ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michael A. Taylor and Ryan Jeffers each hit a two-run homer, and the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Thursday night.
The Twins took two of three from the Cardinals and increased their division lead to 2 1/2 games over idle Cleveland. Minnesota has won just twice in its last eight games.
Sonny Gray (5-4) picked up the win in his first start with the Twins, giving up two runs and five hits in seven innings.
Jhoan Duran gave up a leadoff single in the ninth to Alex Burleson, his third hit in a 3-for-4 night. Burleson scored on a ground out. After a two-out infield single, Duran struck out Taylor Motter to pick up his 19th save.
Matthew Liberatore (1-4) pitched 5 2/3 innings before chased with the bases loaded in the sixth. Drew Verhagen issued a walk to Taylor for a run before getting a strikeout to end the threat. Liberatore allowed five earned runs and six hits with two walks.
Minnesota stung Liberatore with two, two-run home runs in the second. Jeffers homered to center field to score Edouard Julien. Willie Castro followed with a double off Liberatore’s foot as the ball caromed into short left field. After stealing third, he walked home when Taylor hit a 3-0 pitch into Big Mac Land in the third deck in left field for a 4-0 lead.
St. Louis got a run back in the second when Dylan Carlson sliced a double to left, scoring Tommy Edman.
Alec Burleson hit a one-out home run into the right-field bullpen, cutting the Twins lead to 5-2. Burleson hit a three-run homer in Wednesday’s loss.
ROSTER MOVES
Twins: LHP Dallas Keuchel has had his contract from Triple-A St. Paul picked up. Keuchel, 35, has gone 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in six starts for the Saints this season. He was named International League Pitcher of the Month for July. He has played in parts of 11 major league seasons with Houston, Atlanta, Chicago White Sox, Arizona and Texas.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: RHP Joe Ryan (left groin strain) was placed on the 15-day Injured List. Ryan, 27, took the loss Wednesday to fall to 9-8. This move makes room for Keuchel on the 26-man roster. ... Transferred RHP José De León to the 60-day IL and that makes room for Keuchel on the 40-man roster. De León underwent Tommy John surgery on July 19. ... DH Byron Buxton (right hamstring tightness) remained out of the lineup Thursday. He was a late scratch Wednesday.
Cardinals: 2B Nolan Gorman (right foot) was a late scratch when he experienced discomfort in his pregame work. He fouled a ball off his foot in Wednesday’s game. He earlier missed games Sunday and with back soreness. ... RHP Ryan Helsley (right forearm strain) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and did well. He may begin a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (6-5, 3.19) will face Arizona RHP Merrill Kelly (9-5, 3.23).
Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (3-5, 7.18) faces Colorado RHP Chris Flexen (0-5, 8.08).
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