Miranda's 5 hits lead Twins to rain-shortened 12-3 win over Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jose Miranda went 5 for 5 with three doubles, four runs scored and three RBIs as the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 12-3 on Thursday in a game called in the seventh inning due to rain.

The start was moved up an hour with threatening weather in the forecast. Rain began to fall steadily in the fourth, play was finally stopped in the bottom of the seventh and the game was called following a 30-minute delay.

Ryan Jeffers had three hits and four RBIs for the Twins, including his team-leading 14th homer. Max Kepler added two hits and two RBIs.

“As a team, we’re clicking. Everyone is (having) some good at-bats,” said Miranda, whose five hits were a career high. “There’s not a single hitter you can say is an easy (out) for our team. That’s a great thing to have.”

Bailey Ober (8-4) allowed three runs — one earned — on seven hits and struck out eight in six innings to win his third straight decision. Minnesota has won six of its last seven series.

“We’re pleased,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It’s July. We never, ever get too far ahead of ourselves in our game. Because anything can happen any given day. But the consistency (with) which we’re playing on both sides of the ball, I think it’s great and we need to continue to do it.”

Colt Keith homered and Jake Rogers had two RBIs for the Tigers. Kenta Maeda (2-5) gave up nine runs on nine hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings.

Keith got the scoring started in the first, when he jerked an 0-2 slider from Ober deep into the second deck of right-field seats for a solo home run.

Ober could have had a 1-2-3 second inning, but a passed ball by Jeffers on strike three to Zack McKinstry allowed the batter to reach base. Gio Urshela followed with a single, and Jake Rogers drove home both runners with a double.

“I just kind of leaned on my stuff the rest of the way,” Ober said, explaining how he rebounded from that inning. “I knew that I was putting the ball in the spots that I needed to and ended up being able to go through and finish six.”

Minnesota got two runs back in the bottom half on Jeffers’ run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly by Brooks Lee, his second RBI in two games since the club's second-ranked prospect made his major league debut.

Kepler’s two-out, two-run single in the third gave the Twins their first lead, and Manuel Margot followed with a single off Maeda’s glove to make it 5-3 through three innings.

Minnesota chased Maeda with four runs after he retired the first two batters in the fourth. Miranda’s two-run double and Jeffers’ two-run homer did all the damage.

Jeffers’ homer extended Minnesota’s franchise record to 22 consecutive games with a home run.

Miranda picked up his fifth hit in the seventh, just before play was halted. Jeffers was up next, and the first pitch slipped out of reliever Shelby Miller's hand and clipped the bill of Jeffers' helmet. After a brief discussion, the umpires sent both teams off the field and called for the tarp.

“Moving the game up to noon ended up being the right decision in a big way,” Baldelli said. “We were going to play this game until we couldn’t play anymore, and when we shut it down, it was the right time to shut it down.”

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Reese Olson (2-8, 3.32 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati. Olson has pitched at least six innings and given up no more than two runs in each of his last three starts.

Twins: RHP Pablo López (8-6, 4.88 ERA) looks for his third straight win as the Twins begin a three-game home series against Houston on Friday night. López has allowed just one earned run and struck out 23 over 14 innings in his last two starts.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joey Wentz attempts to field the ball hit for a single by Minnesota Twins' Ryan Jeffers during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Detroit Tigers shortstop Zach McKinstry flips the ball to second base on a fielder's choice hit by Minnesota Twins' Austin Martin during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Brooks Lee hits a sacrifice fly against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Ryan Jeffers hits a single against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Jose Miranda celebrates his two RBI double against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Ryan Jeffers celebrates his two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler hits a two RBI single against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Jose Miranda hits a two RBI double against the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

TORONTO (AP) — Matthew Knies had three goals and two assists, Mitch Marner had a goal and four assists, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 6-4 on Saturday night.

Auston Matthews had a goal and two assists in his return after missing six games with an undisclosed upper-body injury, and Jake McCabe had a goal and an assist for Toronto, which has won three straight and four of five. Joseph Woll had 26 saves to win his fourth straight start.

David Pastrnak had two goals, and Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic also scored as Boston lost its third straight and fourth in its last five games. Jeremy Swayman finished with 23 saves.

Knies gave the Maple Leafs a 4-3 lead with his 14th of the season at 5:28 of the third period, beating Swayman after taking a feed from Matthews from behind the goal. After Marner’s empty-net goal, Pastrnak added his second to make it 5-4 with less than two minutes remaining. Mathews sealed it with an empty-netter with 31 seconds left.

Bruins: Boston finished a winless three-game trip that also included losses at Washington and the New York Rangers.

Maple Leafs: The line of Knies, Matthews and Marner combined for 13 points on the night. ... Matthews has missed 15 of the team’s 40 games this season — also sitting out nine games in November — with Toronto going 10-5-0 without him.

McCabe’s goal, at 3:29 of the first period, was the first by a Maple Leafs defenseman since Nov. 30 when Chris Tanev scored in a 5-3 win over Tampa Bay. Coming into this game, Toronto forwards had scored 50 goals in 16 games since then.

Toronto opened the scoring for the fifth straight game and is 17-2-1 when scoring first this season.

Bruins host the New York Islanders on Sunday, and Maple Leafs host Philadelphia to open a home-and-home set.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) tries to move the puck between Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) and teammate Brad Marchand (63) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll (60) gathers the puck after it struck the post without scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) tries for a deflection on Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Bruins center Trent Frederic (11) celebrates his goal with teammates on the bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) watches for the deflection on Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll (60) makes a save as Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) digs in during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (22) celebrates his goal with teammates on the bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) watches the puck pass him on a shot towards teammate Joseph Woll (60) as Boston Bruins center John Beecher (19) looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) celebrates his goal with teammates Mitch Marner (16) and Auston Matthews (34) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Toronto, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)