Pirates 3, Twins 0: Minnesota Kind of Wastes Our Precious Time, Falls to Pittsburgh on Apple TV

[Matt Braun]

Although, maybe someone should think twice about this lineup. 

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports (Jun 7, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Home plate umpire Paul Clemons (104) ejects Minnesota Twins assistant hitting coach Derek Shomon (not pictured) from the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park.)

 Box Score
Joe Ryan: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Royce Lewis (-.214), Max Kepler (-.195), Carlos Santana (.111)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

For those who remembered their Apple TV+ login from three weeks ago when they paid for, and immediately cancelled their subscription just to watch Cleveland dance all over the Twins, your reward was this: a clash of Central squads hovering around .500. 

Neither team has been particularly dominant; the Pirates—despite possessing a trio of pretty incredible young hurlers—sit in the doldrums of the NL Central, which isn’t quite the insult it used to be. They have talent. Oneil Cruz is a freak of nature. Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes are borderline stars. But the quagmire that has cursed the franchise since the days of Ray Searage’s pitch-to-contact success still remains, and the years have only proved that they do not yet know how to overcome themselves

---

The Twins nearly started the game well. Following a Trevor Larnach double and a Carlos Correa walk, Minnesota enjoyed a special opportunity to crack a good pitcher in Mitch Keller early. The runs were basically accounted for. Royce Lewis was next, after all. But Lewis flew out to center, and the next two batters—Max Kepler and Ryan Jeffers—were caught window-shopping to end the frame without a score. 

Oh well. Joe Ryan was starting, anyway. Pittsburgh shouldn’t score much.

His opening frame came and went with little fanfare. Byron Buxton made an incredible diving catch for the first out. These things happen. 

And overall, Ryan pitched like himself—profoundly effective and occasionally prone to allowing monster homers. He reached the end of the 7th inning for the fourth time since the beginning of May, punching out eight while allowing just two hits and two walks. Unfortunately, one of those hits flirted with the Allegheny River, and those two walks portended a sacrifice fly. Timing was not on Ryan’s side. 

In a bizarro reversal of fates, timing was on Keller’s side. The 2023 Diamond Award recipient slipped through Minnesota’s grasp multiple times. Twins hitters totaled seven hits and a pair of walks against the Cedar Rapids native, but a damaging break-the-game-open style of knock eluded them. They ran into outs on the base paths and struck out twice with the bases loaded, sending assistant hitting coach Derek Shoman to the showers early (do coaches shower after games?) when he beefed with home plate umpire Paul Clemons’ strike zone. He was right. Clemons’ feel for the zone stunk. 

The ejection fueled nothing, though, as Minnesota's bats continued to come up empty, even as Pittsburgh's starting pitcher melted into their relievers. In fact, things only got worse: Connor Joe blasted an insurance homer off Griffin Jax in the 8th.

The game reached its final, measly end when a lame rally attempt ended with a lazy flyout. Twins lose. 

Notes:

Joe Ryan's eight strikeouts give him 463 in a Twins uniform, four away from passing Tyler Duffey for 28th all-time. 

Max Kepler is slashing .059/.111/.118 in June.

Alex Kirilloff batted in his hometown, PNC Park, for the first time in his career.

Jose Miranda is hitting .292/.346/.542 in his last seven games. 

Post-Game Interview:

What’s Next?
The Twins and Pirates will play the second game of their series on Saturday, with first pitch coming at 3:05. Simeon Woods Richardson toes the rubber opposite of the mercurial and unpredictable TBD (also known at Quinn Priester, unless the Pirates do something creative).  

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

 

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[jkcarew]

Super efficient and predominantly effective start by Ryan wasted.

[TWTwinsFan]

players only meeting is coming, believe it or not

[mikelink45]

No matter who the opponent - we cannot count the victories until we earn them.  Another big streak by the Twins.

[Aggies7]

It’s ok, we’ll start winning once we’re done with the Yankees 😳 

[FlyingFinn]

Sure is a lot of complaining about the strike zone almost every game. Everybody should be calling for the robo umps.

[Patzky]

19 minutes ago, TWTwinsFan said:

players only meeting is coming, believe it or not

There will be six of those by years end.

[hitterscount]

Blaming the HP ump could be a new low for the diehard Twins fans.... It happens way to often and is a unflattering excuse. The team cannot hit with RISP, fails at basic execution and is lead by a manager that just hasn't brought me any hope... Horrible decisions and lineups for 3 years. Cleveland is running away with the division,? only hope is they find some offense and nab a WC spot... Looking doubtful at this point

[darwin22]

Missed the entire game as I was on the golf course. 

