FORT MYERS, Fla. — Kenta Maeda worked out of bases-loaded jeopardy and opened his Grapefruit League season with two scoreless innings Thursday, but the Twins committed three errors and lost their third straight game, 5-2 in seven innings at Hammond Stadium.
Twins lose to Tampa Bay 5-2; Maeda pitches two scoreless innings
March 4, 2021 at 8:56PM
![Minnesota Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson gave a thumbs up to pitcher Kenta Maeda after watching him throw in the bullpen Wednesday afternoon. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/LXM33E7TWFJQBHGYGFCRJDTWVU.jpg?&w=712)
Byron Buxton drove home reserve infielder Tzu-Wei Lin, who had doubled, with a sacrifice fly to left field, and the Twins scored another run when Keon Broxton scored on a throwing error by Rays catcher Blake Hunt.
The Twins, now 2-3, loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but Broxton grounded into a force play at second base to end the game.
Hansel Robles gave up four singles in the third inning and allowed three runs, one unearned when no infielder covered second base to catch Ryan Jeffers' attempt to throw out base-stealer Manuel Margot.
Taylor Rogers gave up a single and two walks in the fourth inning, and the Rays turned it into two runs with productive outs.
Red Wing native Ryan Boldt flied out and walked in two plate appearances for the Rays, who drafted him in the second round in 2016.
Robust competition is likely for righthander Roki Sasaki, whose agent suggests a “smaller, midmarket” team might be a good route to take, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are said to be the favorites to land him.
