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Twins eventually cash in as Rays lose, fall back to .500 (w/video)

 
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 27: Brian Dozier #2 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates hitting a two-run home run as Derek Norris #33 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the eighth inning of the game on May 27, 2017 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Rays 5-3. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) 700010973
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 27: Brian Dozier #2 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates hitting a two-run home run as Derek Norris #33 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the eighth inning of the game on May 27, 2017 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Rays 5-3. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) 700010973
Published May 27, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS — The Rays could only battle their way out of trouble for so long Saturday afternoon before succumbing in a 5-2 loss to the Twins.

Brian Dozier's two-run homer in the eighth off reliever Tommy Hunter was the difference, coming after the Rays dealt with threats the three previous innings.

Hunter was the third reliever to follow Jake Odorizzi, who threw 118 pitches but didn't get through the sixth. But while Jose Alvarado and Danny Farquhar found their way out of messes to keep it 2-2, Hunter came in with a man on third and two outs and within four pitches gave the Twins a 4-2 lead. Two more hits made it 5-2.

The loss dropped the Rays to 26-26, the 16th time they have been back to .500 since the start of the season.

Odorizzi, once again, did not seem to have his best stuff but got into the sixth anyway, throwing his most pitches since 120 last June while allowing the two runs. It was his 21st no-decision since the start of 2016, most in the majors over that span, and 17th when allowing two or fewer runs.

The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the second but could have had more. They got two on when Logan Morrison doubled and Steven Souza Jr. walked then, after Kevin Kiermaier struck out, loaded the bases when Rickie Weeks also walked against Twins lefty Adalberto Mejia. Derek Norris' single scored one, but that was it as Souza got thrown out trying to score on an errant pitch and Peter Bourjos grounded out. In review, a double, single, two walks, passed ball and another errant pitch produced just one runs.

The Twins got even in their second, which was similarly unproductive, loading the bases with two singles and a walk. But Odorizzi allowed only the one run, on a sac fly to center.

Norris put the Rays back ahead in the fourth with a sac fly after Kiermaier did the hard part, singling and going to third on Weeks' single.

But Odorizzi gave it back in a big way, a 426-foot blast into the upper deck in right-centerfield by Eddie Rosario.

Odorizzi had a man on and two outs in the sixth when Rays manager Kevin Cash decided to intentionally walk Dozier and bring in hard-throwing rookie Alvarado to face mighty Joe Mauer, and he got a flyout to end it.

Then Alvarado got in a little trouble in the seventh with a leadoff walk, and after Colby Rasmus ran down a fly in left, the Rays turned to Farquhar. That didn't start too hot, as Farquhar's errant pickoff throw allowed pinch-runner Byron Buxton to advance to third, but it ended well as Farquhar struck out dangerous pinch-hitter Miguel Sano and got Eduardo Escobar on a flyout.

The Rays wrap up the series Sunday at 2:10, with Alex Cobb facing Minnesota's Kyle Gibson, before heading out to Texas to continue their nine-game, 10-day, cross-country road trip.

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Marc Topkin can be reached at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays.