Luke Keaschall blasted his first career homer off former Minnesota teammate Chris Paddack as the visiting Twins downed the Detroit Tigers 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Keaschall, who was activated from the injured list on Tuesday after recovering from a forearm fracture, added a run-scoring single. Ryan Jeffers had two doubles, scored two runs and drove in another. Kody Clemens supplied three hits, a run scored and an RBI while Trevor Larnach contributed a solo homer.
Winning pitcher Zebby Matthews (3-3) gave up one run and five hits struck out six and walked one in five innings. Justin Topa recorded the last three outs for his first save of the season.
Paddack (4-10) was making his second start for Detroit after being acquired from the Twins early last week. He gave up four runs and six hits in four innings.
Jahmai Jones had a two-run triple and Kerry Carpenter added two hits and an RBI for the Tigers.
Home plate umpire Chad Fairchild left the game in the seventh inning after being struck in the head by a foul ball.
The Twins grabbed an early 3-0 lead with two out in the first. Jeffers and Clemens hit back-to-back doubles before Keaschall smashed a Paddack cutter over the left-center field wall.
Detroit broke through in the third. Colt Keith smacked a one-out double. With two down, Carpenter hit a liner to center and Austin Martin tried to make a sliding catch but the ball popped out of his glove. It was scored as a double, which brought home Keith.
Larnach gave Minnesota a 4-1 lead in the next inning when he ambushed a 2-1 cutter from Paddack and drove it over the right-center field wall.
The Twins made it 6-1 in the fifth against Rafael Montero. Matt Wallner drew a walk and scored on Jeffers’ double to center. Keaschall knocked in Jeffers with a single.
Detroit rallied in the eighth. Matt Vierling and Spencer Torkelson reached on singles and Jones brought them home with a two-out triple.
–Field Level Media
