CHICAGO — Utility infielder Nick Gordon collected a two-run homer and two singles, Josh Donaldson and Max Kepler each had three hits and two RBIs, and the Minnesota Twins set down the Chicago Cubs 9-5 Tuesday in the Windy City.
Catcher Mitch Garver added three singles and an RBI in his return from a back injury to help last-place Minnesota end a two-game slide. Byron Buxton contributed two hits and scored twice as the Twins rode a 16-hit attack to win for just the third time in nine games.
But the Twins weren't the only ones moving people around the bases. Willson Contreras and Trayce Thompson cracked solo shots for the Cubs at breezy Wrigley Field.
The run barrage by Minnesota helped offset a poor start by rookie pitcher Griffin Jax, who surrendered three runs in just three innings while hitting three batters. Sense a theme here? Jax was pulled off the hook by a three-run fourth inning from his offense, highlighted by a two-run homer from rookie Gordon -- the third of his career.
"It was really kind of an explosive effort from our guys,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told MLB.com. “You can point to a number of them, I can if you want. But really, everywhere you looked, there were good swings. There were guys who came up in good situations with people on base getting it done. It felt like we had guys on base all day long."
The 16 hits amassed by the Twins are tied for the club's second most in a single game this season, and five players drove in at least one run, which included two-RBI games from Gordon, Josh Donaldson and Max Kepler.
The series continues in Chicago Wednesday night, with Twins rookie Joe Ryan taking on Cubs ace Kyle Hendricks.
As dubious as the outing by Jax was, the Twins starter could not claim the dishonor of throwing the evening's worst pitch. That went to MMA fighter Connor McGregor, who threw the ceremonial first pitch into the bleachers instead of the catcher's mitt. One announcer blamed the errant effort on McGregor's overly-tight sport coat.
McGregor joins a list of all-time worst first pitch throwers that includes Bruce Willis, Carl Lewis, a handful of Miss Texas winners, and rapper 50 Cent.