Appears my inconsistent game full of shanks, blades and assorted duffs pretty much mirrored the offensive (putrid) performance of our hitters,

[USAFChief]

Stop whining about umpiring and drive in some runs.

[IndyTwinsFan]

The hitless wonders are back at it again.

Sigh!

[bean5302]

21 minutes ago, hitterscount said:

Blaming the HP ump could be a new low for the diehard Twins fans.... It happens way to often and is a unflattering excuse. The team cannot hit with RISP, fails at basic execution and is lead by a manager that just hasn't brought me any hope... Horrible decisions and lineups for 3 years. Cleveland is running away with the division,? only hope is they find some offense and nab a WC spot... Looking doubtful at this point

Yep. Starting to feel like Vikings fans around here.

[insagt1]

ITs embarrassing watching the Twins hitters striking out with runners on so darned much. So many wasted opportunities are the result of lack of contact...a problem the Twins hitters have had for more than just this season. Ryan was good enough to earn a win, but Twins hitters are a hot mess right now. Its sad seeing Kepler become Kepler again...the hot streak was too good to be true, and so far this month he has 1 hit. Jeffers has lost his way too. Kirilloff...gone. And too many more to mention.

While the Yankee series was a complete bust (hey, they actually lost tonite to the Dodgers in 11 innings!) this Pirate game was a total waste of time.

[tony&rodney]

The Twins need to start feeling better about themselves at the plate. They look like they don't expect to hit.

The Saints are practicing the same habits unfortunately. Julien and Lee seemed like a pick me up but are not looking like batsmen.

In other news, the Royals are the fun team. They came back from 0-8 to walk off the Mariners, 10-9.

[thelanges5]

As a MN boy in IA I don’t get to watch the Twins very often. So far Apple TV has not been kind. Cleveland walked us off and then there’s tonight. Sheesh

[VivaBomboRivera!]

For those who remembered their Apple TV+ login from three weeks ago when they paid for, and immediately cancelled their subscription just to watch Cleveland dance all over the Twins, your reward was this: a clash of Central squads hovering around .500. 

Fine. Who wanted to watch this stoopid game anyway?

Nevermind that I pay MLB a subscription fee that is supposed to allow viewing of _all_ games. Why does the league think that fans will feel good about these kind of arrangements?

Guess I'll go out back and chop some firewood.

[knothole61]

1 hour ago, insagt1 said:

ITs embarrassing watching the Twins hitters striking out with runners on so darned much. So many wasted opportunities are the result of lack of contact...a problem the Twins hitters have had for more than just this season. Ryan was good enough to earn a win, but Twins hitters are a hot mess right now. Its sad seeing Kepler become Kepler again...the hot streak was too good to be true, and so far this month he has 1 hit. Jeffers has lost his way too. Kirilloff...gone. And too many more to mention.

While the Yankee series was a complete bust (hey, they actually lost tonite to the Dodgers in 11 innings!) this Pirate game was a total waste of time.

As a fan of the Twins, now and for several years past, it has been necessary to come to grips with the enigma that is Max Keppler: a big, strong kid with a decent glove and tremendous power, and yet he is likely the streakiest player I have followed over these many years.

Each season, since the demise of the amazing Bomba Squad, I have called for him to be traded for a solid reliever or a versatile utility player, only to have him win a few games, seemingly singlehandedly over a several day period, before crawling back into his shell of mediocrity again. The sporadic nature of his accomplishments makes me wonder if Max is a creature driven by moods more than mechanics. It may be too much to liken him to literatures’ great brooding German, Goethe’s complex and lovelorn, young Werther, but I believe that there is something more than launch angles, pitch recognition, and hours in the batting cage keeping this man from turning his streaks into long term success.

Now don’t get me started on Kirilloff!     

[Mark G]

Well, I got exactly what I wished for yesterday: a strong, deep start by Ryan, and getting to the best part of our pen in Jax and Duran........and we lost. 😕

I think from now on I am going to wish on the offensive side.......but where do I start with this bunch? 🙄

(sure would be nice to have Arraez back........sure would be nice to have Arraez back.......sure would be nice.......oh, what's the use?)

[AlwaysinModeration]

0-4 since Royce returned.

Announcers said “if both teams are upset with the umpiring, that means you are doing a good job.”

