By Dan Myers
Sports Xchange
MINNEAPOLIS - Right-hander Kyle Gibson allowed one run over seven innings, scattering seven hits as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-3 Tuesday night at Target Field.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Twins. It also snapped a three-start streak where Gibson had allowed at least four runs.
Gibson (13-11) retired the first eight batters he faced and walked none for the first time since Aug. 3. It was his second straight victory.
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Arizona threatened in the ninth, scoring an unearned run off Jared Burton and bringing the tying run to the plate, but Burton got center fielder A.J. Pollock to ground out to third to end the game.
Minnesota jumped ahead early with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. After a leadoff walk and a one-out single, shortstop Eduardo Escobar singled to right, driving in the first run of the game
Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Chris Parmelee pinch hit for first baseman Joe Mauer, who was hit by a pitch in the first inning. Parmelee smacked a pitch the other way just inside the third-base bag, scoring two more to make it 3-0. Parmelee was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play.
Center fielder Aaron Hicks drove in a run with an RBI single in the fourth, and catcher Josmil Pinto grounded into a double play with runners on the corners, scoring another run to make it 5-1 in the fifth.
Diamondbacks second baseman Chris Owings had an RBI single in the fourth inning to make it 3-1 Twins.
Arizona starter Andrew Chafin was lifted after Hicks’ RBI single in the fourth, going three-plus innings and allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks.
NOTES: Twins LHP Tommy Milone said his stiff neck is better. His goal is to pitch out of the bullpen this weekend when Minnesota wraps up the season against the Detroit Tigers. ... Twins SS Eduardo Escobar was back in the starting lineup after missing nearly a week with a jammed right shoulder. He appeared as a sub Sunday and Monday. ... The series wraps up Wednesday with Twins RHP Phil Hughes (15-10, 3.61 ERA) opposing Arizona LHP Vidal Nuno (2-11, 4.60 ERA).
