Walker Jenkins homered, Luke Keaschall contributed both offensively and defensively, and the Minnesota Twins evened their road interleague series against the San Francisco Giants with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.
Taj Bradley (12-6) combined with four relievers on a six-hitter for the Twins (74-84), who used two late diving catches by Keaschall in right field to prevent the Giants (65-93) from following up Monday’s 5-2 success with a second consecutive win.
San Francisco’s lone run off Bradley came via a successful squeeze bunt by Drew Cavanaugh in the second inning. It followed singles by Shay Whitcomb and Scott Bandura.
Bradley allowed just one other hit — a fifth-inning single by Drew Gilbert — in his six innings. He walked three and struck out six.
Meanwhile, the Twins allowed Bradley to leave the game with a lead by scoring twice in the sixth off Giants starter Anthony Molina (3-2), who had carried a one-hit shutout into the inning.
Keaschall had the big hit of the uprising, a one-out triple that scored Ryan Kreidler, who had singled. Brooks Lee then gave Minnesota the lead for good with a run-scoring single.
Molina left after six innings, charged with two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out six.
Jenkins’ homer leading off the seventh, his fourth of the season, gave the Twins a 3-1 lead and set the stage for Keaschall’s defensive heroics.
His first highlight-reel catch on a liner by Osleivis Basabe came after the Giants had put runners at first and second with one out in the seventh. Keaschall threw to first base in an unsuccessful attempt to double off Christian Koss, but Minnesota first baseman Royce Lewis then alertly threw to second to beat Andrew Knizner back to the bag and end the inning.
Keaschall made a near-identical, forward-diving catch on a Turner Hill liner in the eighth with one out and a runner at first. Bo Davidson followed with a single and pinch-runner Grant McCray stole second, but A.J. Minter struck out Whitcomb to retain the two-run lead.
Closer Jeff Hoffman walked Brett Harris and hit Knizner to lead off an adventurous ninth, after which a sacrifice bunt by Koss moved the potential tying runs into scoring position. Basabe then drew a walk to load the bases before Jonah Cox’s fielder’s choice produced an out at third base, scoring Harris.
Hoffman then escaped with his sixth save by striking out Victor Bericoto on a full count.
Lee, with two singles, was the only batter in the game with multiple hits.
