ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Twins have seen too many of these types of games lately, in which things snowball during an opponent’s big inning and they quickly find themselves in a noncompetitive contest.

Louie Varland became the third Twins pitcher to give up at least eight runs in their past eight games Wednesday. All eight came as part of a disastrous fourth inning for the Twins in their 9-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Varland’s undoing was largely the result of poor team defense, which started when Varland himself threw an errant pickoff attempt, which allowed the first run of the game to score.

Jonny DeLuca, the next batter, grounded a ball to shortstop Brooks Lee that he tried to backhand. Lee missed the ball originally but grabbed it and made a high throw that catcher Christian Vázquez was unable to snag, allowing a second run to score.

The Rays’ fourth run scored on a groundball that Royce Lewis, in his first career start at second base, fielded and threw low to Vázquez. Lewis was charged with an error.

Two more runs scored on a Taylor Walls single, and Yandy Díaz later hit a two-run home run, ending Varland’s night. A clearly frustrated Varland walked off the mound yelling into his glove after giving up eight runs. All were earned despite the poor defensive execution by the Twins.

It was far from the return to the majors that Varland was hoping for. The St. Paulite, whom the Twins seem to be preparing for a relief role, came on in the second inning after Ronny Henriquez’s scoreless first.

Varland made quick work of the Rays in his first two innings before the fourth inning in which he recorded just one out. Scott Blewett (2 2/3 innings) and Michael Tonkin (2 innings) finished off the game for the Twins.

The Twins made some offensive noise in the seventh inning, scoring four runs. Kyle Farmer and Carlos Santana homered in the inning, making a dent in the Rays’ lead that wasn’t close to being nearly enough.

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