CLEVELAND _ How about this for rookie hazing: On a night when Jose Berrios returned to the major leagues by retiring 16 of the final 18 Indians hitters he faced and pitching the Twins to a 12-5 rout of the Indians, his fellow rookies rendered that impressive performance merely the third-most memorable of the night.
Jorge Polanco became just the 25th Twin, and only the fourth Twins rookie, ever to triple twice in the same game, an achievement that produced three RBIs. And Max Kepler one-upped them all by smashing three home runs, becoming the first rookie in Twins history to put on such a display of power.
Kepler rifled a 1-0 fastball off Indians starter Danny Salazar onto the center field picnic area in the first inning, another Salazar fastball into the trees beyond left-center in the third inning, and a Cody Anderson fastball onto the stairs in the right-center stands in the sixth. Three fastballs, three majestic line drives, six RBIs, and a pretty hallowed spot in Twins history.
Salazar lasted two innings, giving up six hits, six runs and three home runs.
Kepler is the fifth Twins player ever to collect three in a game, and the other four are (or will someday be) in the Twins Hall of Fame: Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva already are, and Justin Morneau, the last to do it back on July 6, 2007 in Chicago, figures to be elected a few years after he retires.
Maybe Kepler will be, too, because in just three months, he's proved to be more than ready for the major leagues. Kepler's big night gives him 14 home runs on the season; only teammate Miguel Sano, with 17 last season, has ever had more for the Twins in his first 65 career games.
The rookies' attention-grabbing performances powered the Twins to their seventh double-digit offensive output _ all of them coming since July 2. Eddie Rosario and Joe Mauer also homered, the latter off newly acquired Indians closer Andrew Miller, and every Twins starter reached base at least once (all but DH Kennys Vargas with hits) as Minnesota tied its season-high with 19 hits.
Berrios, his second chance at starting his MLB career long awaited by Twins fans, lived up to his billing. Manager Paul Molitor warned before the game that "part of his MO is, he doesn't always get out of the gate great. He seems to find his rhythm, if he can somehow manage himself through that first or second innings."
Sure enough, after two quick outs in the first inning, Berrios allowed four straight Indians to reach base and three runs to score, the last two on Lonnie Chisenhall's double that fell just inside the foul line. But just as Molitor predicted, the rookie right-hander, whose four-game tryout in April and May resulted in a 10.20 ERA, suddenly settled in.
Berrios retired the next 15 batters he faced before a Rosario error and a Jose Ramirez single broke the streak, but he simply induced a popup from Chisenhall to finish his night at 99 pitches and earn his second career victory. Reliever Buddy Boshers allowed a two-run homer by Napoli, but the game was out of reach, leaving fans to wonder if Kepler could make major-league history, too.
Kepler batted in the eighth and ninth innings, each at-bat an opportunity to join Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays and Mike Schmidt in the 14-member club of major leaguers who have homered four times in a game, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton racked up four on May 8, 2012.
But the Twins' rookie grounded out to Napoli at first base, then singled up the middle in the ninth _ giving him a career-high four hits, but no place in the four-home run pantheon.
