Twins get some bases-loaded breaks, draw plenty of walks in 10-7 win over Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — The Twins are the worst-hitting team in baseball with the bases loaded, and their numbers only got worse Tuesday.

Funny thing, though.

Turns out, you don’t need a hit to score when the bases are loaded. You can draw a walk, say, or hit into a groundout where the fielder has no choice but to take the out at first base. You can even hit a high chopper off home plate that travels only 40 feet, then watch the pitcher throw it into right field, scoring all three baserunners.

Or on Tuesday night in Dodger Stadium, the Twins could do all three.

Dodgers pitchers walked seven Twins, loading the bases in both the sixth and seventh innings, and the Twins turned them into back-to-back three-run innings and an eventual 10-7 victory over Los Angeles. It’s the most runs the Twins have ever scored against the Dodgers, and only their third victory at Dodger Stadium in 16 meetings, counting the 1965 World Series.

“When you can quiet Dodger Stadium and empty it out early, you’re doing something good,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It was a good day.”

Royce Lewis was in the middle of most of the weirdness, twice reaching base via Dodgers errors, both of which allowed runs to score, and also drawing the bases-loaded walk. The Twins went 0-for-2 with a walk when they had three runners on base, dropping their batting average to an MLB-worst .183 (13-for-71) — yet they still scored four runs in those situations.

Especially for Carlos Correa, who led off three innings by getting on base, and scored four times, much to the annoyance of the crowd of 45,074 who booed him constantly.

“I love getting on base. I’m competing at the plate [and] having good at-bats for the team. That’s where I want to be,” Correa said. “You have to understand that when you’re leading off, you cannot get too big. You have to play your role — that’s get on base and start a rally.”

BOXSCORE: Twins 10, L.A. Dodgers 7

MLB standings

Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson lasted only three innings plus three batters in the fourth, walking five batters to take over the team lead and surrendering Andy Pages’ three-run homer.

But the Dodgers kept contributing to the Twins offense. Third baseman Miguel Rojas dropped Lewis’ ground ball with two runners on base in the second inning; shortstop Mookie Betts picked it up, but his throw to second base was off the mark, allowing the game’s first run to score.

Christian Vázquez followed with a double to the center-field wall, driving two runs home and collecting his first RBIs since he homered June 8.

“They pay me for that,” Vázquez said with a smile. “It’s fun. Every time you can do something to help the team, it’s awesome.”

In the sixth inning, L.A. reliever Ben Casparius faced four batters, giving up a Ty France double and three walks, the last of them to Lewis. He departed to loud boos from the home crowd, and Alexis Diaz, making his big league debut, retired Harrison Bader on a roller to third base that Rojas could only throw to first, allowing Carlos Correa to score.

Vazquez then singled in a run, giving him five hits in his last two games, and his second three-RBI game of the season.

When Lewis’ swing produced a high bounce off home plate, Henriquez rushed over and grabbed it, then rushed his throw to first base, too. The baseball flew past Freddie Freeman and into the right-field corner, allowing all three runners to score.