Twins top Rays 6-5 in six-inning exhibition

Behind home runs by Brent Rooker and Kyle Garlick, the Minnesota Twins defeated Tampa Bay 6-5 on Monday afternoon.

Originally scheduled to be a seven-inning tilt, the teams decided to call the game after six.

Rooker opened the scoring with a solo shot in the second inning, and the Twins added another run on a bases-loaded walk by Luis Arraez. Tampa Bay took a 5-2 lead on extra-base hits by Yandy Diaz and Brett Sullivan in the third and fourth innings.

However, the Twins rallied for four runs in the fifth inning. Jake Cave doubled to right field to bring in Drew Maggi, Rooker notched another RBI with a sacrifice fly and Garlick went yard for a two-run dinger before the inning concluded.

Twins prospect Lewis Thorpe started the game and didn’t allow a hit or run in two innings on the bump. He walked one batter and whiffed two. Griffin Jax picked up the save.

The Twins improved to 2-0 in the Grapefruit League. Minnesota returns to the field Tuesday to take on the Atlanta Braves at 12 p.m.