ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brian Dozier hit a bases-clearing double and the Minnesota Twins beat Texas 3-2 on Monday night, ending the Rangers’ AL-best four-game winning streak.
Dozier’s two-out double in the fifth came after Martin Perez (1-3) walked the bases loaded, giving free passes to the three of the bottom four batters in the Twins lineup. Dozier had only three RBIs his first 17 games this season.
Those were the only walks and runs allowed by Perez in his six innings.
Phil Hughes (3-1) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander, who has won all three of his road starts this season, struck out two and walked one.
Brandon Kintzler worked the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances. The right-hander hasn’t allowed a run in his 9 1-3 innings over nine appearances.
The Rangers (9-11), the AL West champion the past two seasons, missed a chance to reach .500 for the first time this year. They were coming off a four-game series sweep against Kansas City.
Mike Napoli scored the only Texas runs. After his leadoff double in the second, Rougned Odor followed with an RBI double. Napoli was hit by a pitch to start the fourth, and scored on Joey Gallo’s single.
Gallo, the young slugger playing every day with third baseman Adrian Beltre on the disabled list, has six home runs and 15 RBIs.
BANISTER EJECTION
Rangers manager Jeff Banister was ejected by home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez soon after Elvis Andrus was called out on a third strike that appeared to be outside for the second out of the ninth. Banister was unhappy about several such calls in the game, and directed words toward Marquez when going out to make a pitching change in the eighth. It was Banister’s second ejection in less than a week.
SANO’S APPEAL
Minnesota’s Miguel Sano played after appealing his one-game suspension for what Major League Baseball deemed “aggressive actions” that caused the benches to clear during a game Saturday against Detroit. The suspension was announced earlier Monday.
Sano was 0-for-4 with a strikeout and grounded into a double play, but the third baseman had a nifty catch. With the defense shift in the second against Gallo, Sano ran a long way into foul territory and then drifted back across the line in short left field to make the catch with his arm almost fully extended while falling to the ground.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: LHP Ryan O’Bourke (left forearm strain) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man roster for RHP Nick Tepesch, whose contract was selected from Rochester when LHP Buddy Boshers was optioned to the Triple-A team.
Rangers: RHP Tyson Ross (thoracic outlet syndrome) played catch again Monday and plans to push a little more each day. … LHP A.J. Griffin (gout left ankle) said the swelling is down a lot. He could potentially start Friday, the day he is eligible to come off the 10-day DL.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Ervin Santana, 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA is four starts this season, makes his 32nd career start for Texas.
Rangers: Andrew Cashner’s third start for Texas will be the first in his career against Minnesota, one of three MLB teams he hasn’t faced. Boston and Tampa Bay are the others.
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