The Twins Almanac: Happy Anniversary to the Best Regular-Season Game in Decades

[Matt Johnson]

Today's Almanac features one of the all-time fan favorites and the most exciting regular season game in Twins history.

Image courtesy of © Leon Halip-Imagn Images

On this date in 1965, Twins second baseman Frank Quilici tied the World Series record by getting two hits in one inning off Hall of Famer Don Drysdale in the third inning of Game 1. Don Mincher and Zoilo Versalles homered off Drysdale, who only lasted 2 2/3 innings. Mudcat Grant, meanwhile, went the distance in the 8-2 Twins win.

Quilici, of course, was a fan favorite around here, as a player, coach, and broadcaster. Please share your favorite memories of Frank in the comments section at the bottom of this page. 

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Happy 39th birthday to Andrew Albers. He had a heck of an MLB debut back in 2013, pitching 8 1/3 scoreless innings in Kansas City. He had a three-run lead before even taking the mound, as Brian Dozier hit a leadoff homer and Justin Morneau added a two-run tater. The Twins went on to win 7-0.

Albers actually had three different stints with the Twins: 2013, 2016, and 2021, with stints in Toronto, Seattle, and Japan in between.

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Alexi Casilla drove in Carlos Gómez for the most exciting regular-season run in Twins history in the bottom of the 12th frame of Game 163, on this date in 2009. After falling behind in the top of the 10th, they tied it up off Fernando Rodney, who was still out there in the 12th.

Honestly, doing a longer write-up of this game felt overwhelming, so why don't you tell me your favorite fun facts or cool stories about this game in the comments section at the bottom of this page. This game feels like it must be up there with the 1987 ALCS homecoming in terms of people reminiscing about their own personal experiences of it. Inarguably, it's one of the best regular-season games not only in team history, but in the entire league, going back to the start of this century.

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[dvaupel]

Lucked into 4 tickets 20 rows off the left field wall. It was incredible.

Will never forget the boos that rained down during the '...born and raised in south Detroit' line in Don't Stop Believing.

[BillyBallLives]

It's a memory so here it goes.

I was in first grade, my school bus would drive past the back side of Met Stadium. 

I saw that the parking lot was packed as well as the stands. I had no idea what was going on, just knew something different was going on over there. 

Didn't become a Twins fan until 1969. When Billy Martin was the manager. 

 

[Doctor Wu]

Wow! That brings back memories. Game 163, and a helluva game it was. Definitely a big highlight in Twins history. On a side note, here in Bangkok where I live, I saw some guy on a motorcycle wearing a Gomez jersey last week. Go Go! That brought a big smile to my face!

[The Great Hambino]

I don't know if I've ever had my opinion of a player flip as much in as short of an amount of time as mine did of Alexi Casilla from the late tag up on what should've been the winning run in the tenth to "THERE WILL BE NO PLAY..."

He really took me on an emotional journey across that hour or so