MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Royce Lewis slipped an RBI single up the middle in the 10th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Colorado Rockies 9-8 on Friday night after blowing a seven-run lead.
Lewis had his first career walk-off hit and Minnesota’s first of the season.
Pinch-running for Josh Bell at second, Kyler Fedko advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Jimmy Herget (0-2) before Lewis hit a grounder past a diving Ezequiel Tovar at shortstop. The Twins won for the seventh time in 11 games.
Hunter Goodman hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run ninth inning and give the Rockies, who trailed 7-0 after seven innings, an 8-7 lead. Jake McCarthy hit a three-run shot two batters earlier off Eric Orze.
Goodman’s 451-foot shot to left field came off Anthony Banda, who had not allowed a run in his past 18 appearances, but blew a save for the second time this season.
Pinch-hitters Austin Martin and Ryan Kreidler singled with one out for Minnesota in the ninth and a high chopper by Byron Buxton went over the head of third baseman Willi Castro to tie it.
Andrew Morris (3-2) pitched a scoreless 10th inning for the Twins and got some defensive help from his shortstop.
With one out, Tristan Gray fielded a grounder on the infield grass and threw out Tyler Freeman trying to score from third base.
Kody Clemens hit a two-run home run in the first inning for the Twins. Brooks Lee lofted a fly ball just inside the right-field foul pole for a two-run home run in the second.
Trevor Larnach doubled and scored on a Buxton double. Clemens walked and Bell doubled to plate Buxton and Clemens to make it 7-0 in the fifth inning.
Up next
Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-9, 7.11 ERA) was scheduled to pitch Saturday night against RHP Mike Paredes (0-0, 4.05).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Mike Cook, The Associated Press
