Mauer got a hit in the first inning and has reached base in 19 straight games against Tampa Bay.
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Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor will be happy not to have to play Evan Longoria again this season after Sunday’s series finale.
Rays: Chris Archer (5-15) leads the majors in losses and can regain the AL lead in strikeouts with four in Saturday night’s game.
Rays pitcher Chris Archer, with one win in his past 10 starts, looked like his old self Saturday night, holding the Minnesota Twins to three hits in six innings and leading Tampa Bay to a 7-3 win at Tropicana Field. They’ve won five of their last six games.
Twins: 3B Trevor Plouffe, on the disabled list with a fractured left rib, homered in the seventh inning for Triple-A Rochester to break up a ideal game Saturday night. But at 44-66, they still have the worst record in the AL, 1 1/2 games behind the Rays’ 45-64.
The hottest hitting offense in the league finally cooled off.
The Twins are now 44-65 this year. “No question Archer was the difference in the game”.
Archer won for the first time in his last nine starts at home. “That was huge. I was just hoping for a hit to maybe get even”.
“By coming back and continuing to battle, I think we’re showing what kind of character we have on this team”, said Rays shortstop Brad Miller, whose three-run homer wiped out a 2-0 deficit.
“I wish I would haveve went a little deeper in the game, and by doing that, I should’ve been more consistent with my pitches and more competitive in the zone”, Snell said.
Alex Colome got the final two outs for his 27th save after the Twins rallied for two runs in the ninth.
Berrios (2-2) said Archer’s strong start added no additional pressure. “For me to go down on strikes right there can’t happen”. I feel like I was getting better and better, but once I get into that sixth, I’ve got to finish it quick. “I made two or three mistakes tonight”.
The Rays led 2-1 when the left-handed hitting Rosario batted for Byron Buxton with Eduardo Escobar on base against right-hander Erasmo Ramirez and one out. And Wilson, a Seminole High product claimed off waivers from the Rangers on Thursday, did his part to help with a homer and an RBI single.
Bot. 7, Rays lead 6-1: Forsythe homers (11) to right field. Miguel Sano hit his 16th an inning later and Joe Mauer doubled in a pair in the ninth. “We have athletic players, too, guys that can run, guys that can spray the ball around, run the bases”, he said.
“Obviously not our best game”, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
Twins: 3B Trevor Plouffe, on the disabled list with a fractured left rib, homered in the seventh inning for Triple-A Rochester to break up a ideal game Saturday night. The Twins expect to activate Plouffe as early as Monday. The switch could come next week when Duffy is expected back from a left Achilles tendon strain. They also activated OF Mikie Mahtook off the DL, where he had been since June 21 with a fractured hand.
Taking the mound for the Twins on Sunday will be RHP Kyle Gibson. He is 0-4 with an 8.85 ERA in four starts against the Rays.
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Rays: RHP Matt Andriese (6-2) expects to be held to a pitch count around 80 in his second start since spending more than a month in the bullpen.
