Reid Detmers worked six solid innings and Brandon Drury and Niko Kavadas homered to lead the Angels to a 6-2 victory over the struggling Minnesota Twins on Monday night.
Detmers (4-6) was making his second straight quality start after spending three months at triple-A Salt Lake. The 25-year-old left-hander gave up five hits and struck out eight — including the last three batters he face — for his first win since April 12 against Boston after starting the season 3-0. He gave up three hits and struck out 10 in six innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers last Tuesday in his first appearance since June 1 after being demoted to the minors after months of inconsistency.
“You always want to finish strong, especially these last starts I have left,” Detmers said. “Obviously give it your all, but trying to get my name back out there, trying to make a statement and show everybody who I am.”
Drury hit his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot, in the the third inning and Kavadas added another two-run homer, his third, in the sixth.
Kyle Farmer homered for the Twins, who struck out 12 times and lost their fourth straight game. Minnesota has scored just 13 runs in losing six of its last seven games. The Twins are 6-15 in their last 21 games, yet remain third in the American League wild-card standings, three games ahead of idle Detroit and Seattle.
“There’s times where you’re going to struggle for a moment at the plate, and right now unfortunately it’s contagious for us. But hopefully we’ll snap out of it tomorrow,” said Royce Lewis, who went 0 for 4 and is hitless in his last 20 at-bats.
David Festa (2-6) gave up a two-run single to Nolan Schanuel in the first and a 459-foot home run to Drury in the third inning as the Angels took a 4-0 lead. Festa was lifted after four innings.
Carlos Santana had an RBI single in the third for Minnesota and Farmer homered in the fourth before Kavadas lined a home run to right field off Ronny Henriquez in the sixth to stretch the Angels’ lead to 6-2.
José Suarez, recalled Monday from triple A, threw three hitless innings for this first career save. Since June 17, Angels relievers lead the majors with a 2.62 ERA.
“He came out with intent from the first pitch because his first pitch was 95. He usually builds up as he goes along, but tonight he came out there and got on it right away,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.
Injury updates: Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon (back soreness) missed his second straight game as a precaution. He’s expected to return Tuesday. … Outfielder Jo Adell (left oblique strain) was moved to the 60-day injured list.
Up next: The Angels plan to start right-hander Griffin Canning (5-12, 5.02) Tuesday in the second game of this three-game set. Right-hander Pablo López (14-8, 4.05) is the scheduled Minnesota starter.