MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Josh Donaldson homered and drove in two runs in his Target Field debut with Minnesota, Jorge Polanco hit a two-run shot and the Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 in their home opener Tuesday night.
Homer Bailey (1-0) pitched five innings for the victory in his first start for the Twins, allowing a two-run homer to Tyler O’Neill in the fifth.
Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (0-1) was pulled after 3 2/3 innings, when the homer by Donaldson ended his night. Polanco’s drive capped a five-run second for the Twins, with Max Kepler delivering an RBI single and Donaldson contributing a sacrifice fly.
Tommy Edman took Trevor May deep in the eighth for the Cardinals, despite 2017 Gold Glove winner Byron Buxton’s well-timed jump from the back of the warning track in center field. The ball simply bounced off the bottom of his mitt and onto the grass berm beyond the wall, prompting an incredulous expression from Buxton as he dropped to his knees in disgust over missing the catch.
Sergio Romo pitched a hitless ninth for a stress-free save, preserving a third victory in four games for the defending AL Central champion Twins.
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