MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie Brooks Lee drove had five RBIs, Carlos Santana went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer and the Minnesota Twins rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-2 Sunday for just their fourth win in 12 games.
Ryan Jeffers had two hits and two runs for the Twins, who scored eight times n the sixth and seventh innings to avoid a three-game sweep.
Minnesota (79-70) maintained a 2 1/2-game lead over Detroit (77-73) for the last AL wild card spot. The Twins play at Cleveland on Monday, starting a seven-game trip that ends in Boston.
Cole Sands (8-1) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings, as did Jorge Alcala, who struck out four.
With the Twins trailing 2-1 in the sixth, Santana hit a one-out double off Rhett Lowder (1-2), who made his fourth major league start. Trevor Larnach walked, Tony Santillan struck out Willi Castro, Jeffers hit an RBI double and Lee put the Twins ahead 4-2 with a two-run single.
Santana hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Justin Wilson, a drive off the facing of the second deck in left, and Lee had a a bases-loaded triple down the right field line.
Twins starter David Festa gave up two run, three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings, the second straight Minnesota starter who didn’t get out of the fourth inning.
UP NEXT
Reds: Cincinnati starts its final homestand on Tuesday against Atlanta.
Twins: RHP Pablo López (15-8, 3.88) will take the mound on Monday to start a four-game series in Cleveland. The first-place Guardians will counter with LHP Matt Boyd (2-1, 2.18).
___
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB
