Make it Official! Twins 4,Tigers 3: By the Hair of Their Chin

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Minnesota Twins sought to snap a five-game skid on Saturday, and Bailey Ober did everything he could to position them well for it. The offense remained in a sputter, and while opportunities were missed all day, Rocco Baldelli's club did just enough to get the job done.

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Box Score
SP: Bailey Ober 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (82 pitches 57 strikes, 14 whiffs)
Home Runs: N/A
Top 3 WPA: Bailey Ober (.264), Griffin Jax (.162), Byron Buxton (.108)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

Ober Keeps Cruising
For whatever reason the Kansas City Royals have had Bailey Ober’s number throughout his career. That remained the case when they blew him up during his first start of the season. Since that outing Minnesota’s third starter has been great. That continued on Saturday as Ober worked against the Tigers.

Rocco Baldelli had Ober on the bump last Sunday against Detroit and his starter flirted with a shutout, going six innings and allowing no runs on just 84 pitches. On Saturday, Ober was again in position to pitch deep deep into the game. At just 58 pitches through five innings, and staked to a 2-0 lead, things looked promising once again.

Sac Flies Get it Done
With Ober holding down the Tigers offense, giving up just one hit to Detroit through the first five innings, Minnesota was methodical in getting on the board. Byron Buxton ripped his sixth double of the season to open the 2nd inning, and a Reese Olson wild pitch pushed him to third base. Riley Greene robbed Willi Castro of a base hit on a diving catch, but Buxton scored the game’s first run.

In the 3rd inning, it was more of the same. Austin Martin doubled to lead off before advancing on an Edouard Julien ground out. Ryan Jeffers then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field and Martin waltzed home.

Minnesota plated two more runs in the 5th inning for their first crooked number of the day. Another Martin leadoff base hit led to a run when a Spencer Torkelson error allowed him to scamper home. Taking advantage of Jeffers still standing at third base, Trevor Larnach continued to be productive and his sacrifice fly brought in the Twins catcher. Through five, Minnesota had a comfortable 4-0 lead.

Tigers Break Through
Cruising through the first five innings, Ober found trouble for the first time in the 6th inning. Getting Parker Meadows and Jake Rogers on two quick strikeouts, he was just an out away from ending the frame. A walk to Greene came back to hurt though when Wenceel Perez tripled and gave the Tigers their first run of the ballgame. Ober responded by getting Torkelson to fly out and stranded a run 90 feet from home.

Minnesota didn’t have an immediate answer in the 6th inning after Jose Miranda flew out and Castro struck out. Jair Camargo, still looking for his first big league hit, grounded out to third base. Ober’s day was over and Steven Okert was on for the 7th inning.

Bullpen Memories Brought Back
After Ober looked great for six innings in his last time out against the Tigers, it was the bullpen that came on and coughed up the game. Those same memories began to rear their head in the 7th inning on Saturday. Okert got Kerry Carpenter to ground out, but Matt Vierling singled and then the lefty walked Buddy Kennedy fresh off the bench to bring the tying run to the plate. Rather than let this go sideways, Baldelli had a quick hook and brought Cole Sands on to face Javier Baez.

After two strikes off of the plate, Baez got a Sands bender to hang and lined it to left field. Martin left his feet and the ball got by him. Vierling came home and the Twins lead was now just 4-2 with the tying run in scoring position. Meadows popped out, and pinch hitter Mark Canha struck out. Sands walked a tightrope but escaped with the lead intact.

The Twins did attempt to respond in the bottom half, but came up short. Julien squeaked a ball through the infield before Jeffers drew a one-out walk. Against the lefty Joey Wentz, Baldelli went with Carlos Santana off the bench. A weak fly out dropped him to 0-for-14 on the year with runners in scoring position, and he has just three hits in his last 40 at bats (.075). Manuel Margot grounded out on the first pitch of his pinch hit at-bat, and both runners were left on the bases.

Kody Funderburk made a slight mess of his appearance, and while he was able to get a pair of outs, the leadoff walk to Greene proved costly with him coming around to score on a Carpenter single. Matt Bowman came on to get the final out of the 8th inning, but it was a 4-3 game.

Runners (Never) In Scoring Position
The Twins had a chance to give their bullpen a breather in the bottom of the 8th inning. Buxton grounded out to start the inning, but Kyle Farmer took his base after getting plunked, and Castro singled to put the pair on second and third. Camargo stepped in for his biggest at-bat yet, and needing to put the ball in play, struck out on a foul tip. Martin’s looper to right got caught, and the threat was averted.

As has been the case all year, ineptitude with runners in scoring position was again a problem today. Although the Twins struck out just six times, they managed to go 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, and they left eight runners on base. Despite the seven hits and four runs, there was so much more meat left on the bone for Baldelli’s lineup.

