ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The theme of the Twins' three-game series at Tampa Bay was lopsided scoring. And the Twins were yet again on the winning side of that Sunday.
The Twins beat the Rays, 9-3, at Tropicana Field, posting five runs in the first inning. Saturday, the Twins won 9-1, a day after they had a seven-game winning streak end in a 6-1 loss in which the Rays struck for four first-inning runs.
The Twins have won nine of their past 10 games to improve to 13-9 as they make their way north for a four-game series with the Orioles starting Monday. The Rays fell to 12-10.
Tampa Bay starter Josh Fleming saw his first four batters reach base, including Kyle Garlick's RBI single and Jorge Polanco's two-run double. Max Kepler and Gary Sanchez both drove in runs before Fleming finally ended the inning by inducing a double play.
Byron Buxton, who was a late scratch from Saturday's lineup because of a hand contusion he endured from taking a pitch off his wrist Friday, was back at the top of the lineup and in center field Sunday. And he smashed a fourth-inning homer to end Fleming's day with five hits, five earned runs, three walks and one strikeout.
Polanco hit his second two-run double in the seventh inning while Trevor Larnach — who entered the game in the third inning as a pinch runner for Garlick (right calf tightness) — drove in a run on a single in the eighth inning.
Josh Winder made his first major league start for the Twins and was fantastic in earning his first career victory. He gave up only two hits and one walk in his six scoreless innings, also tallying seven strikeouts.
Tyler Duffey gave up Tampa Bay's first run in the seventh inning, on Taylor Walls' RBI double. Florida native Cole Sands then made his MLB debut in the eighth and gave up two runs, giving up a run-scoring single to Manuel Margot and an RBI double to Randy Arozarena.
