Fans packed into a right field corner section at Target Field on Sunday, dressed in matching yellow jerseys that bore the name “Pablo,” across the chest and featured the colors of the Venezuela flag, a nod to Pablo López’s home country.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 26: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers tags out Trevor Larnach #9 of the Minnesota Twins at second base during a double play in the first inning at Target Field on May 26, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)

But the Twins’ ace was unable to deliver the type of performance that those fans have grown accustomed to. López gave up six runs and lasted just 4 2/3 innings on Sunday in the Twins’ 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.

It was the second straight turbulent start for López, who yielded seven runs in five innings to the Washington Nationals the last time. It marked the first time in his career that he has allowed more than six runs in consecutive games.

The Twins starter now has a 5.25 earned-run average through the first two months.

Sunday’s problems began in the third inning when López issued an eight-pitch walk to second baseman Marcus Semien with two outs. That set the stage for Corey Seager’s first of two home runs off of López. The star shortstop’s first blast gave Texas a lead it would not relinquish. He added another in the fifth inning, hammering a first-pitch sweeper to right field.

López would encounter trouble again in the fourth inning, hitting Adolis García with a pitch before allowing consecutive singles to produce the Rangers’ third run.

They grabbed another one when Jonah Heim lined a ball to Edouard Julien that he could not grab cleanly, putting them up four runs before the Twins had even recorded their first hit of the day off rookie Gerson Garabito, who was making his major league debut.

After three hitless innings, Carlos Correa led off the bottom of the fourth with a single before Max Kepler’s double brought him home. Correa would be in the middle of the action an inning later, driving in Willi Castro with a double.

But that was all for the Twins, who finished with just three hits.

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