\n BETSY HELFAND
\nPioneer Press\n <\/p>\n
Just a year into his major league career,\u00a0Byron Buxton\u00a0took off for third base. He was thrown out.<\/p>\n
Buxton, one of the most successful base stealers of all time, hadn\u2019t attempted to take third base for more than nine years when he broke for third base in the third inning on Friday night. The center fielder made it there without a throw and with the stolen base, slid into the Twins\u2019 record books.<\/p>\n
His first career steal of third base was also his 20th of the season, making him just the seventh Twin to become part of the 20 home run, 20 stolen base club. It was the highlight of the Twins\u2019 7-4 win over the\u00a0San Diego Padres\u00a0in the series opener at Target Field.<\/p>\n
An inning later, he stole another base as part of a four-run inning in which the\u00a0Padres\u00a0starter,\u00a0Nestor Cortes, was ejected right as he was seemingly about to be pulled from the game and the Twins broke away from the\u00a0Padres.<\/p>\n
\n People are also reading\u2026\n <\/p>\n
The center fielder, who is the first to accomplish the feat since\u00a0Brian Dozier\u00a0did so in 2014, now has an outside shot to become the first Twin to reach 30\/30, needing three more home runs and nine stolen bases to accomplish it.<\/p>\n
Buxton has never hit 30 home runs or stolen 30 bases in his career, though that is more due to health than anything. If he stays healthy throughout the rest of the season, it doesn\u2019t seem to be outside the realm of possibilities.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Buxton, who hit a single and drove in two runs in the game, had plenty of help from his teammates.<\/p>\n
Trevor Larnach\u00a0had a team-high three hits, including one in the fourth inning that put the Twins up by three. It came right after a fielding error by\u00a0Padres\u00a0second baseman\u00a0Jake Cronenworth\u00a0allowed a pair of runs to score.<\/p>\n
That helped make a winner of starter\u00a0Zebby Matthews, who gave up three runs and pitched into the seventh inning.<\/p>\n
L\u00f3pez nears return<\/p>\n
Pablo L\u00f3pez\u2019s return is on the horizon.<\/p>\n
L\u00f3pez, who made his second rehab start with the Triple-A Saints on Tuesday in\u00a0Toledo, Ohio, has plans to fly back to\u00a0Toledo\u00a0to link back up with the Saints and make another outing on Sunday. The starting pitcher has been on the injured list since early June with a teres major strain.<\/p>\n
His goal in what he expects to be his final rehab start is to last five innings and throw around 75-80 pitches.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast one, best one,\u201d he said. \u201cI still have to remember that it\u2019s been almost three months with a semi-major shoulder injury, so kind of take one more game to feel things out physically, mechanically, pitching wise (and) polish some things up. \u201c<\/p>\n
Though he admitted the back and forth is \u201ca little weird,\u201d his reasons for returning to\u00a0the Twin Cities\u00a0in between rehab starts are trifold. One, he said, it\u2019s more fun. Two, he wanted to get back for his dog, Bosco. And three, he wanted to throw in front of pitching coaches\u00a0Pete Maki\u00a0and\u00a0Luis Ramirez.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still trying to feel some things to make sure that I\u2019m not as worried about my velo or things like that,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cJust making sure that I\u2019m feeling healthy. And I\u2019m checking all my marks with the mental cues I have when I\u2019m pitching, so always good to throw, do my plyos, my towel drills, my long toss, having Pete and Luis right there with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Briefly<\/p>\n
The Twins have listed\u00a0Taj Bradley\u00a0as Saturday\u2019s starter with\u00a0Joe Ryan\u00a0scheduled to start on Sunday. The last time through the rotation,\u00a0Mick Abel\u00a0started the day before Bradley. The Twins currently have six starters on the major league roster.<\/p>\n
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