Twins' balanced offense plates season-high 16 runs against D-backs

PHOENIX – The Twins’ offense is as scorching hot as the Arizona summer heat.

Minnesota’s offense erupted again on Saturday, trouncing the Diamondbacks 16-8 at Chase Field. The game marked the Twins’ fourth consecutive game scoring five or more runs, though the display against the D-backs took the offensive display to the next level.

Minnesota wraps up its series in Arizona on Sunday, giving it a chance to finish its six-game road trip with a 5-1 record.

The Twins roughed up D-backs starter Zac Gallen, though that has been the trend against the opposition lately, as they’ve recorded 46 runs during the current road trip.

“We just continued to put pressure on,” manager Derek Shelton said. “We didn't hit a lot of balls hard to start it, and we found some holes, and then we just continued to build on it.

“Really proud of our group for doing that.”

Six Minnesota players notched at least one RBI on Saturday, with Byron Buxton and Ryan Kreidler leading the way with four apiece. Victor Caratini continued his white-hot streak with three RBIs and three runs scored, while third baseman Brooks Lee finished 4-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored, and ultimately fell a home run short of the cycle.

He missed the chance in his final at-bat of the game while D-backs position player Ildemaro Vargas was on the hill, working the count to 3-0 before taking a healthy cut at a 66.2 mph fastball over the plate. He got under it, though, and ultimately popped out to shortstop.

The 25-year-old infielder has recorded a hit in three of his last four games while scoring in three straight.

“He was spotting up pretty good, but I didn't chase, and then 3-0, it's like, I have to swing,” Lee said. “I got what I got, and I was out.”

Lee’s offensive output is part of a bigger trend from the Twins lately, and contributions have been coming from all sides of the lineup. Josh Bell, for example, did not record an RBI Saturday, but he has recorded 15 RBIs in June, with seven of those coming on the current road trip through five of its six games.

Nine of the Twins’ 16 runs came from spots 6-9 in the batting order: Lee (two RBIs, three runs scored), Caratini (three RBIs, three runs scored), Luke Keaschall (three runs scored) and Kreidler (four RBIs, two runs scored).

“We're well-rounded,” Lee said. “There's power in all parts of our lineup, and that showed tonight.”

Buxton’s four RBIs came from a fifth-inning grand slam, while Trevor Larnach added two and Kody Clemens rounded out the scoring with one.

That offensive outburst gave starter Taj Bradley plenty of breathing room, and he was effective through five innings of work. He allowed two runs on three hits while striking out four and issuing one walk, and it was the first time since May 23 against Boston that he allowed two or fewer earned runs.

The only downside to Minnesota’s onslaught of runs was how long Bradley had to wait to go back out and pitch during a top half of the fifth inning that lasted 30 minutes. Bradley threw in the tunnel, did jumping jacks, and just stayed loose as the Twins racked up the runs.

That was a small price to pay, though, for a 16-run lead in the fifth inning.

“It seems like everybody was going to the bat rack twice in an inning,” Bradley said. “It's awesome just seeing guys doing something electric.”

The 25-year-old righty earned his sixth win of the season, and if the Twins keep scoring runs at this pace, he’ll have plenty of help to add to that total.

“We’re just clicking on all cylinders; we’re seeing the ball good, and guys that were not getting hits are getting on base,” Lee said. “We're a powerful team, but we know how to start that rally, get a base runner on, and then the power surge comes.”