MINNEAPOLIS _ Twins right-hander Tyler Duffey is trying to finish the season strong while auditioning for shot to be part of next season's rotation.
He offered an uneven performance on Friday as the Twins went on to lose to Cleveland, 5-4.
Duffey was able to make it through five innings, which was longer than Cleveland counterpart Danny Salazar. Duffey also fanned six batters. But he also gave up a slew of loud hits on Friday before leaving the game after throwing 90 pitches.
Joe Mauer homered in the first inning and Byron Buxton scored from first on Brian Dozier's double in the second.
But Duffey gave it all back, and then some, in the third.
Duffey nicked Jason Kipnis with a pitch, then Francisco Lindor reached when Duffey fielded his comebacker but threw wildly to second while trying to start a double play. Two batters later, Jose Ramirez reached on an infield hit off Duffey's leg, loading the bases.
Duffey laid a fastball over the plate to Lonnie Chisenhall, who smoked it to the wall in left-center as two runs scored. The final two runs of the inning scored on a grounder by Abraham Almonte and single by Tyler Naquin, and Cleveland led, 4-2.
Duffey pitched a 1-2-3 fourth inning after that, and looked like he had found a groove.
Buxton tied the game in the fourth when he blasted a Salazar pitch into the Twins bullpen for a two-run home run.
In eight games since his recall, Buxton has hit five home runs and has 12 RBIs.
The lead lasted a few minutes, as Mike Napoli hit Duffey's first pitch of the fifth inning into the third deck in left field to give the Indians the lead.
The estimated distance of 456 feet made it the third-longest home run hit at Target Field this season.
Duffey was removed after that inning. He gave up five runs, but only two were earned, on seven hits and one walk.
