By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
Sonny Gray tossed two-hit ball over six shutout innings, reliever Caleb Thielbar pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and Jordan Luplow homered to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
The AL Central leaders bounced back from a 13-2 loss in the series opener to win the last two games. Gray (6-5) struck out seven and pitched into the sixth inning in his eighth straight start.
Gray allowed just two singles and otherwise quieted a Phillies’ offense that had hit 20 homers over the last eight games.
Yet after 80 pitches, that was enough for Gray.
It almost cost the Twins.
Griffin Jax allowed two singles and hit a batter to load the bases with one out and to send the Philly crowd into a frenzy. Thielbar got the call from the bullpen and the lefty got left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber to pop out. Thielbar then went to a full count on Alec Bohm and caught him looking at strike three on a close call at the knees. Bohm spiked his bat like teammate Rhys Hoskins did after a memorable postseason home run last year, except his was in frustration, not excitement.
Bohm was promptly ejected by plate umpire Alex MacKay.
MacKay was serenaded by “Ump, you suck!” chants in the eighth.
The chants only grew louder after Thiebar struck out Bryce Harper to open the inning. Phillies manager Rob Thomson was ejected after a brief, calm — but impolite — discussion with MacKay.
Emilio Pagán retired the last two batters in the eighth and Jhoan Durán worked the ninth for his 21st save.
The Phillies finished 6-4 on a 10-game homestand that kept them in first place in the NL wild-card standings. But consecutive losses were a sour end to a home stretch that included standing ovations for Trea Turner, a no-hitter by Michael Lorenzen, career homer No. 200 for Nick Castellanos, season homer No. 30 for Schwarber and majors-first homers for Weston Wilson and Johan Rojas.
Phillies starter Ranger Suarez (2-6) threw mostly fine against the Twins but allowed Ludlow’s two-out homer in the first and Jorge Polanco’s RBI single in the third. Polanco added an RBI single in the ninth to help the Twins finish 3-4 on their seven-game road trip.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Thomson said Harper, who left one game early and missed another because of back spasms, could return to first base sometime this week after serving as the DH the last two games.
LET’S CELEBRATE
The Phillies honored the 1983 and 1993 National League championship teams. Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt and Curt Schilling were among the players introduced before the game.
UP NEXT
Twins: Minnesota has a day off and then plays two games at home against Detroit. The Tigers send RHP Alex Faedo (2-4, 4.80 ERA) to the mound Tuesday against Twins RHP Bailey Ober (6-6, 3.40 ERA).
Phillies: Philadelphia is off Monday before playing a two-game set in Toronto. The Blue Jays send RHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-4, 3.53 ERA) to the mound Tuesday against Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (9-5, 3.74 ERA).
