to-back singles, including an RBI by Jorge Polanco, to
start the sixth, ending his day.
Acquired from Tampa Bay on July 31, Archer allowed four earned runs and six hits in five innings. In his first three starts with the Pirates, Archer has allowed nine earned runs in 14 1/3 innings.
“They had some productive at-bats,” he said. “They fouled some, they had some good takes. But I got to be better than that. I am better than that. And I will be better than that.”
Minnesota starter Jose Berrios allowed four runs — three earned — as he labored through
3 2/3 innings, his shortest start since April 29.
After a 1-2-3 first, Pittsburgh had at least two runners on in three straight innings, with a two-run single by Gregory Polanco putting the Pirates up 4-2 in the fourth. Elias Diaz homered to start the inning.
Berrios has allowed nine earned runs in 12 2/3 innings in three August starts. He is
8-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 13 nights starts this season, but 3-6 with a
4.91 ERA in 12 day starts. Both his complete games have been during the day.