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Sports

Rays jump on Twins early, roll to fourth straight win

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Minneapolis, MN – Matt Joyce homered and drove in four, Jose Molina added three RBI, and the Rays routed the Twins, 12-6, on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

Joyce hit a two-run homer in the first and doubled home a pair an inning later.

Desmond Jennings went 3-for-4, scored three times, and added an RBI double during the six-run second. Molina and Evan Longoria both added RBI singles during the inning, while B.J. Upton hit a two-run double in the sixth for Tampa Bay, which has won four straight games since Longoria returned from an extended absence due to injury.

"We came out swinging the bats really well," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "It was a big six-run second inning."

Jeremy Hellickson (7-7) got the win, allowing three runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts over five innings.

Ryan Doumit hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Twins, who had won five of seven before dropping their last two.

Cole De Vries (2-3) lasted just 1 1/3 innings in his 11th career start. The righty was charged with eight runs -- seven earned -- on seven hits in the loss.

Mauer also scored a run, coming home on Josh Willingham's single in the first, but the Rays took control an inning later.

Carlos Pena began the frame with a single, advanced on Jeff Keppinger's double and scored courtesy of an error by third baseman Jamey Carroll. A single by Molina and doubles by Jennings and Joyce forced the rookie De Vries from the game and Longoria capped the frame with a run-scoring single off of Jeff Manship.

Mauer's RBI single came in the third, but Molina added a two-run base hit in the sixth before Upton plated a pair for a 12-3 lead.

Alexi Casilla and Brian Dozier both had an RBI in the eighth and Ben Revere sealed the final result with a run-scoring groundout in the ninth.

"It was one of those nights where it was tough to get something going on offense because we got down early," said Twins center fielder Denard Span, who had a pair of hits.

Game Notes

The Rays improved to 45-32 when facing a right-handed starter, compared to 15-20 when facing a lefty starter...Longoria missed 85 games with a partially torn left hamstring...De Vries made his major league debut on May 24, 2012.