Josh Bell has early 2-run double and Twins bullpen makes lead hold up for 4-2 win over Braves

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Josh Bell’s two-run double started the scoring in a four-run first inning, and the Minnesota Twins held on to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 on Tuesday night.

The first six batters reached against Atlanta starter Martín Pérez (8-7), with the first four in the order scoring. Bell’s flare down the right-field line fell just inside the chalk and bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double. Royce Lewis and Kody Clemens followed with RBI singles.

Bell and Clemens each finished with a pair of hits for Minnesota, which let a five-run lead slip away Sunday in a 7-5 loss to Philadelphia for a three-game Phillies sweep. The bullpen made the lead stand this time after starter Bailey Ober could only last 4 1/3 innings.

Ronald Acuña Jr.’s two-run single chased Ober in the fifth, but left-hander Taylor Rogers retired lefty batters Matt Olson and Michael Harris II to end the inning.

Travis Adams (3-0) pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Jeff Hoffman allowed two runners in the eighth but escaped the jam, in part, due to Clemens making a diving stop on a hard grounder by Harris. Yoendrys Gómez walked the leadoff batter in the ninth but picked up his 17th save in as many chances after the Twins failed to score with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the eighth.

Pérez, who had pitched 18 straight scoreless innings, surrendered nine hits and two walks in five innings, striking out three.

The game’s start was delayed 51 minutes, but no rain fell.

Up next

Right-hander Zebby Matthews (6-8, 5.34 ERA) starts Tuesday night for Minnesota. Atlanta will go with RHP Tyler Mahle (4-9, 4.64), a trade-deadline acquisition from San Francisco.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb