MINNEAPOLIS - Mike Pelfrey is tired of having to apologize for poor outings.
The Minnesota Twins are probably getting tired of having to hear them as well.
Pelfrey gave up five runs in just 4 2-3 innings to stunt the Twins' momentum in an 8-5 loss to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night, preventing a sweep of the day-night doubleheader.
The right-hander, who is coming off Tommy John surgery, gave up nine hits to a Marlins offence that is at the bottom of the majors in nearly every offensive category. He also laboured at a slow pace on another chilly night at Target Field to suck the life out of a Twins team that had won five straight games.
"I need to be a lot better than what I have been," said Pelfry (2-2), who lasted just two innings in a loss to Kansas City on April 9. "I said in Kansas City that loss was on me and this loss is on me, too. I'm tired of saying that. I know I have to be better. I know that I can be better and that's frustrating on my end."
Joe Mauer had two hits and an RBI for the Twins, who beat the Marlins 4-3 in the opener.
The Marlins entered the night cap with the worst offence in the majors, last in most statistical categories including batting average (.211), runs scored (46) home runs (six), RBIs (44) and on-base percentage (.270).
But they scored three runs in the first inning on a chilly night, then overcame several mistakes to hold off the Twins. Brantly had a two-run double in the first, an RBI-double in the fifth and a run-scoring single in the sixth. Justin Ruggiano and Chris Valaika also drove in runs and Stanton made it 8-4 with a hard-hit single in the eighth for just his third RBI this season.
First-year manager Mike Redmond, who spent five years as a backup catcher for the Twins, watched his young team let a popup fall between their shortstop and leftfielder, give up a three-run inning to the Twins in the third thanks to a wild pitch, a passed ball and a questionable call by first base umpire D.J. Reyburn. Brantly was thrown out at third base on a late tag-up to end the seventh inning.
And they still won.
Pelfrey's longest outing is just 5 1-3 innings and his ERA is up to 7.94.
"I've worked so hard to get back from this injury and I feel good," Pelfrey said. "But it hasn't been too pretty yet."
Manager Ron Gardenhire said Pelfrey will stay in the rotation, but he didn't sugarcoat another short outing.
"That was not a good enough performance for him," Gardenhire said. "I'm sure he'll tell you the same thing. And it just kind of dragged from there."
Eduardo Escobar had three hits, including a triple, for the Twins, who got a homer from Oswaldo Arcia and seven strong innings from Kevin Correia to take Game 1.
Arcia's three-run homer in the fourth backed Correia (2-1), who allowed five hits and struck out five. Brian Dozier had three hits, and Glen Perkins earned his sixth save.
Jose Fernandez (0-2) gave up four runs and six hits for the Marlins.
The teams were supposed to open their series Monday night, but the latest snowstorm put that one on ice. It was the third home game the Twins have had to postpone because of weather this year 鈥� there were just five in the first three seasons of Target Field.
Grounds crew members and ballpark personnel worked through the night to clear the heavy, wet snow from the field, seats and stairways. The temperature at first pitch was 38 degrees for Game 1 and a balmy 42 for Game 2, but the field, which has heater coils underneath it to combat cold temperatures, was lush and green.
"I think it's harder to hit in (the cold weather) than pitch in it," Correia said. "It's kind of tough to get a feel on the baseball. I've thrown well in the cold. I wouldn't call myself happy to be out there. I can't wait for the 70-degree weather to come around."
Marlins manager Mike Redmond, who was a backup catcher to Mauer for five years, got a nice ovation before the opener. The gregarious Redmond was a favourite in the clubhouse and is etched in Twins lore for his penchant for stripping down and walking around the clubhouse naked when things weren't going well, his way of trying to insert levity.
"He just knows a lot about the game," Mauer said. "And the way he related to younger players, especially myself, you kind of knew that he'd be really good at being a manager later on. It's really exciting for me to see him over there, and it should be fun."
NOTES: The run Twins RHP Jared Burton allowed in the eighth inning of Game 1 was his first in nine appearances this year. ... Both teams are off on Wednesday. The Twins open a weekend series with Texas on Thursday, and RHP Vance Worley (0-2, 7.11) will start the opener. Miami heads home to face the Chicago Cubs. Marlins RHP Kevin Slowey (0-2, 1.90) will start on Thursday against RHP Edwin Jackson (0-3, 4.84).