Griffin Jax came on looking to grab a save and immediately struck out the pinch-hitting Zach McKinstry. Jax got Baez to strike out on a six-pitch at bat the the lumber never left his shoulder, and Meadows flew out to Margot ending the game. Minnesota put an end to a five-game losing streak, and while the offense wasn't what it should have been today, they got it done.

Notes
Max Kepler is closing in on a return to the Twins after playing multiple rehab games with Triple-A St. Paul. Jhoan Duran, after facing live hitters pregame on Friday, is nearing a rehab assignment of his own, and would provide a big boost to the bullpen. Daniel Duarte, who opened the season in relief after being a non-roster invitee this spring, is done for the year and will undergo an elbow procedure on May 8.

What’s Next? 
Minnesota wraps up a series with the Tigers during a matinee affair on Sunday. Louie Varland gets the ball for the Twins with Casey Mize going for Detroit. The culmination of the series ends a stretch in which the teams will have played each other seven out of their past ten games.

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

 

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[CRF]

They somehow won, but 0-10 RISP. Not good. Ober was great. Rocco should have left him in a little longer. 

[Parfigliano]

Today they discovered how to score a run while making an out.

[GNess]

Nothing seems to come easy so far, but this team needed one today. I like how Martin is playing.

[jorgenswest]

1 hour ago, CRF said:

They somehow won, but 0-10 RISP. Not good. Ober was great. Rocco should have left him in a little longer. 

Did you see the three sacrifice flies? How about the ball to the right side that moved the runner to third with 1 out? Did you see the ball in play that scored Martin?

The batters did a much better job with runners in scoring position. They put the ball in play. Four runs scored as a result. That doesn’t happen if they are striking out.

[Patzky]

12 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

Did you see the three sacrifice flies? How about the ball to the right side that moved the runner to third with 1 out? Did you see the ball in play that scored Martin?

The batters did a much better job with runners in scoring position. They put the ball in play. Four runs scored as a result. That doesn’t happen if they are striking out.

The sac flies made me smile bigger than a solo HR would have 

[hitterscount]

No reason to pull Ober after 6 innings. I don’t understand why he wasn’t run out in the 7th, especially with his pitch count being in good shape. . The BP has been shaky and not quite as elite as we’ve been told and with Stewart unavailable another inning from Ober would have been ideal. 
 

they finally moved some runners over and had a couple of sac flys which was good to see,… but still finished 0-10 w/risp, they have to improve in that area to help the pitching staff. 

[Doctor Gast]

2 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

Did you see the three sacrifice flies? How about the ball to the right side that moved the runner to third with 1 out? Did you see the ball in play that scored Martin?

The batters did a much better job with runners in scoring position. They put the ball in play. Four runs scored as a result. That doesn’t happen if they are striking out.

Very good! See what happens when you don't SO (only 6Xs) even w/o hitting a HR, you win games.

Ober did a good job again. Let's see what Paddack & Varland can do to help get us back.

[Parfigliano]

55 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

Did you see the three sacrifice flies? How about the ball to the right side that moved the runner to third with 1 out? Did you see the ball in play that scored Martin?

The batters did a much better job with runners in scoring position. They put the ball in play. Four runs scored as a result. That doesn’t happen if they are striking out.

Contact matters.  All outs are not equal.

[Guest]

My seven stages of Twins fan-ship:

Hopefulness

Excitement

Disappointment

Anger

Acceptance

Apathy

Enjoyment

I have made it into acceptance that this team is what it is. Soon I will be enjoying what they have to offer. The problem is after enjoyment comes hopefulness and the cycle repeats. It is sad that I went through the first five stages during the first twenty games +/-.

 

[jorgenswest]

11 minutes ago, hitterscount said:

No reason to pull Ober after 6 innings. I don’t understand why he wasn’t run out in the 7th, especially with his pitch count being in good shape. . The BP has been shaky and not quite as elite as we’ve been told and with Stewart unavailable another inning from Ober would have been ideal. 
 

they finally moved some runners over and had a couple of sac flys which was good to see,… but still finished 0-10 w/risp, they have to improve in that area to help the pitching staff. 

Should the previous two innings and I think 41 pitches factor in? His third time through the line up thus far was a walk, triple and fly to outfield. Maybe that should factor in also.

[IndianaTwin]

16 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

Should the previous two innings and I think 41 pitches factor in? His third time through the line up thus far was a walk, triple and fly to outfield. Maybe that should factor in also.

As opposed to 41 pitches through the first four innings. And two of their best hitters were due up in the seventh. 

[Patzky]

2 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Today they discovered how to score a run while making an out.

A most useful skill when much of your team is batting .200.

[Patzky]

42 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

Should the previous two innings and I think 41 pitches factor in? His third time through the line up thus far was a walk, triple and fly to outfield. Maybe that should factor in also.

The timing was perfect and you're right. The wheels weren't falling off but the lugs were loose. The bullpen selection was kind of raggedy.. might bite us in the rear tomorrow with Varland starting. 

[Shaitan]

Ober was great for 5. But it was time to pull him, without question.

[mikelink45]

A one game winning streak and all the posts read so different.  Let's make it two!

[mnfireman]

Ober since his first start implosion: 3 GS, 17 IP, 2 ER, 16/3 K/BB, 1.06 ERA, Opp. BA .140. Not sustainable, but success he can build off.

[hitterscount]

2 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

Should the previous two innings and I think 41 pitches factor in? His third time through the line up thus far was a walk, triple and fly to outfield. Maybe that should factor in also.

Absolutely should factor, but not a qualifier to pull after 6 and 84 pitches. He should have have had a short leash for sure 

[ashbury]

Martin's fielding in the seventh inning left something to be desired.  Luckily he had Buxton alertly backing him up.

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Martin's fielding in the seventh inning left something to be desired.  Luckily he had Buxton alertly backing him up.

Is he a good fielder? I cannot get the games to watch, but when I listen to them it seems they are just out of reach, or just got by him, or bounce off the wall and he just missed it. Is he making any difficult plays? 

[ashbury]

14 minutes ago, Verified Member said:

Is he a good fielder? I cannot get the games to watch, but when I listen to them it seems they are just out of reach, or just got by him, or bounce off the wall and he just missed it. Is he making any difficult plays? 

Heh, I am a bit of a broken record where it comes to Martin.  I'd love to learn of some anecdotal evidence the other way, as you asked.  It's all still small sample size, and he still has room to grow and learn.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Verified Member said:

Is he a good fielder? I cannot get the games to watch, but when I listen to them it seems they are just out of reach, or just got by him, or bounce off the wall and he just missed it. Is he making any difficult plays? 

He is a rookie trying to hard rather than - been there - done that - of a veteran, but he has not been shabby.

[h2oface]

7-12. That's better than 6-12. Varland to the rescue? Baldelli is still pulling pitchers pitching well with 82 pitches, pinch hitting (which all moves failed) .100somethings for hot hitters. It almost all imploded. That meat by Jax that went to the warning track to end the game was pretty scary. 7-12. That's better than 6-12. It's all better now? Sure it is.

[Eris]

Did not like the idea of PH for Kirilloff and Larnach in the 8th. With RISP 2 players with a combined BA of 0.609 were replaced with two players with a combined BA of 0.278. 
 

[Whitey333]

Glad they won.  These past two games with Detroit have produced some bad baseball by both teams.  Sunday I give the edge to the Tigers due to the starting pitching matchups.  Then we get the 3-17 White Sox 7 of the next 10 games.  Need to hopefully sweep them or at least go 5-2.  After that the schedule toughens up some.  We should be able to crush the White Sox.  Could be interesting in that offensively speaking these are two of the poorest hitting teams in baseball.  Go Twins!

[Peter]

Huge much needed win!!! Let’s take series today!!! Go twins!!!

[rv78]

The Minnesota Twins sought to snap a five-game skid on Saturday, and Bailey Ober did everything he could to position them well for it. The offense remained in a sputter, and while opportunities were missed all day, Rocco Baldelli's club did just enough to get the job done.

 

Despite Rocco doing this:

Baldelli went with Carlos Santana off the bench. A weak fly out dropped him to 0-for-14 on the year with runners in scoring position, and he has just three hits in his last 40 at bats (.075). Manuel Margot grounded out on the first pitch of his pinch hit at-bat, and both runners were left on the bases.

Why play the pinch-hitting game, especially with 2 hitters that aren't hitting? There's no sense in his head.

[jmlease1]

Dang it was cold at the game! pre-game on the mall was brutal with that wind.

Ober looked really good early and was mixing his pitches well. Tough call on pulling him: he was still doing ok, but was starting to wobble a bit. But it was really nice to see him throwing that cutter down and then getting in that good fastball at the top of the zone, changing speeds and eye-level. Hope they've figured out what he's tipping for KC, because it's clearly something.

Martin's doing pretty well for a rookie. Hopefully he can keep legging out some doubles. I would like to see him given the green light on the bases when he does stop at 1B: he's got good speed and the skill to swipe bags. (I would like the Twins to run more generally; Julien, Martin, Buxton, and Castro are all guys who can give us an advantage on the bases but so far we're not seeing much there. Some of it's probably situational, but getting more aggressive on the bases should help generate some more runs too)

[David Maro]

Santana and Margot need to DFA.Santana has 250 ft fly ball power and Margot is a shaky fielder.Was very surprised Buxton didn't stand at home admiring has line drive to left in the 2nd.Maybe someone had a talk with him.Other than that they finally played a game of baseball.

 

[Blyleven2011]

For the twins it's not how you play the game that matters ...

It's a the win that counts ...

Yippee  ...