Twins split doubleheader with Cleveland

Published 8:05 am Friday, August 18, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS — Max Kepler made up for a fielding mistake in the top of the inning with the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the seventh, sending the Minnesota Twins to a 4-2 victory over Cleveland in the second game on Thursday night to salvage a doubleheader split with the Indians.

Twins starter Aaron Slegers sailed through 6 1/3 innings in his major league debut, helping stop Cleveland’s six-game winning streak. The Indians had also won 10 straight games in Minnesota, all but one this season.

Yan Gomes and Jason Kipnis each homered and had three hits for the Indians in a 9-3 victory in the opener as the Twins set a franchise record with 19 strikeouts.

Email newsletter signup

Recalled from Triple-A Rochester as the 26th player for the nightcap, Slegers allowed only two hits and two runs with two walks and two strikeouts. The 6-foot-10 right-hander lost the lead when he left a runner on with one out in the seventh and Carlos Santana greeted Trevor Hildenberger (2-1) with an RBI triple while Kepler slipped in the right-field corner trying to grab it.

But Kepler responded with his 15th homer, off Mike Clevinger (6-5) in a spot relief appearance, and Matt Belisle recorded the last two outs for his third save.

Jay Bruce homered with two outs in the fourth inning for Cleveland’s first hit off Slegers, giving the veteran right fielder five extra-base hits and six RBIs in eight games since being acquired in a trade with the New York Mets.