Or…if you actually did a good job, neither team would be upset with your umpiring?

[Whitey333]

Yes the home plate umpiring is bad.  But it's bad all over not just the Twins.  What's worse is constantly whining about it Ala Kris Atterberry on the radio broadcasts.  His constant blaming the Twins woes on the umpiring is so childish and typical of the losers lament when not finding actual reasons for poor play.  He conveniently forgets or ignores the times when Twins pitchers get bad calls in their benefit.  It's OK to mention it once in a while but not nearly every inning.  Go Twins.

[Karbo]

16 minutes ago, Whitey333 said:

Yes the home plate umpiring is bad.  But it's bad all over not just the Twins.  What's worse is constantly whining about it Ala Kris Atterberry on the radio broadcasts.  His constant blaming the Twins woes on the umpiring is so childish and typical of the losers lament when not finding actual reasons for poor play.  He conveniently forgets or ignores the times when Twins pitchers get bad calls in their benefit.  It's OK to mention it once in a while but not nearly every inning.  Go Twins.

The balls and strikes called is getting worse for sure. But that's not what is holding the Twins back. The clutch hitting and lack of contact, any contact, with 2 strikes is what's killing the Twins!

[Fezig]

A visual aid to help understand this season (& the Wild's last),

[Peter]

Horrible embarrassing loss! Umpires beat twins last night not the pirates. Must win games rest of year!!! Go Twins!!!

[ChermesZ]

Twins lost themselves - 1-7 RISP.  I want more transparent umpire accountability and we have enough info to relegate and promote unworthy/worthy umpires, but the union won’t let that happen.  That’s not why the twins lost.  Their hitting strategy is literally too hit or miss…and we are missing a lot right now.

 

Honestly, baseball is starting to lose me (Twins fan since 87 when I was 12).  Between the payroll disparities, billionaire owners not spending money, tv contact junk, and lack of transparency/desire for excellence in umpiring,  I don’t feel like baseball is a sport an average person can enjoy as much as they did back in the day.  
 

Tickets are way too expensive despite the fact their stadium was financed publicly.

I just see greed and no accountability all over the sport.

 Please, someone convince me I’m wrong.

[rv78]

Yes, it's the umps that cost the Twins wins, not the inconsistant pitching, lack of hitting, washed up veterans, over-paid superstars, or bad managing. If there were robo umps this team would be undefeated. 

[Riverbrian]

Don’t Think Twice... It’s alright

[AceWrigley]

We don't have to decide to not watch, the TV-less contract takes care of that. A swing and a miss.

[JD-TWINS]

So, I don’t like the thought of “blaming losses” on umpiring ball/strike calls. When you come to the plate late in game after a number (7-10) of strikes being called that weren’t strikes you adjust……..w/o swinging at bad pitches. How does one do that effectively?

Kepler comes up in an RBI situation and his first pitch seen (with a 17” wide plate) is 5” inside and called a strike. It’s nearly debilitating as a hitter. How do you settle in when there’s no reality to the zone?

Kepler’s in a funk - struck out on a slider that hit him in the thigh earlier in the game - but the guy can’t get any breaks either. He & Jeffers & Buxton need to step up ……maybe just one at a time but all 3 being non- productive is not going to work - regardless of others production.

Keller did get his 6th straight win - so he’s pitching pretty well, routinely! His “go to” was certainly exposed last night as he had Kepler, Lewis, and one other at 3-2 counts ……great slider to all 3, to end the AB’s.

[terrydactyls]

35 minutes ago, ChermesZ said:

Twins lost themselves - 1-7 RISP.  I want more transparent umpire accountability and we have enough info to relegate and promote unworthy/worthy umpires, but the union won’t let that happen.  That’s not why the twins lost.  Their hitting strategy is literally too hit or miss…and we are missing a lot right now.

 

Honestly, baseball is starting to lose me (Twins fan since 87 when I was 12).  Between the payroll disparities, billionaire owners not spending money, tv contact junk, and lack of transparency/desire for excellence in umpiring,  I don’t feel like baseball is a sport an average person can enjoy as much as they did back in the day.  
 

Tickets are way too expensive despite the fact their stadium was financed publicly.

I just see greed and no accountability all over the sport.

 Please, someone convince me I’m wrong.

Here are all the reasons that you are wrong.

1.

2.

3.

I could go on forever but I need to go outside and watch my grass grow.

[Guest]

Kep must've read TD's recent article on his likelihood of getting an QO....