PHOENIX — Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer in the first inning and drove in the go-ahead run with an infield hit in the seventh as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Marte, leading the All-Star voting as the National League's second baseman, hit his 16th homer off Joe Ryan, then beat out a slow roller to second with two out to break a 4-4 tie.
“What can you say about Marte? He's a beast,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It was an emotional win, I'm proud of these guys fighting back. Nothing easy about it.”
The Diamondbacks led 4-0 after two innings, but the Twins came back against Brandon Pfaadt. Byron Buxton, who just missed catching Eugenio Suárez’s second-inning RBI triple at the wall in right center, led off the Twins’ fifth with a home run to left-center.
Ryan Jeffers tied the game and ended Pfaadt’s night with a three-run homer after a walk and an infield hit with one out in the seventh.
In the bottom half, Jorge Alcala (1-3) retired the first two hitters, but he walked No. 9 batter Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll’s single to center advanced Perdomo to third. Marte then hit one just past the mound and beat Willi Castro’s throw to first as Perdomo crossed the plate.
“In that moment you just have to run hard and got there safely,” Marte said through an interpreter. “It worked out in my favor.”
Kevin Ginkel (6-1) retired two batters in the seventh for Arizona. Paul Sewald gave up a two-out double to Buxton in the ninth, but retired Jeffers to get his 10th save.
Pfaadt allowed five hits and two walks as well as the four runs. He struck out two and kept his pitch count low — Jeffers' homer came on his 80th and final pitch.
“It was unfortunate what happened in the seventh, but we were able to come out with the win,” Pfaadt said.
“He was throwing the ball extremely well and deserved the opportunity to pitch through it with the low pitch count and just got clipped,” Lovullo said. “The team responded to that.”
Ryan went six innings, the 12th time in 16 starts he has gone at least that far this season, retiring 13 straight at one point. He gave up six hits and four runs, walked none and struck out five.
“We had a few quick innings where we just put the ball in play and made some quick outs. But we also hit some balls really hard today. I was happy with the way we swung the bats as a whole,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You can win a game like that, but that's not the way it is today.”
Trainer's Room
Twins: RHP Chris Paddack was placed on the injured list with right arm fatigue. He had been scheduled to start Thursday’s game against the Diamondbacks.
“His last couple of starts, his arm didn’t feel great,” Baldelli said before Tuesday's game. “Coming off of the two (Tommy John surgeries) and everything that goes along with it, the last thing we want to do is push him out there in a compromised position.”
Baldelli did not name a starter for Thursday’s game. RHP Ronny Henríquez was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to replace Paddack.
Next
RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (2-1, 3.26) pitches for Minnesota on Wednesday against Arizona RHP Ryne Nelson (5-5, 4.18).
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