SAN FRANCISCO _ Two on the land is better than one in the sea.
That's the mathematics that the Twins utilized on Saturday, blasting two home runs that sailed into the AT&T Park bleachers to top the Giants' one home run that splashed into McCovey Cove. Kennys Vargas and Brian Dozier supplied the power, Jose Berrios handled the pitching, and the Twins assured themselves of a winning road trip with a 3-2 victory over the Giants.
Vargas, whose time with the Twins might end Sunday, with Jorge Polanco due back from the bereavement list, made the case for finding him a roster spot by crushing a 97-mph fastball from Jeff Samardzija more than 400 feet into the center-field seats, a solo home run that pulled the Twins into a tie in the fourth inning. One inning later, Brian Dozier turned on a high fastball and lined it into the left-field seats, a two-run shot that game him double-digit home runs for a fifth consecutive season. It was also only the second home run of his last 15 to come with a runner on base _ Chris Gimenez was standing on second base after a single and his first stolen base in two years.
That run was important, because that was all the offense the Twins could generate in the California sunshine.
Berrios and three Twins relievers made sure it was enough. The rookie right-hander limited San Francisco to six hits over 51/3 innings, and only one of them was truly damaging and memorable: Brandon Belt's first-inning missile that came down a few feet from a kayaker beyond the scenic ballpark's right-field wall, the 73 "splash hit" in the park's history.
But home runs that get wet still only count as one run, so Twins manager Paul Molitor said he saw nothing particularly special about them. "I don't care where they land, as long as they clear the fence," Molitor said.
The Giants added another run in the fifth inning, on a walk by ex-Twin Eduardo Nunez, a single by Belt and a ground out by Buster Posey. But Tyler Duffey, Matt Belisle and closer Brandon Kintzler didn't allow a hit in the game's final 32/3 innings, with Kintzler collecting his 17th save in 20 opportunities.
The Twins are now 6-3 on this 10-game West Coast trip, with one game remaining in San Francisco. They also improved to 20-8 on the road, better than every MLB team except Houston.
