Game Thread: Twins vs. Atlanta 5:10 pm PST (7:10 PM CDT) 8/5/2019

[HawksNest]

incredible play by Acuna, wow.  Perfect strike

[twinsnorth49]

Castro took his time coming out of the box. 

 

Hell of a throw though. 

[Mill1634]

KEPLER KRUSHED

[70charger]

Kepler really doesn't want to relinquish the HR lead to Cruz.

[bighat]

 

All right, I'm just following the printed play-by-play. How did our catcher get thrown out trying to stretch a leadoff single into a double? Sounds to me like a Kangaroo Kourt fine.

 

It was a tailor-made double, Acuna just made an absolutely amazing throw. Don't blame Castro one bit for running.

[TwinsCD]

AUF WIEDERSEHN!!!!

[SwainZag]

Der power!!

[twinsnorth49]

Best way not to get thrown out on the base paths. 

 

Nice job Max!!!!!!!!

[Diesel]

Just dropping by to show Kep some love

[twinssporto]

 

Slouch rhymes with couch. I hope they sit on him, again.

Too late. It's in common usage now. See above. Trademark office will nix it.

I'm going to challenge with a KEPLER home run! Kepler Shclepler, I wanna betcha.

[bighat]

Max! 31 homers, he and Cruz are back-and-forth with the team lead. This is great.

[VATwinsFan]

Der Schlagmeister!!!

[ashbury]

Slouch rhymes with couch. Castro sat on Soroka, but then Acuña sat on him.

 

Couch rhymes with slouch, which rhymes with couch. Kepler sat on Soroka reaaaaal good.

 

Oh, and...

 

KEPLER !!!!

[Darius]

Really huge to answer back with one there.

[bighat]

Mike Minor, after a terrible last month or so, is the guy who shut out Cleveland for 7 innings. Didn't trade for him (which I'm fine with) but he's helping the Twins tonight!

[jz7233]

Take Adrianza and Cave out and put Garver and Sano in!!!!!!

[twinssporto]

 

Slouch rhymes with couch. Castro sat on Soroka, but then Acuña sat on him.

 

Couch rhymes with slouch, which rhymes with couch. Kepler sat on Soroka reaaaaal good.

 

Oh, and...

 

KEPLER !!!!

You are a Dr. Seuss!!! 

[ashbury]

It was a tailor-made double, Acuna just made an absolutely amazing throw. Don't blame Castro one bit for running.

Send in Tailor as a pinch-runner, then. You can do that as the batter rounds first base, right?

[Danchat]

Holy buckets, Kepler went from 3 seasons of .730 OPS baseball to hitting 31 HRs, .900 OPS, and being on pace for around 45 HRs total. My goodness!!

 

Remember when we were talking about trading Kepler this offseason? It's a good thing they didn't!

 

And now that I think about it a little more, I remember an article from a couple years ago comparing Kepler and Christian Yelich's early careers... Kepler isn't the MVP candidate like he is, but he's one heck of a good player. Certainly better than Bryce Harper this year!

[Riverbrian]

 

All right, I'm just following the printed play-by-play, not watching live. How did our catcher get thrown out trying to stretch a leadoff single into a double? Sounds to me like a Kangaroo Kourt fine should be brewing.

 

/ edit - ninja'd by Danchat. Thanks for the summary.

 

Try imagine you are golfing, it's a 200 yard par 3. Standing in the tee box, picking up the golf ball, throwing the ball into the hole. 

[nicksaviking]

Holy buckets, Kepler went from 3 seasons of .730 OPS baseball to hitting 31 HRs, .900 OPS, and being on pace for around 45 HRs total. My goodness!!

 

Remember when we were talking about trading Kepler this offseason? It's a good thing they didn't!

 

And now that I think about it a little more, I remember an article from a couple years ago comparing Kepler and Christian Yelich's early careers... Kepler isn't the MVP candidate like he is, but he's one heck of a good player. Certainly better than Bryce Harper this year!

If Kepler isn’t an MVP candidate, that means there’s only one candidate.

[Diesel]

A miracle: Odorizzi got through 6

[Mill1634]

Really good job by Odo to get us through 6 and only gave up one run against one of MLB's best lineups

[LVTwinsfan]

too bad he’ll be done after five innings

I call it, the reverse jynx

[jz7233]

 

Mike Minor, after a terrible last month or so, is the guy who shut out Cleveland for 7 innings. Didn't trade for him (which I'm fine with) but he's helping the Twins tonight!

Minor is a good pitcher, he can really limit damage, Indians has 7 hits and 1 walk in 7 innings. Zero run.

[twinssporto]

I don't like watching the Braves play the Twins. I'm having flash backs and some PTSD symptoms from 91. Don't really want to talk about it.

[TwinsCD]

Way to go, Jake!!!

 

Call me crazy, but I'd send him out there for the 7th.  He's got 9-1-2 coming up and he's owned all 3 of those guys, especially Acuna.  Don't be a slave to the pitch count, he's still got the velocity.

[stringer bell]

Odo gave 'em six!

[bighat]

Nice outing by Jake, admittedly I didn't see 6 innings of 1-run ball coming after the first couple innings, don't think many of us did.

 

Should be a good test for the bullpen. Have to assume Romo's unavailable. Harper, May, Rogers is the plan here?

[VATwinsFan]

Ramirez with a lead off double for Cleveland in the bottom of the 9th.

 

Texas challenging it for being (barely) foul.