Pinch hitter Walker Jenkins broke a seventh-inning tie with an RBI single, Connor Prielipp combined with three relievers on a five-hitter and the Minnesota Twins completed their road schedule with a 4-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
Luke Keaschall drove in two runs with a home run and a sacrifice fly while Josh Bell added an insurance run with an RBI single in the seventh for the Twins (75-84), who went 4-3 on their final trip of the season against the Los Angeles Angels and Giants (65-94).
Shay Whitcomb gave the Giants a brief lead with a two-run single in the fourth, but Keaschall’s sacrifice fly evened the score in the fifth. Then the Twins plated the difference-makers against the San Francisco bullpen in the seventh.
After Emmanuel Rodriguez led off with a walk against Dylan Smith (0-6) — the Giants’ third pitcher — a throwing error by San Francisco shortstop Christian Koss trying to complete a double play allowed pinch hitter Kody Clemens to reach second base.
Jenkins then came on as a pinch hitter and delivered his go-ahead single to right.
Sam Hentges relieved Smith with two outs and walked Brooks Lee, which set the stage for Bell’s single to center that made it 4-2.
Protecting a two-run advantage, Yoendrys Gomez (3-4) retired the Giants in order in the seventh. A.J. Minter did the same in the eighth and Andrew Morris stranded runners at first and second in the ninth by striking out Whitcomb on a full count for his fifth save.
Prielipp allowed two runs and four of the Giants’ five hits in his 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Giants starter Cesar Perdomo posted similar numbers, limiting the Twins to two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out two without issuing a walk.
Other than Keaschall’s homer, the game featured just two extra-base hits — a triple by the Twins’ Ben Ross and a double by the Giants’ Andrew Knizner.
Whitcomb was the only player with multiple hits for the Giants, who complete their schedule at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series that begins Friday.
