ARLINGTON, Texas _ Rocco Baldelli got his wish.
Wrung out often by the Twins' habit of momentum swings and dramatic finishes, the Twins manager Wednesday pined for an uneventful, wire-to-wire blowout victory.
"There's nothing wrong with going through those games, taking a lead and not having the drama," Baldelli said. "Just cruise along."
It wasn't exactly uneventful, but the Twins finally reasserted themselves in Globe Life Park, deflating the Rangers early with a five-run second inning, then adding on to their lead for four consecutive innings. The result was a 13-6 victory on Thursday.
Holding on for their third victory in their past nine games came with the added enticement of hanging on to first place in the AL Central. Cleveland won in blowout fashion, too, crushing the Yankees 19-5 in New York to remain only a half-game back.
Luis Arraez started the scoring by smacking his first home run since July 5, and third of the season, off Rangers righthander Pedro Payano, and the Twins' offense quickly turned that kindling into a four-alarm blaze. Marwin Gonzalez doubled, the first of at least four hits on the night, Jason Castro walked, and Jake Cave doubled home Gonzalez. When Max Kepler hit a ground ball to shortstop Elvis Andrus, the shortstop decided to throw to the plate to retire Castro. But the ball skipped past catcher Jose Trevino, and Cave scored, too.
That cushion appeared more than enough for Michael Pineda, whose first start in two weeks _ a gap spent on the injured list because of a triceps strain _ was a big success. Pineda walked Hunter Pence in the second inning but retired the other 11 of the first 12 hitters he faced. A two-out double into the corner by Nomar Mazara in the fourth inning broke up the no-hitter, but Pineda's control appeared sharp in the 95-degree heat.
The big righthander finally tired in the fifth inning, however, surrendering a home run to Willie Calhoun and four singles; aided by Jorge Polanco's fourth error in three days, Texas turned that into three runs. With 86 pitches thrown, Baldelli turned to the bullpen for the final four innings.
The Twins' offense _ and some unfortunate baserunning on the Rangers' part _ fulfilled Baldelli's "cruising" wish. Gonzalez singled home Arraez in the third inning, and the Twins strung together three walks and three singles in the fourth, padding their lead with four more runs. Then came the nightly power show: Home runs by Miguel Sano, his 22nd, high onto the turf beyond the center-field fence, and by Eddie Rosario, his 27th, tying his career high.
Devin Smeltzer relieved Pineda in the sixth inning, and allowed a solo home run by Pence, plus two singles and two doubles. Texas scored twice but squandered the rally by having three runners thrown out on the bases. A quick relay from Max Kepler to Polanco to Castro nabbed Calhoun as he slid home. Then Rougned Odor was caught off third base on a sharp grounder to Sano, who ran him down for the second out. And the inning ended when Trevino tried to reach third base on a double to left; Rosario threw him out.
Smeltzer pitched the final four innings to earn an unconventional save.
