In Arlington, Texas, the Minnesota Twins clinched a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers during the series opener on Thursday evening. The winning moment came when Carlos Santana hit a sacrifice fly off All-Star closer Kirby Yates in the ninth inning. Santana’s timely hit followed consecutive one-out walks and a wild pitch from Yates. The Twins (68-53) are now within four games of the AL Central lead, currently holding the second wild card spot in the American League. On the other hand, the Rangers (56-66) are third in the AL West, trailing the Houston Astros by 10 games, their largest division deficit this season.

Willi Castro contributed to the Twins’ win by hitting a homer, while Jorge Alcala (3-3) and Jhoan Duran played vital roles on the pitching mound for Minnesota. Adolis García led the offensive efforts for the Rangers, tallying three hits, including an RBI single in the first inning. However, Texas eventually fell short as the Twins caught up in the second inning, with Castro’s home run and a subsequent error allowing Kyle Farmer to score.

Minnesota celebrated Christian Vázquez reaching 10 years of MLB service with a festive display in the clubhouse before the game. Vázquez, who has been in multiple World Series-winning teams, continues to perform well, with 15 hits in his last 12 games. The Rangers showcased strong defense with outfield assists, marking their 24th of the season.

In terms of player updates, Twins’ CF Byron Buxton was placed on the 10-day injured list due to hip inflammation. The Rangers have pitcher Nathan Eovaldi scheduled to start on Saturday after recovering from a right side tightness issue. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is set for a bullpen session following a break due to right shoulder fatigue. The next matchup will feature Rangers’ Andrew Heaney against Twins’ Simeon Woods Richardson on Friday night.