CINCINNATI (AP) — After a long wait to get started, Anthony DeSclafani had a hard time doing anything quickly.

Torii Hunter homered again, and DeSclafani threw a career-high 122 pitches while the Minnesota Twins pulled away to an 8-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

The start was delayed 2 hours, 1 minute because a storm was headed toward the ballpark. The storm dissolved on the way.

Hunter got the Twins going by hitting a solo homer in the first inning off DeSclafani (5-6), his fourth homer in the last four games. The Reds’ rookie starter gave up six runs and 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings.

“I thought I did a good job up to the seventh,” DeSclafani said. “I’ve got to do a better job that inning.”

Eduardo Nunez had three hits, including an RBI single, while Kurt Suzuki drove home two runs with a single during a four-run seventh inning as the Twins evened the interleague series.

“They do a nice job of putting the ball in play,” manager Bryan Price said. “They don’t have many strikeouts.

“I don’t think he threw poorly. He battled really well. Unfortunately we were a little short in the bullpen and I had to leave him out there a little longer than I wanted.”

Phil Hughes (7-6) gave up solo homers by Eugenio Suarez and Marlon Byrd, leaving in the seventh inning with the Twins up 7-2. Two errors and Blaine Boyer’s run-scoring wild pitch helped the Reds close the gap.

Glen Perkins gave up a walk in the ninth while getting his 25th consecutive save, the second-longest streak in Twins history.

Many of the 28,556 fans sat in their seats during the long delay at the outset and watched the scoreboard, which showed the U.S. beating Germany 2-0 in a Women’s World Cup semifinal.

During the rain-less delay, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips tweeted: “This has to be one of the dumbest rain delays I’ve ever seen … Let’s get ready for Midnight Baseball!!!” The game ended at 12:30 a.m. with a few hundred fans in the stands.

AGAINST THAT OTHER LEAGUE

The Twins are (7-9) in interleague play this season. The Reds are (4-8).

YET MORE RAIN

There have been 10 weather delays at Great American Ball Park this season lasting a total of 15 hours, 41 minutes. Last season, the Reds had 15 rain delays at GABP for 18 hours, 11 minutes. Delays and extra innings have resulted in games at the ballpark ending at 1:46 a.m., 1:20 a.m. and 12:30 a.m.

STREAKS

Hughes walked Tucker Barnhart in the seventh, ending his streak of 27 innings without allowing a base on balls. He hadn’t walked a batter since June 14, a span of 104 batters. … Barnhart extended his hitting streak to six games with a single. … Todd Frazier of the Reds doubled to extend his streak to nine games. … Reds reliever J.J. Hoover allowed a run for the first time since April 21, ending his streak of 16 scoreless appearances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: C Suzuki was in the starting lineup despite being hit in the throat by a throw during Monday’s game.

Reds: 2B Phillips was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game with sore hands. … RHP Raisel Iglesias threw 43 pitches in three innings during his first rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday night. Iglesias, who is recovering from a strained oblique, gave up one hit, walked one and struck out three.

UP NEXT

Twins: Trevor May (4-6) is coming off the worst start of his career. He retired only one batter while allowing six runs and six hits in a 10-4 loss at Milwaukee last Friday.

Reds: Johnny Cueto (4-5) makes his sixth start since being sidelined by an inflamed pitching elbow. He’s 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in those five starts since returning.

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

 

Twins 8, Reds 5

Minnesota AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Dozier 2b 5 2 2 0 0 3 .268

Tor.Hunter rf 5 2 3 1 0 2 .272

Mauer 1b 3 0 2 2 1 1 .263

Plouffe 3b 5 1 1 1 0 0 .253

E.Rosario lf 5 1 2 0 0 1 .278

Nunez ss 4 2 3 1 1 1 .305

K.Suzuki c 4 0 2 2 1 0 .229

Da.Santana cf 4 0 0 1 1 2 .212

P.Hughes p 3 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Boyer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

b-K.Vargas ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .244

Fien p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Perkins p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Totals 39 8 15 8 4 11

 

Cincinnati AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

B.Hamilton cf 5 1 1 0 0 0 .224

De Jesus Jr. 2b 5 1 2 1 0 0 .255

Votto 1b 4 0 1 0 1 0 .284

Frazier 3b 5 0 1 0 0 2 .287

Bruce rf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .238

Byrd lf 4 1 1 1 0 0 .233

Barnhart c 3 1 1 0 1 0 .309

Suarez ss 4 1 2 1 0 2 .328

DeSclafani p 2 0 1 0 0 0 .207

Badenhop p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

a-Schumaker ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .218

Hoover p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

c-B.Pena ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .299

Contreras p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Totals 38 5 10 3 2 5

 

Minnesota 110 010 410 — 8 15 3

Cincinnati 001 000 400 — 5 10 1

 

a-grounded out for Badenhop in the 7th. b-struck out for Boyer in the 8th. c-grounded out for Hoover in the 8th.

E—Mauer (4), Nunez (2), Dozier (3), DeSclafani (1). LOB—Minnesota 9, Cincinnati 8. 2B—Dozier (24), Tor.Hunter (15), Nunez (12), Frazier (22). HR—Tor.Hunter (12), off DeSclafani; Suarez (2), off P.Hughes; Byrd (13), off P.Hughes. RBIs—Tor.Hunter (44), Mauer 2 (39), Plouffe (42), Nunez (11), K.Suzuki 2 (23), Da.Santana (13), De Jesus Jr. (8), Byrd (30), Suarez (10). SB—Nunez (3), Da.Santana (5). SF—Mauer.

Runners left in scoring position—Minnesota 6 (Dozier, P.Hughes 4, Da.Santana); Cincinnati 5 (Barnhart, B.Hamilton, Frazier 2, B.Pena). RISP—Minnesota 3 for 14; Cincinnati 2 for 10.

Runners moved up—K.Suzuki 2, Schumaker. GIDP—Plouffe 2, Da.Santana, De Jesus Jr..

DP—Minnesota 1 (Dozier, Nunez, Mauer); Cincinnati 3 (Suarez, De Jesus Jr., Votto), (Suarez, De Jesus Jr., Votto), (Suarez, De Jesus Jr., Votto).

 

Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

P.Hughes W, 7-6 6 2-3 7 4 2 1 4 99 4.10

Boyer 1-3 2 1 0 0 0 12 2.48

Fien H, 9 1 1 0 0 0 0 16 3.80

Perkins S, 25-25 1 0 0 0 1 1 19 1.39

 

Cincinnati IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

DeSclafani L, 5-6 6 2-3 11 6 6 2 7 122 3.68

Badenhop 1-3 2 1 1 0 1 10 5.59

Hoover 1 2 1 1 0 2 18 1.53

Contreras 1 0 0 0 2 1 18 0.87

Inherited runners-scored—Boyer 2-2, Badenhop 2-2. IBB—off DeSclafani (Da.Santana). WP—Boyer, Perkins, DeSclafani 2.

Umpires—Home, David Rackley; First, Hunter Wendelstedt; Second, Ben May; Third, Bob Davidson.

T—3:19. A—28,556 (42,319).