Rocco Baldelli's calling out of the Twins after the dreadful sweep at the hands of Kansas City was meant to reverse the disturbing downward trend that's put a playoff appearance in jeopardy.
It didn't work on Monday night at Target Field, where the Twins had another sub-par performance in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Twins batters struck out 12 times and lost their fourth straight game.
Minnesota has scored just 13 runs in losing six of its last seven games.
The Twins are 6-15 in their last 21 games, yet remain third in the American League wild-card standings, three games ahead of idle Detroit and Seattle.
“There’s times where you’re going to struggle for a moment at the plate, and right now unfortunately it’s contagious for us. But hopefully we’ll snap out of it tomorrow,” said Royce Lewis, who went 0 for 4 and is hitless in his last 20 at-bats.
They also fell to a full six games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.
If not for a four-game set against the Guardians next week, the chase for a second straight division title would be all but over.
David Festa (2-6) allowed a two-run single to Nolan Schanuel in the first and a 459-foot home run to Brandon Drury in the third inning as the Angels took a 4-0 lead. Festa was lifted after four innings.
“The game was a little bit out of our reach pretty much from the start and we were never able to get that moment where we were able to pull ourselves back. But we need to string together those good at-bats,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It feels like we’re piecemealing it a little bit. We’ve got to do more as a collective group and get the three, four, five good at-bats in a row.”
Carlos Santana had an RBI single in the third for Minnesota and Kyle Farmer homered in the fourth before Niko Kavadas lined a home run to right field off Ronny Henriquez in the sixth to stretch the Angels’ lead to 6-2.
The Angels' Reid Detmers (4-6) made second straight quality start after spending three months at Triple-A Salt Lake.
The 25-year-old left-hander allowed five hits and struck out eight — including the last three batters he faced — for his first win since April 12.
TRAINERS ROOM
Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, out since July 12 with right plantar fasciitis said a new treatment is working and expressed optimism he’ll be back soon. … Center fielder Byron Buxton took defensive drills Monday as he attempts to get his hip pain to the point where he can play through it. … Outfielder Willi Castro left Monday's game due to illness. … Catcher Christian Vázquez was placed on the paternity list and catcher Jair Camargo was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul.
UP NEXT
Los Angeles plans to start righty Griffin Canning (5-12, 5.02) Tuesday in the second game of this three-game set. Righthander Pablo López (14-8, 4.05) is the scheduled Minnesota starter.