Mauer's 5 RBIs not enough at windy Wrigley

CHICAGO -- The Twins wasted a five-RBI performance from Joe Mauer, as right-hander José Berríos uncharacteristically struggled, giving up a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning in a 10-6 loss to the Cubs on Friday afternoon in the club's first game at Wrigley Field since 2009.
The Twins were hopeful to build on their extra-innings win over the White Sox on Thursday, and early on, it appeared it was heading that way. Mauer smacked a three-run homer off lefty Mike Montgomery in the second to give Minnesota an early lead and he tacked on a two-run double in the fourth to extend the lead to 5-2. But it wasn't enough with Twins pitchers serving up four homers.
"I didn't feel too well coming to the park, but I was able to get out there and swing the bat," Mauer said. "Just wasn't enough today. Hopefully we can bounce back and get one tomorrow."

Berrios had trouble with his command, walking four batters for the first time all season and had trouble with the long ball. He served up a two-run homer to Jason Heyward in the second, but the big blow came in the fifth.
The Twins nearly pinch-hit for Berrios in the top of the inning, but No. 8 hitter Ehire Adrianza popped out with the bases loaded to end the scoring chance. Berrios came back out for the fifth, but he loaded the bases with one out after giving up a single, a hit by pitch and another single. Addison Russell provided the go-ahead blast with a grand slam to left that had a hit percentage of only 4 percent, per Statcast™.
"I hung the curveball right in the middle," Berrios said through an interpreter. "He hit it up, and I think it was the wind pushed it out. It wasn't like he hit it really hard."
It ended Berrios' day, after he gave up six runs on six hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings. It ended a strong stretch from Berrios, who had posted a 2.05 ERA over his previous eight starts.
The Cubs kept adding insurance runs via homers, as Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer off Matt Magill in the sixth and Kyle Schwarber hit a solo shot off Magill in the seventh. Matt Belisle also gave up an RBI single to Anthony Rizzo in the eighth. The Twins didn't score again until a two-out RBI single from Robbie Grossman in the ninth.

"Even at 6-5 you're thinking we're going to score some more and get back in the game," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "But we couldn't hold them down on the back end."
BUSENITZ DOWN, MEJIA UP
Right-hander Alan Busenitz was optioned to Triple-A Rochester after the game to make room for Saturday's starter, left-hander Adalberto Mejía. Busenitz has a 6.43 ERA in six appearances for the Twins this season.
SOUND SMART
Mauer is 9-for-18 with two homers and nine RBIs in four career games at Wrigley Field. He's the lone Twins player who was on the roster the last time the Twins played at the Friendly Confines nine years ago.

"I enjoy it," Mauer said. "It's one of those places that has a lot of history. I love places like that, like Fenway. It's a great atmosphere and the crowd was great. It's only the second time I've been here in 15 years. I don't get to come here a whole lot. A lot of Minnesotans drive down. I have a lot of family members here, a lot of Chicago ties. It's fun to be in this atmosphere, and for our fans to come, that's awesome, too."
• Mauer cleans sunglasses, hits home run
HE SAID IT
"Russell's home run, it maybe gets to the track at Target Field. It's pretty crazy to see. You see the reason why these guys put up some of the numbers they do." -- Grossman

UP NEXT
Mejia was called up from Triple-A to make his season debut with the Twins on Saturday at 1:20 p.m. CT at Wrigley Field. Mejia was 4-2 with a 2.74 ERA at Rochester, including going 4-1 with a 1.41 ERA in his past five starts. The Cubs will start right-hander Tyler Chatwood (3-5, 3.95 ERA).