Dull Effort on a Viking Saturday

[stringer bell]

As excited and optimistic as I was while the Twins were sweeping the Orioles and winning the first two games against the Rays, I feel about equally pessimistic now. The Twins lost a game where they didn't face an All-Star pitcher, they had numerous bad at-bats, going 1-14 with runners in scoring position and failing to get one RBI out of those 14 at-bats.By my count, the Twins had five guys reach second with no one out. They plated one of them, and that was on a double play grounder off the bat off Plouffe.

 

Mike Pelfrey seemed sharp for two innings and then labored greatly, failing to get out of the fourth inning. Despite a generous strike zone, Pelfrey managed to get behind hitters and then offer up fastballs over the middle of the plate. He wasn't helped by his defense, either. Two errors were committed in the game along with a pop fly falling for a double.

 

This was a day when the Twins had opportunities but didn't deliver and looked bad in so doing.