ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Minnesota Twins reliever Trevor Hildenberger and catcher Mitch Garver were trying to figure out how to handle Albert Pujols’ at-bat with Mike Trout in scoring position in the bottom of the 11th inning, only to realize that manager Paul Molitor had already intentionally walked the Los Angeles Angels’ slugger.
Hildenberger got out of the bases-loaded jam and Garver got the key hit in the next inning to help continue the Twins’ hot streak away from home.
Eddie Rosario scored from first on Garver’s double in the 12th and Minnesota beat Los Angeles 5-3 Saturday night.
“We found a way to win,” Molitor said.
Rosario came all the way around on Garver’s ground ball down the third-base line to put the Twins back in front. Rosario, who went 2 for 4, had singled on a ground ball past reliever Noe Ramirez. Garver then scored from second on Gregorio Petit’s single to center.
Fernando Rodney earned his seventh save after getting Zack Cozart to fly out to left to end the game after walking Rene Rivera with two outs.
But it was Hildenberger who kept the Angels from getting a walk-off win in his third relief appearance in three days.
Hildenberger (1-0) got Jefry Marte to ground out on a weak ball back to him after walking Pujols and Andrelton Simmons to load the bases. Trout had reached third with two outs on Justin Upton’s sacrifice fly.
“You walk the Hall of Famer and the guy hitting .500, and you get a guy that you can attack and try to force the ball in play,” Hildenberger said. “Molly put me in a position where I had to throw strikes, and I appreciate that vote of confidence.”
Ramirez (1-2) gave up two runs on three hits in the 12th after not allowing a run, hit or walk in his first two innings of relief.
The Twins improved to 7-2 on their 10-game road trip, which concludes against the Angels on Sunday.
“Three cities is a lot. You get towards the end here, and guys are tired and they’re missing home and we want to get back, but pulling out those wins and hopefully taking the series tomorrow is something that is a huge boost for us heading home into a long homestand,” said Garver, who went 1 for 4.
Minnesota got to starter Nick Tropeano with three runs in the third, as Byron Buxton, Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier each had an RBI.
The Angels got one back in the bottom of the third when Cozart scored on a chopper to third by Justin Upton to make it 3-1.
Simmons cut the margin to 3-2 in the sixth and Upton got his second RBI in the seventh, driving in Calhoun to tie the score at 3. Pujols struck out with runners on second and third to end the inning.
“We had a lot of opportunities,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We played a hard game. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that hit here or there when we needed it. They made pitches when they had to and they held on.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: C Jason Castro will travel to Colorado on Monday and get a second opinion on the torn meniscus in his right knee. Castro was placed on the 10-day disabled list last Saturday. … 3B Miguel Sano (left hamstring) is still not pain-free and would have his on-field rehabilitation dialed back as a precaution, Molitor said.
Angels: RHP Blake Wood (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment at Class-A Inland Empire on Monday. … RHP Parker Bridwell (elbow inflammation) is set to resume throwing, Scioscia said. Bridwell made one start this season, giving up six runs in 1 2/3 innings against Oakland on April 6.
STRANDED
The Angels were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and left 16 runners on base, the most in a game since playing 19 innings against Boston on Aug. 9, 2014. The Twins helped the Angels out by issuing 12 walks.
“They can really swing it and put up runs in a hurry, so walks definitely not part of the formula, but thankfully we were able to strand them and allow them to only put three on the board,” said Twins starter Kyle Gibson, who gave up two runs, three hits and four walks in six innings.
STREAK OVER
Upton went 2 for 5, but did not hit a home run for the fifth consecutive game, which would have tied the team record set by Bobby Bonds from Aug. 2-7, 1977.
Upton has nine RBIs in his last five games and a major league-leading 17 RBIs in 11 games during May.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Fernando Romero (2-0, 0.00) will try to extend his unblemished start. The 23-year-old rookie has not allowed a run in 11 2/3 innings, the second-longest scoreless streak by a Twins pitcher to start his career since 1974.
Angels: RHP Shohei Ohtani (3-1, 4.10) will make his first start at home since April 17, when he left early because of a blister after giving up three runs in two innings against Boston. That was the only one of Ohtani’s five major league starts where he has not made it into the sixth inning.
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