Familiar disaster scene plays out for Varland and Twins

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Defensive mistakes lead to 8-run inning for Rays

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The Rays’ Junior Caminero scores on a fielder’s choice as Twins catcher Christian Vazquez can’t hang onto the throw from shortstop Brooks Lee during the fourth inning Wednesday. Making the call is home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz. PHOTOS BY CHRIS O’MEARA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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The Twins’ Carlos Santana celebrates his two-run home run off Rays relief pitcher Tyler Alexander with third base coach Tommy Watkins during the seventh inning.

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By Betsy Helfand

bhelfand@pioneerpress.com

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. >> The Twins have seen too many of these types of games lately, where things snowball leading to an opponent’s big inning and they quickly find themselves in a noncompetitive contest.

Wednesday, Louie Varland became the third Twins pitcher to give up at least eight runs in the team’s past eight games. All eight came as part of a disastrous fourth inning for the Twins in their 9-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

“We played a little sloppy in that inning, but that happens sometimes,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You have to overcome that. It just happened to pile on all at the same time. … Not letting it snowball is probably something we need to find a way to do.”

Varland’s undoing was largely the result of poor team defense, which started when Varland himself made an errant pickoff throw to first, which allowed the first run of the game to score.

Jonny DeLuca then grounded a ball to shortstop Brooks Lee that he tried to backhand. Lee missed the ball originally but grabbed it and made a high throw that catcher Christian Vázquez was unable to snag, allowing a second run to score.

The Rays’ (69-70) fourth run scored on a groundball that Royce Lewis, in his first career start at second base, fielded and threw low to Vázquez. Lewis was charged with an error.

“We need to make the plays. That’s all,” Vázquez said. “I think that’s the only way we get out of the trouble, making plays and getting better at that.”

Two more runs scored on a Taylor Walls single, and Yandy Díaz later hit a two-run home run, ending Varland’s night. A clearly frustrated Varland was yelling after the long ball and continued to do so as he walked off the mound to the dugout. All of the runs were earned despite the poor defensive execution by the Twins.

“A lot happened and I could’ve pitched better,” Varland said.

It was far from the return to the majors that Varland was hoping for. The Minnesota native, whom the Twins are preparing to pitch in different roles, came on in the second inning after Ronny Henriquez’s scoreless first.

Varland made quick work of the Rays in his first two innings and said he felt great before the fourth inning in which he recorded just one out. Scott Blewett (2 2/3 innings) and Michael Tonkin (2 innings) finished off the game for the Twins.

The Twins made some offensive noise in the seventh inning, scoring four runs. Kyle Farmer and Carlos Santana homered — his 20th of the season — in the inning, making a dent in the Rays’ lead that wasn’t close to being nearly enough.

“We’ve got to find a way to come together as a team, play good fundamentally and play some complete ballgames,” Baldelli said. “ … You’re going to have stretches where you do not play your best. It’s how you handle it. … It’s time to turn it around.”