AZCENTRAL SPORTS
Godley strikes out 10 but suffers loss
The Twins’ Byron Buxton slides past D-Backs catcher Chris Iannetta for an inside-the-park home run, one of six homers allowed by Arizona in a 10-3 loss in Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS - Miguel Sano hit two of the Twins’ season high-tying six home runs, including an inside-thepark dash by Byron Buxton, and Minnesota powered past the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-3 Friday night.
Eduardo Escobar, Max Kepler and Brian Dozier also went deep for Minnesota. Buxton finished a single shy of the cycle.
David Peralta had three hits for Arizona, including a home run.
Leading 4-3 in the seventh, Sano hit the first pitch from reliever David Hernandez 452 feet into the second deck in left-center for two runs. Escobar added a two-run shot two batters later for an 8-3 lead.
Sano hit one even further, 474 feet into the third deck, in the eighth for his first multi-homer game this season and third of his career.
Minnesota also hit six home runs May 2 against Oakland.
Down 3-2 in the fourth, Buxton hit a ball high off the wall in right-center that rolled toward center field. As A.J. Pollock gave chase, Buxton circled the bases in 13.85 seconds, the fastest ever tracked by MLB Statcast, narrowly beating the throw by sliding headfirst across home plate.
Buxton scored after doubling in the sixth, the first of 25 inherited runners to score this year against Diamondbacks reliever Jorge De La Rosa.
Seeking to become the first Twin since Michael Cuddyer on May 22, 2009, to accomplish the cycle, Buxton, who tripled in the second, lined out to Daniel Descalso in the seventh.
Arizona starter Zack Godley (5-6) tied a career high by striking out 10, but allowed four earned runs in 51⁄3 innings.
Welcome back Gardy
Arizona bench coach Ron Gardenhire returned to Target Field for the first time as an opponent and received a standing ovation after a video tribute.
The winningest manager in Twins history (1,068-1,039), Gardenhire led Minnesota to six postseason appearances in his 13 years in charge. He was let go after the 2014 season.
“He did a lot of good things in this town. He deserves all that attention,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.