CLEVELAND _ Handed his fourth victory of the season on Tuesday, Kyle Gibson mysteriously gave it back. The Twins are fortunate they didn't, too.
Max Kepler slugged his fourth home run in two games here, Brian Dozier crushed his 20th blast of the season, and the Twins staked Gibson to an eight-run lead at Progressive Field. But the veteran right-hander, one out away from cashing in that gift from his teammates, suddenly crumbled under the weight of six consecutive hits and couldn't complete the required five innings for a win.
Instead, the Twins bullpen shut down Cleveland's offense for the final four innings and reeled in the bizarre 10-6 victory, their fifth in the past six games.
It was also Minnesota's eighth double-digit output of the season, all of them coming since June 21. One day after ravaging Indians starter Danny Salazar for six runs in a two-inning start, shortest of his career, the Twins thumped Carlos Carrasco even worse.
Besides the home runs by Kepler and Dozier, the Twins received two doubles from Joe Mauer, another from Jose Polanco and Danny Santana, and a long blast off the center field wall by Miguel Sano.
The damage amounted to eight runs and seven extra-base hits, both career highs by Carrasco, all in just 3 2/3 innings. Carrasco's ERA entering the game was 2.45, which would have led the American League if he had an additional 10 innings to qualify. By the time the Twins were through, it stood at 3.15.
Cleveland's bullpen put a stop to all that, at least for awhile. Five relievers combining to shut down the Twins, four times stranding base runners in scoring position, until the ninth inning, when Eduardo Escobar scalded a two-run homer of his own.
But the way Gibson was pitching _ only three singles through four innings, seven batters set down in a row at one point _ none of that relief work would make much difference.
Right? No.
Gibson retired Tyler Naquin and Carlos Perez on ground balls, with Abraham Almonte doubling in between. One out stood between Gibson and his fourth victory. But he couldn't get it.
Carlos Santana rocketed his 23rd home run deep into the right field seats to make it 8-2. Jason Kipnis grounded a single through the hole to right, and Francisco Lindor lined a single to left. Pitching coach Neil Allen arrived to steady Gibson, but it didn't work. A 1-1 fastball to Mike Napoli landed nearly hit the scoreboard behind the left-field seats, a mammoth blow that cut the Twins' edge to three runs.
When Jose Ramirez followed with a single and Lonnie Chisenhall doubled him home with a double off the right-field wall, Gibson was done, his victory surrendered.
Fortunately for the Twins, Michael Tonkin ended that inning by striking out Almonte, though only after walking Naquin. And three relievers who followed him had little trouble subduing the suddenly-fearsome Indians offense once more.
