Josh Bell blasted a three-run homer in the first inning and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 4-2 win against the Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Byron Buxton, the reigning AL Player of the Week, also homered for the Twins, who have won three of their past four games.
Minnesota starter Mike Paredes went 4 2/3 innings in his second major league start and fourth appearance. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.
Twins relievers Taylor Rogers (3-3), Andrew Morris and Eric Orze combined to retire nine of 10 batters before Yoendrys Gomez set down all four batters he faced for his seventh save.
Joc Pederson homered, singled and was hit by a pitch for the Rangers, who have dropped three of four.
Texas left-hander MacKenzie Gore (4-6) permitted four runs and four hits over seven innings. He struck out a season-high 10 batters and walked two on 102 pitches.
Twins right fielder Austin Martin led off the first inning by doubling into the left-field corner on an 0-2 pitch. After a two-out walk to Royce Lewis, Bell lost an automated ball-strike challenge but then pulled the next pitch deep over the fence in left for an early 3-0 lead.
Elias Diaz singled with one out in the third, bringing up Pederson, who lifted a first-pitch cutter into the right field seats for a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Gore tossed a six-pitch second inning and retired 11 in a row following Bell’s homer before Ryan Kreidler walked with one out in the fifth. After getting the next two batters out, Gore came back out for the sixth, but Buxton greeted him with a solo home run over the fence in left-center to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Rangers placed shortstop Corey Seager on the seven-day concussion list before the game.
Seager was injured during a collision at home plate with Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen on Thursday. Texas second baseman Josh Smith was activated from the injured list and fouled out as a pinch hitter Monday night.
