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July 16 (UPI) -- Second baseman Brian Dozier connected for a walk-off grand slam in the Minnesota Twins' final game before the All-Star break, helping them beat the Tampa Bay Rays. The bases-clearing big fly came in the bottom of the tenth inning in the Twins' 11-7 win Sunday at Target Field in Minneapolis. Minnesota had a 7-6 lead on the Rays entering the ninth inning, before Joey Windle tied the game with an RBI single, sending the contest to extra innings.
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Jake Cave began the bottom of the tenth frame by doubling to right field. Mitch Garver moved Cave to third base with a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat. Rays reliever Matt Andriese followed that exchange by issuing intentional walks to Joe Mauer and Eddie Rosario.
Dozier stepped into the box and fouled off Andriese's first offering. Andriese then tossed an 87.5 mph changeup for a ball, before huffing in another changeup.
Dozier obliterated the pitch to left field for a 349 foot grand slam. The Twins second baseman went 2-for-6 with five RBIs, two runs scored and a strikeout in the victory. He is hitting .230 this season with 16 home runs and 48 RBIs.
"It was a very odd game," Dozier told reporters. "I was talking with [umpire] Jeff Kellogg at second base in like the eighth inning, and he said, 'We all might need a week off after this game, because it's pretty unique.' To win it, that says a lot. I'm proud of the way the guys fought."
The Twins resume their regular season schedule with a matchup against the Kansas City Royals on July 20 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
