Zac Gallen turns in strong start, Marlins can’t get going at the plate in narrow loss to visiting Twins

MIAMI (AP) — Byron Buxton homered and Jake Odorizzi followed his worst big league start by pitching one-run ball into the sixth inning as the Minnesota Twins beat the Miami Marlins 2-1 Tuesday night.

Odorizzi (12-5) allowed a run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and was lifted after giving up his only walk to Neil Walker with two out in the sixth. The outing comes less than a week after Odorizzi’s four-inning effort against the New York Yankees on July 24, when he gave up nine runs and 10 hits.

Tyler Duffey relieved Odorizzi and struck out two in 1 1/3 innings. Sergio Romo, acquired from Miami on Saturday, pitched a scoreless eight and Taylor Rogers retired the three batters he faced in the ninth for his 16th save.

Buxton gave the Twins a 1-0 lead a homer in the third, driving the first pitch from Miami starter Zac Gallen over the wall in left-center for his 10th home run.

Buxton’s blast was the Twins’ 206th homer of the season, matching their 2017 total and the third-highest in club history.

Gallen (1-3) went seven innings for the second straight outing. The rookie right-hander, who was called up from Triple-A New Orleans on June 20, allowed two runs and four hits, striking out eight and walking three.

Minnesota increased its lead in the fourth when Miguel Sano doubled, scoring Eddie Rosario from first.

Curtis Granderson had an RBI double in the fourth for Miami, which was held hitless the rest of the way.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Twins: 1B C.J. Cron (thumb) will play rehab games with the Twins’ Class A Fort Myers affiliate on Wednesday and Thursday.

Marlins: 1B Garrett Cooper left in the third inning of because of left hamstring tightness.

UP NEXT:

Twins: RHP Jose Berrios (9-5, 2.94) starts the middle game of the series looking to continue a trend of limiting opponents to three earned runs or less in his last 11 outings.

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (4-9, 4.18), the team’s representative in the 2019 All-Star game, is winless since June 21.