Twins shortstop Carlos Correa was back in the lineup after missing only one game following Friday night’s injury scare.
Correa hobbled off the field Friday after Pittsburgh Pirates baserunner Tommy Pham’s helmet hit hard on the same right ankle that Correa needed surgery on as a minor leaguer in 2014. X-rays taken after the game were negative, and his ability to walk around later Friday calmed his alarm.
“We had a good feeling that Carlos would be fine, that he would come off that play in a good spot,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He seemed pretty confident even that night after the game that he’d be good to go [Sunday]. We didn’t want to put him out there immediately. We wanted to test him and make sure he came out of it OK. But he was fine.”
Correa batted cleanup and had two leadoff hits, doubling into the right-field corner in his first at-bat and starting the ninth inning with a single. But he was left stranded both times in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh.
Matthews impresses
Twins righthander Zebby Matthews looked dominant in his first rehab appearance for the St. Paul Saints on Sunday, striking out nine while giving up only one hit in four scoreless innings during an 8-2 loss to Iowa at CHS Field.
Matthews threw only 56 pitches in his four innings, recorded at least two strikeouts in every inning and struck out the side in the third. He retired the final 10 batters he faced and lowered his ERA at Class AAA to 1.72 in eight starts this season.
Matthews has been on the injured list since June 10 because of a right shoulder strain.
Another injury scare
At the end of a homestand in which Byron Buxton and Correa departed games because of injuries, the Twins faced another injury scare Sunday when first baseman Kody Clemens was upended while stretching high at first for a throw from Correa in the fifth inning.
