Twins have another crooked-number 1st inning to complete 3-game sweep at Texas with 9-3 win

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brooks Lee hit a three-run homer as Minnesota scored multiple runs in the first inning for the third consecutive game, and the Twins went on to complete a series sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 9-3 win Thursday.

Lee's 12th homer capped a four-run first off Jack Leiter (3-7). Trevor Larnach made it 6-0 in the fourth with a two-run shot to straightaway center that just cleared the extended glove of leaping Alejandro Osuna. Larnach's third hit was an RBI single in the fifth, and Ryan Kriedler hit a two-run homer in the eighth.

Joe Ryan (5-3) struck out seven but needed 97 pitches to get through five scoreless innings while allowing three singles. Leiter was done after the fourth, and has given up 17 runs while losing three starts in a row.

The Twins never trailed in the three-game sweep that extended their winning streak to four, matching their longest this season. Their 14-5 record at Globe Life Field is the best for any American League opponent since the ballpark opened in 2020.

Wyatt Langford, Ezequiel Duran and Justin Foscue hit solo homers for the Rangers, who have lost five of six games. They are 0-15 when giving up multiple runs in the first inning.

Twins DH Josh Bell, who was born in nearby Irving and grew up in the area, had an RBI single before Lee's homer. Bell hit a three-run homer in the first inning of the series-opening 4-2 win Monday, and had an RBI single for a 2-0 lead in the first of a 12-2 win on Tuesday, before an unusual in-series break Wednesday because of a World Cup match next door.

Twins rookie left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-4, 5.26 ERA) starts Friday at Arizona. Jacob deGrom (5-4, 3.17), 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his past four starts for Texas, is scheduled to pitch at home against San Diego.

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan follows through on a throw during the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers center fielder Alejandro Osuna can't reach the home run ball at the wall hit by Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach celebrates his home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Minnesota Twins' Brooks Lee, left, hits a home run in front of Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves acquired catcher Joey Bart from the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton on Thursday night.

Atlanta made room for Bart on the 40-man roster by designating catcher Sandy León for assignment. The Pirates assigned Stratton to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Bart was batting .259 with two homers, six RBIs and a .670 OPS in 21 games with Pittsburgh. He grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and played college ball in the city at Georgia Tech before being selected second overall by the San Francisco Giants in the 2018 amateur draft.

The NL East-leading Braves (46-27) already have two fine catchers in 2025 NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin and 2023 All-Star Sean Murphy, but Murphy is on the 60-day injured list with a broken finger.

Stratton appeared in one game with the Braves this year and pitched a scoreless inning. He played for the Pirates from 2023-25 before getting traded to Atlanta last July.

León was batting .091 with zero RBIs in 21 games this season.

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

FILE - Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Hunter Stratton works against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning of a baseball game, May 2, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

FILE - Pittsburgh Pirates' Joey Bart steps in to bat against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of a baseball game, May 7, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)