WASHINGTON (AP) — Keibert Ruiz homered, doubled twice and drove in four runs to lift the Washington Nationals to a 7-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.
Ruiz's solo shot off John Klein (0-1) broke a 5-all tie in the seventh, and Curtis Mead added an RBI single later that inning. PJ Poulin (3-0) won in relief, and Gus Varland got four outs for his fourth save.
Ryan Jeffers homered for Minnesota.
Brooks Lee opened the scoring with a two-run
single for the Twins in the second, but Kody Clemens was thrown out at home by center fielder Jacob Young when he tried to score on Tristan Gray's flyout. That was one of several crucial mistakes by Minnesota.
With two out in the third, Austin Martin rounded third too far on Jeffers' double, getting caught in a rundown for the third out. Then Washington tied it when Ruiz doubled home Young and scored on Nasim Nuñez's sacrifice fly.
Gray put the Twins up 3-2 with a run-scoring single in the fifth, but Ruiz hit a two-run double in the bottom half, and with the bases loaded and one out, second baseman Luke Keaschall and right fielder Matt Wallner let Mead's popup fall between them, enabling another run to score.
Jeffers' solo shot in the sixth made it 5-4, but reliever Orlando Ribalta struck out Byron Buxton with the bases loaded to keep Washington ahead. After pinch-hitter Josh Bell tied it with an RBI double in the seventh, Ruiz and the Nats answered with two quick runs.
The Twins open a three-game series at Cleveland on Friday night. LHP Connor Prielipp (1-0) starts for Minnesota against LHP Parker Messick (3-1).
Washington starts a three-game set at Miami. LHP Foster Griffin (3-1) takes the mound for the Nationals against LHP Robby Snelling.
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