MINNEAPOLIS --
• B2B HRs, Dobnak's 6th W power Twins in G1\n\nThe pair of victories extended Minnesota’s winning streak to four and pulled it within a half-game of the American League Central lead, with Cleveland and Chicago playing later in the evening.\n\nPolanco entered the day with a .675 OPS in 37 games, a far cry from his 2019 All-Star performance, but the eighth four-hit game of his career helped account for both runs in the second game, when the Twins had a baserunner in every inning but clutch knocks didn’t come easily.
That is, until Polanco got an opportunity in the seventh with the Twins down, 2-1. Following a leadoff walk by
Polanco has been a better hitter against right-handers for most of his career, but it hasn’t escaped Baldelli’s notice that his shortstop has been much-improved against lefties this season. Four of Polanco’s hits Friday, including the homer and the game-tying single, came against southpaws.\n\n“He's getting it done in a little bit of a different way, I think, this year,” Baldelli said. “His right-handed swing has seemed very compact and direct and strong, and he's had continual good at-bats against left-handed pitching. Truthfully, I'm not basing that off of any information. That's just watching him. And he's looked really good going up there from the right side.”
Though Miguel Sanó and Nelson Cruz struck out and pinch-hitter
Until those late rallies, Polanco’s third-inning single had led to the Twins’ only other run. Two-out knocks by Cruz and