Twins power up to defeat Indians
CLEVELAND — Miguel Sano hit a two-run homer and Nelson Cruz connected for a solo shot to lead the injury-riddled Minnesota Twins to a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series between the AL Central’s top teams.
Sano homered in the sixth inning off Aaron Civale as the Twins hit the halfway point of this 60-game season in the same place they ended 2019. Minnesota stopped Cleveland’s three-year reign atop the division last year.
The Twins, who have several regulars and two starting pitchers on the injured list, lead the Indians by 2½ games.
RANGERS 3, ATHLETICS 2: Lance Lynn struck out eight in another workhorse start, Isiah-Kiner Falefa hit a go-ahead homer, and Texas ended its eight-game losing streak with a win over American League-leading Oakland. Kiner-Falefa, the primary shortstop with Elvis Andrus on the injured list, hit a solo shot in the second inning off Jesus Luzardo, snapping a 2-2 tie to put the Rangers ahead to stay.
CUBS 9, TIGERS 3: Javier Baez hit two home runs, and Chicago beat host Detroit to become the second franchise in major league history to post 11,000 wins, beating host Detroit. Only the Giants have won more, with 11,179 victories after starting in New York in 1883 and later moving to San Francisco.
CARDINALS 9, ROYALS 3: Paul DeJong drove in three runs in his second game back from battling COVID-19 and Jack Flaherty tossed five shutout innings to help host St. Louis beat Kansas City. Paul Goldschmidt homered and also drove in three for the Cardinals, who have won four of five.
MARLINS 11, NATIONALS 8: Jesus Aguilar drove in three runs, and Miami defeated host Washington, taking three of the five games in the series. Miami entered the series on a five-game losing streak.
BLUE JAYS 6, RAYS 4: Randal Grichuk hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning before later leaving with lower back tightness, and Toronto won at Tampa Bay.
BREWERS 4, REDS 2: Justin Smoak homered and drove in three runs as host Milwaukee cooled off Trevor Bauer and Cleveland to snap a four-game skid.
ROCKIES 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2: Raimel Tapia hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning, and Colorado won at Arizona to snap a seven-game losing streak.