MINNEAPOLIS — Dallas Keuchel carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before allowing a double to Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds, and Edouard Julien drove in a pair of runs for the Minnesota Twins in a 2-0 win against the Pirates on Sunday.
Keuchel, the 35-year-old, soft-tossing left-hander, didn’t allow a baserunner until Reynolds’ drive with one out in the seventh evaded outfielder Matt Wallner and deflected off the wall for the first hit. Signed to a minor league contract in June, Keuchel (1-1) was making his third start in the majors this season.
He was pulled after allowing Reynolds’ hit on his 85th pitch of the game. Griffin Jax got two strikeouts to end the seventh. Jhoan Duran struck out two in the ninth and earned his 23rd save.
Julien plated Donovan Solano with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and then drove in Solano with a double in the sixth for Minnesota, which has won five of seven and extended its lead in the American League Central to six games over Cleveland.
Pittsburgh right-hander Osvaldo Bido (2-4) gave up two runs in 3 1/3 innings after replacing opener Ryan Borucki, who threw two perfect innings to start.
The Pirates have lost eight of 12 and were being no-hit into the middle innings for the second straight day. Sonny Gray carried a perfect game into the sixth inning on Saturday before Pittsburgh rallied for a 3-1 victory.
Keuchel made his Minnesota debut on Aug. 6, giving up just one run in five innings against Arizona. But he allowed six runs in 1 2/3 innings against Philadelphia in his previous start.
He had three strikeouts on Sunday after not registering a punch out in either of his first two starts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pirates: RHP Dauri Moreta was activated from the 15-day injured list after recovering from low back inflammation. LHP Angel Perdomo was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow discomfort.
Twins: C Ryan Jeffers (sore back) was back in the lineup after missing two games. … OF Wallner also returned to the lineup for the first time since being hit by a pitch on a swing in Friday’s game. Wallner was then hit in the elbow by a pitch in the fifth inning but stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
Pirates: The Pirates have not announced a starter for Monday’s series opener at home against St. Louis. The Cardinals have LHP Matthew Liberatore (2-5, 6.12 ERA) scheduled to start.
Twins: After an off day, Minnesota travels for a two-game series at Milwaukee with RHP Bailey Ober (6-6, 3.40) starting the first game. LHP Wade Miley (6-3, 3.05) is scheduled to start for the Brewers.
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