Kepler's grand slam help Twins clobber Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas - Rookie Max Kepler hit his first career grand slam to spark the Minnesota Twins to a 15-5 win over the struggling Texas Rangers on Sunday.
The win was the fifth in seven meetings for the Twins against Texas, which has now dropped seven of its last nine games. The Rangers head to the All-Star break with a 5 1/2-game lead, their smallest since June 14.
The Kepler slam, the first for Minnesota this year, capped a five-run fifth inning for the Twins off Texas starter A.J. Griffin (3-1). Minnesota led 1-0 entering the frame thanks to a solo homer from Kennys Vargas in the fourth inning.
An RBI single by Joe Mauer made it 2-0 and after Griffin walked Vargas to load the bases, Kepler launched his eighth homer of the season into the seats in right.
The Twins were far from done. Minnesota scored seven more runs off the Texas bullpen in the seventh highlighted by back-to-back homers from Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier as the Twins extended their led to 13-2.
Lefty Tom Milone (2-2) was the primary beneficiary of the 17-hit attack. Milone allowed two runs on five hits in five innings to pick up his second consecutive win.
Griffin was charged with six runs in five innings on nine hits. The Texas rotation has a 10.50 ERA over the last nine games.
Every Minnesota starter had at least one hit and eight had at least one RBI as the Twins pounded out a season high 18 hits. Kurt Suzuki, Eddie Rosario and Robbie Grossman each had three hits.
Elvis Andrus and Bobby Wilson had RBIs in the fifth inning for Texas as the Rangers trailed 6-2 before the big seventh.
NOTES: Rangers RHP Kyle Lohse, who pitched five innings in his Texas debut Saturday, has been diagnosed with a tight right oblique. No timetable has been set for his return. ... Texas RHP Yu Darvish could return to the rotation as early as Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. The club wants to see how he feels after his Sunday night rehab start for Double-A Frisco. He's been on the disabled list since June 13 with right shoulder discomfort. ... Minnesota OF Byron Buxton was out of the starting lineup for a second-straight game with a bone bruise in his right knee. ... Since June 18, the Twins are tied with Cleveland for the most runs scored in the majors with 125. ... Minnesota will go with RHP Ervin Santana, RHP Tyler Duffey and RHP Kyle Gibson for its three-game series against Cleveland, which begins on Friday.