With trade deadline looming, Twins drop series to Nationals

The Twins dream of building chosen buyer s momentum ahead of the commerce deadline likely died on Sunday With a x-x loss to the Washington Nationals at Target Field the Twins fell to - since returning from the all-star break on July with only a three-game series with the Red Sox between them and the deadline on Thursday evening Four of those six losses have been to the two worst teams in baseball Colorado and Washington although with two wins this weekend the Nationals pulled closer to the pack in the National League Minnesota Twins' Harrison Bader reacts after hitting a double against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning of a baseball event Sunday July in Minneapolis AP Photo Stacy Bengs Alex Call who drove in a pair of runs in the Nationals - triumph on Saturday hit a two-run single against a drawn-in infield as Washington broke open a tight meeting with four runs against Travis Adams in the fifth inning That made it - and sent Nathaniel Lowe to third base Daylen Lile followed with a sacrifice fly to right field for a - lead In the fourth inning Lile hit a out-out triple off Adams and scored on a sac fly by Paul DeJong Adams - was charged with five earned runs on five hits and two walks in innings He fanned three With Bailey Ober hip and David Festa shoulder both on the injured list Cole Sands pitched the first two innings of a bullpen battle CJ Abrams his his first pitch for a home run for a quick - lead Matt Wallner s th home run of the season tied the tournament - in the second inning and Trevor Larnach tied it - with a sacrifice fly in the third that scored Harrison Bader who had gone first to third on a groundout That was all the Twins could muster against starter Jake Irvin - The right-hander was charged with two earned runs on five hits in seven innings He didn t walk a batter and struck out two Related Articles Twins center fielder Byron Buxton gets MRI In a pinch River Falls Alex Call helps sink Twins Twins analysis Bailey Ober s next start could be for the Twins Stuck in Triple-A Edouard Julien and Jose Miranda play on Zebby Matthews baffles Nationals in Twins - supremacy