The Minnesota Twins (30-24) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (27-27) 4-2 on Tuesday night at Steinbrenner Field to even the series at one game apiece. With the loss, the Rays saw their winning streak end at six games.
The Twins got single runs in the first and second to build a 2-0 lead, before Jonathan Aranda hit a RBI single in the fourth to make it 2-1. The Twins made it 3-1 in the sixth before Kameron Misner drove in a run on a groundout in the seventh to pull within 3-2. Minnesota added insurance in the eighth with a Ty France RBI single to make it 4-2, which would prove to be the final score.
Taj Bradley (4-4, 4.38) took the loss - he worked seven innings in this game, allowing three runs (two of them earned) on five hits while striking out six and walking one. Former Rays prospect Joe Ryan (5-2, 2.57) picked up the win allowing one earned run on five hits while striking out five and walking one.
The Rays and Twins will now meet in the rubber game of their three-game series on Wednesday afternoon. Drew Rasmussen (3-4, 2.60) is scheduled to start for the Rays and face Pablo Lopez (4-2, 2.31) for the Twins. First pitch from Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is scheduled for 1:10 PM - pregame coverage begins with Ronnie Lane hosting the Inside Pitch at high noon on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES