Twins do themselves few favors in loss to Diamondbacks

[ASFN Admin]

Final​

Diamondbacks 9, Twins 5

Starting pitcher performance​

PHOENIX — His line shows he gave up six runs in six innings pitched, but Twins starter Connor Prielipp pitched much better than that for most of the night.

Only three of those runs were earned as the Twins’ defense fell apart behind him in the fifth inning, a four-run frame during which the Diamondbacks turned a two-run deficit into a two-run lead.

Prielipp did walk three batters, including the first one he faced in the fifth inning. It was the beginning of Arizona’s big inning, which unraveled as the Twins were unable to make plays behind the rookie left-hander. Prielipp finished the night at 97 pitches, completing six innings for the third time in his past four starts.

Key moment​

There were a number of pivotal moments in the Diamondbacks’ four-run fifth, which started with a walk from Prielipp and then a fielder’s choice to get the first out of the inning.

Corbin Carroll’s double put a pair of runners in scoring position before Brooks Lee had a ground ball bounce off him. Arizona’s second run of the game scored on the play.

The very next batter, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., hit what could have been an inning-ending double play ball. Instead, shortstop Tristan Gray made a poor throw that second baseman Luke Keaschall had to reach for. Keaschall’s throw to first was both too late and too high, and the game-tying run scored on the play.

After a Nolan Arenado single, Prielipp balked, moving runners to second and third. Ildemaro Vargas’ single, which appeared to hit Gray’s glove and pop into the outfield, plated two more runners as the Diamonbacks took the lead.

Player of the Game​

Carroll, the Diamondbacks’ star outfielder, finished with three hits and a walk. He doubled and scored a run as part of Arizona’s big fourth inning, and after the Twins had cut the lead to just one thanks to back-to-back home runs from Josh Bell and Royce Lewis in the eighth, he hit a bases-clearing double to give the Diamondbacks a four-run lead.

Up next​

Taj Bradley (5-3, 4.14 ERA) will take the ball on Saturday for the second game of the series against the Diamondbacks. He will be opposed by right-hander Zac Gallen (3-5, 5.35 ERA).

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