Santana strong in Twins’ 3-1 victory over Indians

MINNEAPOLIS Another day off the calendar. Another game off the deficit.

And a notable Twins headache overcome.

Not a bad night’s work for the Twins, who began their final 13-day stretch drive in the best way possible: Beating the team creeping up from behind, cutting the deficit to two games out of a playoff spot, and breaking Danny Salazar’s spell over them. The Twins scored three runs in a four-batter outburst on Tuesday, and Ervin Santana made it hold up in a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

It was the first of seven games against Cleveland over the final two weeks, a stretch of head-to-head games that figures to eliminate one team, or both, fairly quickly. And for the opener, the Twins faced one of the bigger obstacles Cleveland can throw in front of them: Salazar, a right-hander who had not started a loss against Minnesota in two seasons.

In five starts over two seasons, Salazar owned a 2.70 ERA against the Twins, allowing just nine earned runs in five starts, all of them Cleveland victories. And he wasn’t much worse on Tuesday, save for a decisive 10 minutes that gave Santana all the support he needed. It all came with two outs and could have been prevented by a softer landing by Michael Brantley.

Salazar retired the first eight hitters he faced Tuesday, but walked Eduardo Escobar with two outs in the third inning. Aaron Hicks followed with a drive just short of the bullpens in left-center, a long fly ball that Brantley, Cleveland’s All-Star left fielder grabbed as he dove to the ground. But the ball bounced free upon impact with the ground, and Hicks raced to third with a triple, scoring Escobar.

Brian Dozier then launched a similar shot to deep left, scoring Hicks. And after a mound conference, Joe Mauer did the same, pulling into second as Dozier cross the plate with the Twins’ third run, matching the total in four batters that they had scored in their previous two games against Salazar this season.

That was all they got, but that was all they needed, thanks to the late-season resurgence of Santana.

The Twins’ right-hander contributed his fifth consecutive quality start, this time going seven innings and allowing just one run while striking out seven. Four of Santana’s innings lasted just three batters, and in two others, no Indian advanced past first base.

Only a hiccup in the fifth prevented him from posting his fourth scoreless outing of the season. Yan Gomes opened that inning with a double to deep right, moving to third on a ground out. Gomes scored Cleveland’s lone run when Jose Ramirez skittered a hot smash at Joe Mauer, who shoveled it too late to Santana to get the out.

Santana, critical to the Twins’ postseason drive, if ineligible to take part if it’s successful, has allowed six runs in his last five starts, covering 36 innings, a 1.50 ERA. He’s in line for two more starts this season, on Sunday in Detroit, and the following Friday at home against the Royals.

Beating Salazar offers the Twins a nice bit of optimism as they approach Wednesday’s challenge: Corey Kluber, Cleveland’s ace who pitched a one-hitter against them last month.

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