MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Trevor Larnach hit a three-run homer, Joey Gallo homered for the second straight game and Louie Varland pitched 6 1/3 solid innings for the Minnesota Twins in a 16-3 win against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
Varland (1-0) earned his second career win in his ninth major league start for his hometown Twins, who won their second consecutive series. They posted season highs in runs and hits (18) for the second game in a row after Saturday’s 11-1 victory against Chicago.
Larnach, in his second game since being recalled from Triple-A to replace injured Max Kepler, hit his fourth homer of the season as part of a seven-run third inning that chased Cubs starter Marcus Stroman. Larnach spent a week in the minors after his batting average dropped to .221, but he still led the team with 19 RBIs when he was recalled.
Minnesota hit eight home runs over the final two games of the series.
Stroman (2-4) had his shortest outing that wasn’t cut short due to injury or game suspension since 2018. The right-hander entered the day tied for the MLB lead with seven quality starts and had pitched at least five innings in each of his previous eight starts this season.
He gave up six runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Christopher Morel and Seiya Suzuki homered for Chicago, which has lost five of seven. Morel’s third homer in five games since being recalled from Triple-A landed in the third deck in left field, projected at 461 feet by MLB’s Statcast.
Carlos Correa had two hits for the Twins to continue his strong homestand after acknowledging and saying he understood the boos from the hometown fans in the first game back home on Tuesday. In the five games since, Correa is 7 for 21 with a homer and seven RBIs.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Gallo left the game after grounding out to end the seventh. After hitting first base, he grabbed at the back of his right leg. He was replaced by Michael Taylor.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Begin a second straight interleague series on Monday in Houston. RHP Jameson Taillon (0-2, 6.41 ERA) will start the first game for Chicago against LHP Framber Valdez (3-4, 2.38). Taillon is coming off his shortest outing of the season after he gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings against St. Louis last Tuesday.
Twins: Open a six-game road trip in Los Angeles with three games against the Dodgers. RHP Pablo López (2-2, 3.47 ERA) will start Monday for Minnesota. Los Angeles is scheduled to pitch RHP Noah Syndergaard (1-3, 6.12). López has a career-high stretch of nine straight starts with at least six strikeouts.
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