With mom in stands, Keirsey plays hero in Twins' 8th straight win

MINNEAPOLIS -- One by one, they sought out DaShawn Keirsey Jr. Hugs, pats on the back, shouts of “hero!” The Twins were thrilled to have won a hard-fought game, but they were just as delighted about who delivered the game-winner.

With his mom, Angela, and fiancée, Tori, in attendance on Mother’s Day, Keirsey rapped a two-out RBI single in the 10th inning to give the Twins an uplifting 7-6 walk-off win over the Giants to complete a three-game weekend sweep at Target Field. Minnesota has won eight straight overall to climb above .500 for the first time this year, and nine straight home games.

Keirsey, who is best known for speed and defense but was a productive hitter in the Minor Leagues, had been 2-for-29 before the game-ender. He hadn’t collected a base hit since April 16, but on Sunday he was a hero.

In front of mom, no less.

“It was awesome,” Keirsey said. “That was the first thought in my mind, 'Oh, that’s so cool.'”

After his teammates mobbed him, after the ice-bucket bath, after the postgame interview, but before anything else, Keirsey made a beeline for his people. He presented his pink Mother’s Day-themed spikes to mom as a spur-of-the-moment gift.

“Gave her my cleats off of the bottom of my feet,” he said. “I didn’t really plan it. It was very impromptu.”

And after that, he returned to the clubhouse as a conquering hero.

“I was just so happy for him to go out there and be always selfless,” said starter Pablo López. “No matter the opportunity, he'll rise to it, he'll rise to the occasion. He puts pressure on the bases, he's a great outfielder, good arm and he got the winning knock today.”

The game-winning single finished off a back-and-forth contest that saw the Twins trail by scores of 3-0 and 4-2 before finally finishing off the visitors. They trailed 6-5 after the top of the 10th but rallied one more time.

With Ty France on second base as the automatic runner, Brooks Lee opened the 10th with a single. Ryan Jeffers’ groundout scored France, and after an intentional walk and a Royce Lewis groundout, Keirsey poked the game-winner down the left-field line.

Even then, Keirsey had to wait for his moment. The first pitch from Ryan Walker appeared to go for ball one, but home-plate umpire Quinn Wolcott ruled there was no pitch. Wolcott determined that, although the pitch timer had reached zero, it had started prematurely, so rather than a ball or an automatic ball for a pitch-timer violation, officially there was no pitch. Manager Rocco Baldelli came out to contest the decision, keeping Keirsey waiting -- but not thwarting him.

“I stepped in the box, it was a normal first pitch,” Keirsey said. “And then next thing I know, he’s walking over to Rocco. I’m kind of confused. I’m like, 'I saw that well, it’s ball one.' And I hear him say it’s a no pitch. And I’m like, 'Come on. Give me a little help.' But then he did the same thing the next pitch.”

Walker did in fact throw a second ball one, then left a fastball over the middle of the plate and Keirsey ended the game. Keirsey had been 0-for-his-past-15, but there was never any doubt in the clubhouse about his effort or his contributions.

“It means the world to me,” said Lewis, who snapped an 0-for-36 skid of his own earlier in the game. “I’m so glad he got it. This guy works so hard. He doesn’t get the accolades for it. He comes in and makes great plays. He comes in and steals bases. He does a lot for us, and it was just so awesome for him to get that. I was praying for him to get it, so I’m glad I made an out.”

The knock made a winner of Jhoan Duran, who allowed the automatic runner to score in the top of the 10th but was otherwise effective, allowing only a walk and an RBI groundout. The Twins' bullpen permitted one earned run for the day, and even that came with an impressive escape. Griffin Jax worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth to keep the game tied.