It’s already a weird season for obvious reasons. The #MNTwins played their 8th game of the season tonight and it’s August 3rd.
It’s especially weird when you’re only playing 9 teams in the regular season and more of those teams are from the National League than the American League but hey, it is what it is!
So, playing a National League team this early means players are probably not very familiar with the other team’s pitchers. Tonight, the Minnesota Twins faced LHP Derek Holland and he’s spent the majority of his career in the American League but that didn’t seem to matter as he went through 5 innings giving up just 2 singles in 14 at-bats and striking out 5.
Meanwhile, Twins starter LHP Lewis Thorpe gave up a HR on the very 1st pitch of the game and ended up allowing 3 runs on 6 hits & 4 walks while striking out 3.
Recently called up RHP Jorge Alcala took over in the 5th and allowed a leadoff single to Josh Bell. Bell then advanced to 2nd on a passed ball and later scored on a single to right field that Max Kepler didn’t get the best jump on to make it 4-0 Pirates. It was ruled an unearned run because of the passed ball. Alcala had a better 2nd inning of work, going popout, strike out and line out to end his night.
On to the bottom of the 6th and the Twins had some words for the home plate ump that may have changed the game but Twins batters seemed to take better at-bats, too. Whether that was because it was getting late in the game and/or because Pirates starter Holland was reaching the end of his rope, who knows but they Garver walked with 1 out then Arraez grounded out for the 2nd out. Nelson Cruz singled to right field to score Garver. Sano walked and that brought up Max Kepler.
Max hit the ball hard in his 1st 2 at-bats, a single to center in the 2nd and a lineout to a diving 2B in the 4th. This time, he hit another ball right on the screws and it fooled Pirates CF Cole Tucker so it sailed over his head to score 2 and make it 4-3 and that was it for Derek Holland.
The Pirates brought in LHP Miguel Del Pozo and he proceeded to walk Marwin Gonzalez then Jake Cave then throw a Wild Pitch that allowed Kepler to score to tie the game at 4. He then walked bases loaded to bring up Ehire Adrianza and he hit a blooper to left that was caught by a diving Bryan Reynolds to keep the game knotted at 4.
RHP Matt Wisler then pitched 2 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts and yes, they were both on sliders! The Twins only had a walk in the 7th and another Max Kepler single in the 8th but neither turned into anything so it was on to the 9th.
LHP Taylor Rogers came in since there would no longer be a save situation. He allowed a leadoff single but got 2 flyouts and a groundout on a great defensive play by Marwin Gonzalez to end the inning. He made a barehanded play on a weak grounder to 3rd to get Tucker at 1st to end the inning.
So…it’s the bottom of the 9th, now.
Rocco pinch-hits SS Jorge Polanco for Ehire Adrianza to face former Twins draft pick and prospect RHP Nick Burdi who throws some fireballs up there and JoPo battles to get the count full then gets another one of his just-trying-to-make-contact hits to left field. A Pirates passed ball allowed Polanco to advance to 2nd. Mitch Garver walked abd Luis Arraez lines out to deep right center and the CF & RF almost collide to make the play. Both Polanco & Garver tagged up and advanced a base so runners on 2nd & 3rd with 1 out and Nelson #TheBoomStick Cruz coming to the plate…
The result is the highlight at the top…a deep fly ball to center field that ends up being a Walk Off single and the Twins Win their 4th game in a row!
They always seem to get back in the game and you have to love that as a Twins and a baseball fan! It’s fun to watch!
What do you think, #TwinsTakers?
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