Twins hand Phillies ninth straight loss

By: Theo DeRosa, contributor

Final: Twins 6, Phillies 5

MINNEAPOLIS —A two-run triple that glanced off the glove of Peter Bourjos proved crucial in the Phillies' 6–5 loss Wednesday night, the team's ninth straight defeat.

The Phillies took a 5–2 lead in the fifth inning but blew the lead in the bottom of the frame as the Minnesota Twins went on to take the game, 6–5, and capture a series victory against the reeling Phillies.

WP: Taylor Rogers (3-0, 4.12) ❖ LP: David Hernandez (1-2, 4.41) ❖ S: Fernando Abad (1)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
PHI	0	1	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	5	9	1
MIN	1	1	0	0	3	0	1	0	X	6	13	1

The second game of three played at Target Field was delayed for over an hour due to rain and lightning before the game could get underway, as the first pitch was thrown at 9:20 rather than the scheduled time of 8:10.

Singles from Joe Mauer, Robbie Grossman, and Trevor Plouffe pushed across the first run for the Twins in the first inning off Adam Morgan.

Cameron Rupp punctuated the second with a solo shot just over the right-field wall to quickly tie the game up.

In the bottom of the second, Byron Buxton walked with two outs. He reached second on an errant pickoff attempt from Morgan, and would have taken third had he not tripped over the second-base bag. The failure to advance proved not to matter for Buxton, who scored on a single from Eduardo Nuñez that snuck into the outfield.

Andrés Blanco tied the game in the third on a ball that carried just over the fence in right-center for a home run, his third of the year.

Blanco's single in the fifth, plus a two-base error from right fielder Max Kepler, scored runners from first and second to put the Phillies up 4–2. Blanco promptly came home from third on an RBI single from Ryan Howard.

The Twins quickly equalized the game in the bottom of the frame. With two runners on, Peter Bourjos misplayed a hard liner in right, as the ball nicked off the top of his glove and went over his head. Both runners scored as the batter, Eduardo Escobar, reached third and soon scored on a single up the middle by Kepler to tie it.

After allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits in his five innings of work, Adam Morgan gave way to Andrew Bailey out of the Phillies' bullpen. Bailey, who limped off the mound after a perfect sixth, headed toward the clubhouse after the inning and was replaced by David Hernandez in the seventh. Bailey, it was later announced, suffered a left hamstring strain and is day-to-day.

Taylor Rogers came in for Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson after six innings and five runs (three earned). He worked around a single from Blanco (Blanco's third hit of the night) to pitch a scoreless seventh.

David Hernandez allowed singles to Plouffe and Escobar, then gave up the go-ahead run on a sac fly from Kepler. He had a disappointing outing Tuesday, continuing his struggles in this series.

Ryan Pressly and Fernando Abad combined to pitch a scoreless eighth for Minnesota, as Buxton made a great catch to rob pinch-hitter Tyler Goeddel of an extra-base hit.

Hector Neris pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, showing signs of improving from his recent string of sluggish appearances.

Abad closed out the game for the Twins with a perfect ninth, sending the Phillies to their ninth consecutive loss.

The Phils look to avoid the sweep Thursday in an afternoon game beginning at 1:10 p.m. Jerad Eickhoff will take on Ricky Nolasco from Target Field before the Phillies head out to San Francisco Friday.

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Starting Pitchers