Twins waste their own six-run inning in 9-7 loss to Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas – When the Twins dropped Saturday's game to the Rangers 9-7, it wasn't exactly shocking. Even manager Rocco Baldelli said several losses in recent weeks have resembled this one.

The Twins take the lead only to immediately lose it, usually pretty late in the game.

"Over the course of a season, you're going to be in ruts, and you're going to struggle a little bit as a group," Baldelli said. "… When they're not going your way, you've got to look at why, and you've got to spend some time on it."

Saturday's game at Globe Life Field featured several areas that could use improvement. For starting pitching, it was Devin Smeltzer going only 3⅓ innings and giving up seven runs, including three-run homers to Kole Calhoun and Marcus Semien plus a solo shot to Corey Seager. For defense, it was Nick Gordon's mistake in left field trying to catch a line drive in the eighth inning, only to have it bounce over his head and turn what could have been a single into a game-winning RBI triple.

Jhoan Duran took the loss, giving up two runs and three hits in that eighth inning. The offense might be the only facet of the Twins' game that didn't struggle, as it has posted a collective 20 runs in the past three games — all losses to the White Sox and Rangers. Jose Miranda and Gary Sanchez both smashed multi-run homers in the fourth inning Saturday, when Byron Buxton also contributed an RBI double to give the Twins a 6-3 lead. Gilberto Celestino drove in the run that tied the score 7-7 in the top of the eighth.

But the Rangers re-established their lead immediately after each of those showings.

"You've just got to keep rolling," Smeltzer said of how the Twins pull out of the tailspin. "Honestly, you're going to lose games that are tight. You're going to win big. It's baseball. There's just so many different outcomes that can happen. … You just control what you can and try to limit damage when you can."

For this series against the Rangers, that would be avoiding just their second three-game sweep of the season in Sunday's game and tightening their grip on the American League Central, which they currently lead at 47-40. The Twins have yet to lose four games in a row this season.

Thornburg back with Saints

Reliever Tyler Thornburg, who the Twins designated for assignment earlier this month, cleared waivers and accepted a spot back with the Class AAA Saints. He has a 2.79 ERA through 9⅔ innings with the Twins this season.