CLEVELAND _ In two starts, spanning seven days, Aldaberto Mejia has shut out division-leading Cleveland for 10 innings on two hits and one walk.
It represents a step forward for the young Mejia _ as long as his injury is not too much of a step back.
Mejia left the game after five innings with a three-run lead, and a strained left wrist.
But, up until his last pitch Tuesday night, Mejia was aggressive and efficient as he left the game with a 3-0 lead. Cleveland scored twice in the eighth off Trevor Hildenberger to set up the nailbiting finish with Fernando Rodney closing.
With the tying run on third, Rodney struck out Francisco Lindor looking as the Twins held on for a 3-2 victory, making Mejia's outing hold up.
Mitch Garver provided all the scoring with a three-run homer in the second. Eddie Rosario tied a career high with four hits. And Rodney collected his 25th save.
After waiting 2 hours, 10 minutes for storms to blow out of town, the rematch between Mejia and Indians righthander Carlos Carrasco began.
Mejia, who tossed five shutout innings on Wednesday against the Indians at Target Field, added five more scoreless innings against Cleveland on Tuesday. He even made it look easier the second time around, as he retired the last 12 batters he faced before leaving the game with a strained left wrist.
Carrasco was magnificent against the Twins last week, striking out 10 over 71/3 shutout innings. But the Twins rang hits all over Progressive Field on Tuesday, as they squared up several of Carrasco's offerings.
Joe Mauer drove the first pitch of Tuesday's game to the wall before Michael Brantley hauled it in. Sure, it was an out, but it reflected a Twins team that was ready to hack at anything hittable. The Twins loaded the bases in that inning, on two singles and a walk, before Max Kepler grounded out to end the inning.
But they returned in the second to put two men on, when Logan Forsythe was hit by a pitch and Jake Cave singled to center to bring Garver up to the plate. Carrasco hung a breaking ball, and Garver smashed it 411 feet and into the seats in left-center for a 3-0 Twins lead.
In two innings, the Twins had six hits off Carrasco after having just four over 71/3 innings back at Target Field. And they also had a few hard-hit outs against Carrasco, who began the day with a 1.99 ERA over his last five outings. Rosario's fourth hit of the evening, a double to right, ended Carrasco's night.
Mejia stranded a leadoff walk in the second, which was the start of a run of 12 consecutive outs recorded by the Twins young left-hander. Cleveland went 0-for-9 against Mejia the second trip through the batting order.
The Twins described Mejia as day-to-day, but no one will know for sure until he attempts to throw again.
Hildenberger gave up a home run to Lindor and a sacrifice fly in the eighth as Cleveland got within 3-2. Yan Gomes led off the ninth with an infield single, on a grounder Miguel Sano could not handle. Gomes then advanced to second on a passed ball by Garver.
But Rodney fired a 2-2 fastball past Lindor for strike three, and shot his imaginary arrow into the Cleveland night.
