MIN 15, DET 6: Cruz Leads Trouncing of Tigers
Apr 05 2021 03:36 PM |
Nate Palmer
in Minnesota Twins
Image courtesy of © Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Box ScoreShoemaker: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Home Runs: Cruz 2 (2)
Top 3 WPA: Cruz 184, Polanco .167, Shoemaker .135
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs):
The Minnesota Twins brought the lumber into Detroit Monday scoring 15 runs as they took on a number of Twins alumni in the first game of their second series of the season. Nelson Cruz led the way with his 37th career multi-home run game. The first a grand-slam and his second a solo rocket that measured in with an exit velocity of 116.6 mph.
Another Twin Exits Early
Until the offense exploded, it was another Twin player leaving a game early that stole the headlines. Already down Josh Donaldson and Byron Buxton, Luis Arraez was replaced by Willians Astudillo in the bottom of the second. Arraez had already been his usual spark plug self. He hit a single in the first inning and would come around to score. Then even after pulling up mid-at-bat with the issue that eventually forced Arraez from the game, he reached on a walk in the second.
We later learned that Arraez’ reason for leaving was similar (but also unrelated) to Buxton’s, upper GI discomfort.
Rough Defensive Day for Tigers’ Ramos
Speaking of that Arraez run, it came largely in part to events that happened around one of those Twins alumni, catcher Wilson Ramos. Starter José Ureña struggled with his command and his sinker sent Ramos into the dirt time after time. Arraez reached second on a pitch that got past Ramos and eventually scored after a throw from right-field also kicked past the catcher.
Shoemaker Dazzles
All the while, Matt Shoemaker made his Twins debut and added another great start to the teams short 2021 resume. The righty took a no-hitter into the 5th inning when he gave up his only run to Ramos on a solo shot over the left-field wall. Shoemaker would end his day after completing six innings and giving up three hits, no walks while striking out five Tiger batters on 92 pitches.
Bench Depth Flexed
While Cruz is clearly the MVP of the Twins game, Astudillo was right behind him. Even though La Tortuga didn’t get into the game until late he still notched three hits and drove in two runs. Kyle Garlick also got himself an RBI double in his first regular-season hit as a Twin. Even after maybe being looked over coming out of spring because of his defense, Brent Rooker turned in a spectacular catch in left-field while collecting his own RBI.
Postgame with Cruz
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
- h2oface likes this
38 Comments
I am guessing that because of the number of pitchesthrown that Dobnak will be sent down for the next few days to a week and that the Twins will bring up Derek Law.
I hope that isn’t the case. That kind of attitude earned Rosario his walking papers....
An illness isn't really an injury. If you take the Twins at their word, neither Buxton or Arraez are likely to miss much playing time.
Concur. If they thought that, they'd have IL'd them and brought someone up. But, illness is a bit more difficult to predict ... always day by day.
I hate the 8-man bullpen. Even in this day and age where starters get pulled in the 5th or 6th inning, you still end up with a guy in the 'pen who pitches once a week at best in the 8-man bullpen. Thank goodness they expanded the rosters to 26 so you can actually still have a 4-man bench.
Nice to start off a Detroit series with a dominant win and nice to see Polanco get off the schnide.
I believe Rocco actually referred to Buxton as hour by hour lol.
Having had various levels of food poisoning before ... yeah, that's about right. (And so unpleasant.)
2-8 (.250 avg.), 7 BB (9-15, .600 obp) 5 runs scored and 3 RBI. I can see where you thought the bottom of the order wasn't producing.
I missed the 9th inning so did not see the 5 runs dobnak gave up.I am not worried about him at this point.All pitchers have bad innings.Also, we are not looking for him to be an ace, he is a 4 or 5 starter or long reliever.
Badoo is a nice story for himself, but lets wait until june to see how he is doing before we talk about what a mistake the FO made with him.
hopefully the illness isn't something highly contagious like the stomach flu... we might end up seeing a lot more of those if that's the case.
It was poking fun at cHawk post that said to send down Dobnak. I"m all about the leeway 4 games in.
Ahh ... okay ... shoulda caught that but seeing one after the other, I was just thinking ... 'Really???'
Thanks for clarifying.
The flyout that people are mentioning was about 10 feet short of his third home run of the game, and off the bat it 100 percent looked like it was his third of the game.