FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Brandon Boggs belted a three-run home run to spark a five-run ninth-inning rally Sunday, and the oldest and youngest players in Twins' camp each drove in a run. But righthander Deolis Guerra allowed three runs in the 10th, two on a homer by Mark Thomas, and the Twins fell to 0-2 in Grapefruit League play with a 10-7 loss in their home opener at Hammond Stadium.
The Twins trailed 7-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, but Boggs, a free-agent competing for the Twins' vacant center field job, smashed a Jimmy Patterson pitch far over the left field wall with two runners on base. Four batters later, Chris Colabello singled to short right, driving home the tying run.
Guerra then got into trouble in the 10th, with Leslie Anderson delivering a sharp RBI single to break the tie. On the next pitch, Thomas hit a slicing fly ball that just stayed inside the foul pole in left field for his first home run of the spring.
Jamey Carroll, who turned 39 last week, doubled home the Twins' first run in the third inning, and his defensive replacement Eddie Rosario, 21, singled in another in the fifth to give the Twins a brief lead.
But veteran lefthander Brian Duensing was undone by some fielding miscues in the sixth inning, and gave up three runs to surrender the lead. A hard grounder to short was mishandled by Class A shortstop Danny Santana, though it was scored a hit, and Justin Morneau bobbled a roller to first for an error. Along with a double by Rays prospect Wil Myers and back-to-back singles, the plays resulted in three runs.
Rochester closer Anthony Slama also allowed three runs in the ninth, with an error by Rosario contributing to Tampa Bay's cause.
The Twins were happy with the work of their first three pitchers, starter Liam Hendriks -- who allowed one run in two innings -- plus closer Glen Perkins and rotation candidate Kyle Gibson. Perkins struck out the first two hitters he faced in his scoreless inning, and Gibson was clocked at 96 mph in throwing two scoreless innings.
