Twins 3, Reds 1: Garver, Jake help halt the skid

A couple of runs manufactured with the help of Mitch Garver, combined with a solid six-inning outing from starter Jake Odorizzi, led the Minnesota Twins to their first victory in over a week, as they took down the Cincinnati Reds 3-1.

Odorizzi struck out his first two batters of the ballgame, but let the Reds get on the board first when Scott Schelber hit a solo homer in the second. Garver doubled and Ehire Adrianza walked to get a threat going in the next inning, but nothing came of it.

In the fourth, however, the Twins were able to make something happen. Eduardo Escobar plated Eddie Rosario with a double to right, advanced to third on an error by the right fielder Jesse Winker, then came home to score two batters later on a Robbie Grossman sac fly.

The Twins knocked Cincinnati starter Sal Romano out of the game in the fifth; Garver led off the frame with a solo shot to left, and after an Adrianza double (he was removed from second base quite quickly when Brian Dozier immediately lined into a double play), Joe Mauer walk, and Eddie Rosario single, Romano was pulled.

That would be it for the scoring. With the game at 3-1, Jake Odorizzi found himself replaced when Adam Duvall led off the seventh with a ground-rule double. But from there, the bullpen actually managed to shut it down. Zach Duke pitched a scoreless frame, Addison Reed worked a quick eighth, and Fernando Rodney...well, walked two of his first three batters, but induced a pair of infield pop-ups to seal the deal for the Twinkies.

Tomorrow, the Reds will leave town for another 17 years, and they’ll send Tyler Mahle to the mound against Jose Berrios in a battle for the series victory. See you then!

STUDS:

LF Eddie Rosario (2-for-4, R)

C Mitch Garver (2-for-4, 2B, HR)

SP Jake Odorizzi (6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)

DUDS:

NO DUDS! TWINS WIN! TWINS WIN!

ROBOT ROLL CALL: