The Tampa Bay Rays (34-24) fell to the Minnesota Twins (34-27) 9-4 on Friday night in Minneapolis.
The Rays and Twins traded solo shots early, when Byron Buxton homered in the bottom of the first before Isaac Paredes answered in the top of the 2nd to make it 1-1. That would be the score going into the sixth inning, when the Twins erupted for a six run frame to take control of the game.
Tampa Bay did answer with a pair of homers in the seventh - an inside the park homer from Randy Arozarena followed by a solo shot from Vidal Brujan - and added another run in the eighth to pull within 7-4. Carlos Correa answered with a two-run homer in the eighth inning to make it 9-4 Minnesota, which would prove to be the final score.
Drew Rasmussen (5-3, 3.41) pitched four and one-third innings in which he allowed seven runs, four of them earned, on nine hits while striking out three and walking two.
The Rays and Twins now meet in the second game of the three game series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2:10 PM - Neil Solondz begins pregame coverage at 1:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES