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Minnesota Twins: Brian Dozier, Bartolo Colon lead win over Texas Rangers

By Brian Hall, The Sports Xchange
Brian Dozier and the Minnesota Twins held on for the victory on Friday. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI
Brian Dozier and the Minnesota Twins held on for the victory on Friday. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brian Dozier homered twice, Robbie Grossman added a three-run blast and Bartolo Colon had his first complete game since Sept. 5, 2015, as the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 8-4 on Friday.

Dozier hit his fifth leadoff homer of the season and 24th career to extend his club record. Grossman's seventh homer of the season came in a four-run first inning.

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Colon (3-9) earned his first win in four starts with Minnesota. The 44-year-old right-hander allowed four runs on nine hits and struck out five batters. He set down 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.

Martin Perez (5-10) lasted just 4 2/3 innings. He surrendered seven runs on nine hits and two walks.

Texas struck first as familiar foes Colon and Adrian Beltre went head-to-head in the first inning.

Shin-Soo Choo singled to lead off the game and Elvis Andrus doubled before Beltre singled in both runners. Beltre now has 18 career RBIs against Colon, the second-most of any player behind Alex Rodriguez's 20.

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Dozier's first homer came on the second pitch he saw leading off the top of the first inning against Perez. Nine batters would come to the plate in the inning. Miguel Sano and Joe Mauer were aboard for Grossman's three-run shot.

Minnesota left two runners on in the inning when Jorge Polanco bounced into a double play on the first pitch he saw, Perez's 40th pitch of the game.

Dozier homered on the first pitch leading off the second for his seventh career multi-homer game and second of this season.

Perez's day would be finished in the fifth as Eddie Rosario plated Mauer and Grossman with a single. Since coming off the disabled list on July 2, Perez has allowed 28 earned runs in 34 2/3 innings (7.27 ERA) over six starts. He owns a 9.41 ERA in his past four starts, while going 0-4.

Carlos Gomez homered with two outs in the ninth off Colon, his 15th home run of the season.

NOTES: Minnesota 3B Miguel Sano left the game after being hit by a pitch during his sixth-inning at-bat. The team announced Sano sustained a left-hand contusion and precautionary X-rays were negative. He's considered day-to-day. ... Twins LHP Hector Santiago was back in the team's clubhouse on Friday after his third rehab start on Thursday for Triple-A Rochester. Santiago, on the disabled list with upper thoracic back pain, pitched 5 2/3 innings on Thursday with 92 pitches. The team is trying to decide the next step. He could be activated to take a spot in the bullpen. ... Texas RHP Tyson Ross (right index finger blister) will make his second rehab start on Saturday at Double-A Frisco. ... With two homers, Twins 2B Brian Dozier surpassed teammate Joe Mauer for 11th on the team's all-time home run list with 136. Michael Cuddyer is 10th with 141 home runs.

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