Schwindel, Happ homer; Cubs hold on to beat Twins 3-1

MINNEAPOLIS - Frank Schwindel homered for the second straight game, Ian Happ added a towering homer into the third deck, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Manuel Rodríguez (3-2) earned the win for Chicago, working two scoreless innings in relief of starter Zach Davies. Rowan Wick earned his first save of the season.

Cubs second baseman Matt Duffy ended a threat for Minnesota in the eighth when he tracked down Max Kepler’s pop-up into medium right field, spun and threw Luis Arraez out at the plate trying to score from third.

John Gant (4-9) pitched five innings and allowed two runs on three hits in his third start for the Twins since coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals for J.A. Happ at the trade deadline.

Two teams who had designs of being in the thick of the playoff race were left to match up with rebuilt rosters after trading away several established stars.

Minnesota has surprised with its first winning month of the season in August, including winning four straight home series against teams in either first or second place. Meanwhile, Chicago is 8-21 since the trade deadline.

Schwindel, claimed off waivers from Oakland in July, has been a surprise contributor since the Cubs switched to rebuilding mode. He has hit safely in 22 of his first 27 games with Chicago with six homers and 18 RBIs. He started the day with a 1.009 OPS since July 30, the sixth-best mark in the National League over that stretch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: C Willson Contreras started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, hitting a home run in three at-bats and also throwing out a runner trying to steal. Contreras has been out since Aug. 12 with a right knee sprain. … IF Sergio Alcántara ran before the game to test his right foot. Manager David Ross said Alcántara is day to day after fouling a ball off his foot on Sunday.

Twins: RHP Michael Pineda (left oblique strain) threw a successful 35-pitch bullpen session last week and is slated to throw live batting practice on Wednesday. Pineda has been out since Aug. 14. … One of the hitters planning to step in against Pineda is C Mitch Garver (low back tightness), who was placed on the injured list on Aug. 27. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Garver is still feeling tightness and soreness in his back and wasn’t sure if he would produce many swings against Pineda.

UP NEXT

The Twins will have RHP Joe Ryan make his major league debut as the starter on Wednesday as the teams wrap up a two-game series. Ryan, 25, was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in July in the trade that sent Nelson Cruz to the Rays. Chicago will start LHP Justin Steele (2-2, 4.15 ERA). Steele will be making his fourth-straight start after pitching 11 games out of the bullpen.