Twins Best Pérez, Rangers In Series Opener

Despite a solid night from the Rangers ace, the Twins staff held Texas to four hits Friday night

The Texas Rangers needed a change of scenery, but they didn’t get a much-needed win against Minnesota, as they fell 2-1 to the Twins at Target Field on Friday night.

The Rangers (53-66) spent the last four games at home against Oakland remaking their organization. The Rangers fired team president Jon Daniels and put general manager Chris Young in charge of all baseball operations on Wednesday. The move, made by the team’s principal owner, Ray Davis, came two days after Daniels and Young fired manager Chris Woodward and elevated third-base coach Tony Beasley to interim manager.

Davis told reporters on Wednesday that Young would make the trip with the team and continue to communicate what the changes mean to them and the organization.

The Rangers lost another one-run game, and they are now 7-25 in such outcomes this season.

Meanwhile, the Twins and Rangers engaged a low-scoring game in which Minnesota (62-55) managed to do something few teams have this season — get the better of Rangers left-hander Martín Pérez (9-4).

All it took, at least on Friday, was two solo home runs in the Twins’ first four at-bats.

Pérez gave up his 10th and 11th home runs this season, and they were back-to-back. First, Twins first baseman Luis Arraez pulled a pitch into the right-field seats for a solo shot. Then Jose Miranda, the Twins’ designated hitter, pulled one into the left-field seats to give the Twins a 2-0 lead.

From there, Pérez got his groove back and finished six innings, giving up five hits, two runs (both earned), three walks and seven strikeouts in 97 pitches. It was his second straight start with seven strikeouts, and the third time he’s notched at least seven this month. He had nine in a start against Baltimore on Aug. 3.

Twins starter Dylan Bundy (7-5) was impeccable for most of his outing, which ended with an out in the sixth inning.

The right-hander navigated the Rangers lineup deftly, giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out two. The second hit, which Bubba Thompson delivered after running out a ground ball down the third base line, led to Marcus Semien striking out on a 2-2 pitch. After that, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli ended Bundy’s night after just 71 pitches and brought in Caleb Thielbar to face the Rangers’ Corey Seager.

The reliever was able to strike out Seager, but it took nine pitches. On the last pitch, Thompson moved to second. Then Nathaniel Lowe’s RBI single scored Thompson and cut the Twins’ lead by a run.

From there, the Twins bullpen handled the Rangers, with Trevor Medill giving up just one run in the sixth inning, the result of a Nathaniel Lowe RBI single that scored Bubba Thompson. Twins pitching gave up only four hits.

Texas made it interesting in the ninth, as Jonah Heim and Leody Taveras drew one-out walks from closer Jorge Lopez. But Brad Miller lined out to right field and Twins right fielder Max Kepler threw out Culberson, who didn’t tag up in time, for the game-ending double play.

The Rangers continue the series with Glenn Otto starting on Saturday, Kohei Arihara on Sunday and Cole Ragans on Monday. Saturday’s game will be on KRLD’s 1080-AM band as 105.3 The Fan will carry the Cowboys’ preseason game.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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