Back To Back Homers In 8th Push Twins Past Angels
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Oswaldo Arcia didn't need to wait for the Spanish translation when asked if he'd ever seen a home run travel as far as teammate Byung Ho Park's eighth-inning drive on Saturday.
"Wow," the Venezuela-born outfielder said of the 462-foot solo shot to center — the fifth-longest homer in Target Field history — that provided Minnesota some insurance.
Arcia and Park both homered in the eighth to lift Minnesota over the Los Angeles Angels 6-4, giving the Twins their second consecutive comeback victory after opening the season with nine straight defeats.
"Yesterday we broke the losing streak, today we won, so it's a two-game winning streak," Park said through a translator. "It's great to hear the music in the clubhouse again."
Trevor Plouffe had three hits and also homered for Minnesota, and starter Ricky Nolasco recovered from a four-run second to give the Twins seven innings for the second consecutive start. Nolasco managed to preserve a 4-all tie despite working himself into a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh with Mike Trout at the plate.
Twins manager Paul Molitor had reliever Michael Tonkin ready in the bullpen. After a short chat on the mound, though, Nolasco stayed in and induced Trout into a groundout.
"I was just more glad to not let them down and get that last out and get us back in the dugout with some momentum," Nolasco said.
Arcia broke the tie with his first home run of the season. It came off reliever Joe Smith (0-1) and was Minnesota's first hit since the fifth inning. One batter later, Park — who had the decisive hit Friday night — added his own solo shot.
Ryan Pressly (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the win in relief of Nolasco. Kevin Jepsen threw a scoreless ninth for his second save.
Nolasco wasn't as sharp as his first outing against Kansas City. The veteran righty gave up all four of his earned runs in the second inning, blowing an early 2-0 lead.
"He definitely found his breaking ball and used all his pitches. After the four runs, we didn't get too many good looks at him. He knows what he's doing," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Angels starter Jered Weaver usually dominates Minnesota — he is 9-2 against the Twins and hasn't lost to them since August 2010 — but he struggled early on Saturday. He allowed two runs in the first inning, and Plouffe tagged Weaver for a solo homer in the third and a tying double in the fifth.
Minnesota jumped ahead 2-0 before Los Angeles got five straight hits against Nolasco in the second to take a 4-2 lead.
"We have to get it going down on our end, because these guys are playing too well," Smith said. "We should've won that game last night, definitely. And it easily should've still been a tie game going into that ninth."
PARK'S POWER
The 29-year-old Park went 1 for 3 to raise his average to .194. Park is in his first season in the majors after spending several years in the Korean Baseball Organization.
"The one thing that I don't think people realize, there's something about seeing a guy multiple times over years, and everybody he's facing, it's for the first time," Molitor said. "You watch video, you can do different things and compare yourself to other hitters and how you might get pitched. But you've got to go up there and see it and so that's a tough thing to ask for a guy, even if he's got experience in another league."
FAST START
Twins INF Eduardo Nunez had two hits and is batting .818 (9 for 11) in his three starts this season. "When he gets hot, it's tough to get him out," Molitor said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: The team placed reserve OF Daniel Nava on the disabled list with left knee tendinitis. Scioscia said the knee gave Nava trouble in spring training before flaring up during a series in Oakland earlier in the week. The Angels recalled Rafael Ortega from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Nava's spot on the roster. ... Scioscia said LHP Tyler Skaggs, working his way back from reconstructive elbow surgery, felt good after throwing three innings for Salt Lake on Friday.
Twins: Molitor said OF Byron Buxton's bruised left hand was feeling better, but Buxton needs to feel more comfortable in batting practice before returning.
UP NEXT
Angels: Nick Tropeano (1-0) makes his second start of the season Sunday after throwing five scoreless innings in his season debut last Monday at Oakland.
Twins: Kyle Gibson (0-2) will try for his first win against the Angels on Sunday in his third start of the season. Gibson has faced Los Angeles six times, going 0-2 with a 7.18 ERA, nine walks and 17 strikeouts.
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