Max Kepler bashes first homer of spring, Byron Buxton collects two hits as Twins tie Rays

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Max Kepler crushed a two-run homer that sailed over the right field seats, and Byron Buxton collected his first two hits of the spring in the Twins’ 4-4 tie against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday at Hammond Stadium.

Kepler had the green light to swing in a 3-0 count, and he clobbered an 88-mph cutter from Rays pitcher Jacob Waguespack that floated over the middle of the plate in the fourth inning. It was the hardest-hit ball of the game at 109 mph.

Buxton, playing in his third Grapefruit League game, rocketed a line drive single to left field in the first inning, and reached on an infield single in the fifth inning.

“Everything that we could hope for, we’re getting from” Buxton, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “His body is responding very well.”

It was an impressive afternoon for Twins pitchers and catchers combining to stop Tampa Bay’s running game. Christian Vázquez tossed out two runners attempting to steal second base, and starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson picked off a runner at first base. Chris Williams, who replaced Vázquez at catcher in the late innings, tossed out another runner.

“It’s one of those things you can work on and you don’t always get the satisfaction of seeing it work, seeing what the positive results look like,” Baldelli said. “A lot of the times, you work on run game type things, you don’t see anything.”

Woods Richardson tossed two scoreless innings with two walks and one strikeout. Ryan Jensen, a nonroster invitee to camp, allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.

The two clubs combined for 25 hits, but they hit 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position.