MINNEAPOLIS -- Kaelen Culpepper has only played 10 Major League games. But he’s proving to be a fast learner.
Culpepper had his first career three-hit game on Wednesday as the Twins completed a three-game sweep of the Braves with a 6-4 win at Target Field.
With the game tied 1-1 in the fifth, Culpepper began a rally with a base hit off Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver. He eventually came around to score the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded walk to Josh Bell. Kody Clemens then followed with a two-run double to make it 4-1.
Culpepper also kept a rally going in the third when his one-out single moved Victor Caratini to second. Caratini moved to third on Luke Keaschall’s bunt single and scored on a grounder by Byron Buxton.
The Twins broke a 4-4 tie with a pair of runs in the seventh. With one out, Bell hit a hard grounder to right-center and hustled into second for a double. Left-handed reliever Dylan Lee came on to face Clemens, who lined an RBI single to put the Twins on top. Clemens later scored on Brooks Lee’s base hit to center.
Jeff Hoffman then worked a scoreless eighth inning, striking out three while pitching around Ozzie Albies’ one-out double.
In the ninth, Yoendrys Gómez retired the side in order to earn his third save in as many days.