Twins drop twin bill to Dodgers

Game 2: Dodgers 4, Twins 3 (12)

Scott Van Slyke led off the 12th inning with a solo homer and Drew Butera added another for a much-needed insurance run to lift visiting Los Angeles to a sweep of a day-night doubleheader.

Van Slyke, who also tripled and scored the Dodgers' first run in the sixth, drove a fastball from Brian Duensing (0-1) into the bullpens in left-center for the tiebreaking run and Butera slugged a two-out shot to left for a 4-2 advantage. Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 12th before getting two flyouts - one to score a run - and a lineout to first base with two men in scoring position to end it.

Adrian Gonzalez also homered for Los Angeles, which had 11 hits and 12 walks but left 16 runners on base, andJamey Wright (2-1) worked three scoreless innings for the win. Joe Mauer collected three hits and a sacrifice fly to lead a meager Minnesota attack that produced only six hits against six Dodgers pitchers.

Brian Dozier singled to begin the bottom of the first and scored on Pinto's fly to right, giving Minnesota a 1-0 lead it would take into the sixth. After Van Slyke's triple off the wall in center, Juan Uribe knocked a base hit up the middle for his third RBI of the doubleheader to tie it.

Trevor Plouffe reached on one error and then scored on another in the bottom of the sixth to put the Twins back on top, but Gonzalez led off the seventh with his National League-leading ninth home run. The Dodgers loaded the bases later in the frame and Dozier made a sparkling diving catch of a line drive to end the threat and preserve the tie.

Notes: Dodgers starter Red Patterson allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings in his Major League debut, while Twins starter Kris Johnson tossed 4 1/3 scoreless frames despite giving up four hits and walking six. ... Los Angeles RF Yasiel Puig had reached base nine straight times (eight hits, one walk) before grounding to third in the fifth. ... Twins CF Aaron Hicks slammed his head into the wall trying to catch Van Slyke's triple and later left the game after showing concussion-like symptoms.

Game 1: Dodgers 9, Twins 4

For the second straight game, the Los Angeles Dodgers dug out from an early deficit against the Minnesota Twins.

The Dodgers got to Twins right-hander Mike Pelfrey for three runs in the second inning and two more in the third, erasing an early two-run hole and driving Pelfrey from the game after just four innings in an 9-4 win Thursday in the first game of a split doubleheader at Target Field.

The Twins lost Game 2 of the twin bill 4-3 in 12 innings.

Right fielder Yasiel Puig and third baseman Juan Uribe had four hits apiece to lead Los Angeles, which pounded out 15 hits. Each also had a pair of RBIs.

Dodgers right-hander Dan Haren earned the win, improving to 4-0 this season.

Twins left fielder Jason Kubel punched a single to left in the top of the first, scoring first baseman Joe Mauer for the first run of the game. Two Dodgers throwing errors on the play - one by left fielder Carl Crawford and the other by catcher Miguel Olivo - allowed third baseman Trevor Plouffe to come around to score, making it 2-0.

But the lead was short-lived.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out in the second. A fielder’s choice scored one before a double by Puig drove in two more to give Los Angeles the lead.

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez walked to open the third and was driven in on a double by designated hitter Matt Kemp. Kemp scored on a single by Uribe later in the inning to make it 5-2 after three.

Pelfrey (0-3) lasted only one more inning before being lifted after four innings and 85 pitches. He allowed seven hits and five runs, all earned, on three walks while striking out two, raising his ERA from 7.32 to 7.99.

Minnesota narrowed the gap in the fifth, putting two on with nobody out thanks to a walk and a double off the wall in right by shortstop Eduardo Escobar. Second baseman Brian Dozier followed with a two-run single up the middle to make it 5-4.

Los Angeles opened up their biggest lead of the afternoon after pushing three across in the seventh against Twins righty Samuel Deduno. The Dodgers took advantage of four straight hits, including an RBI double by Uribe and run-scoring singles by Olivo and Crawford to make it 8-4.

Haren lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks. He also struck out seven.

Notes: RF Yasiel Puig’s four-hit game was the third of his career and first since last Aug. 30 against the San Diego Padres. ... 3B Juan Uribe’s four hits also tied a career high. It was the ninth time in his career he had four hits and the first time since last Sept. 9 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. ... RHP Dan Haren’s win was his first at Target Field since May 29, 2011 when he pitched for the Los Angeles Angels. ... Twins 1B Joe Mauer singled in the first inning, extending his interleague hitting streak to 12 games. He has hit safely in all 10 of his career games against the Dodgers. ... Twins OF Sam Fuld went 0-for-4, snapping a five-game hitting streak since he was claimed off waivers by Minnesota on April 20.