Twins 8, Orioles 6: Kody Clemens Plays Hero, Twins Win 10th in a Row!

[Steven Trefz]

Image courtesy of © Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Simeon Woods Richardson 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (87 pitches, 58 strikes (67%)
Home Runs: Trevor Larnach (7), Willi Castro (2), Kody Clemens (2)
Top 3 WPA: Castro (.403), Clemens (.279), Justin Topa (.093)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

The second game of Tuesday's doubleheader featured Twins righty Simeon Woods Richardson against recently called-up Orioles righty Chayce McDermott. Woods Richardson hadn't gone five full innings in a start since April, and McDermott hadn't gone five full innings in a start in his whole life (in the majors, anyway). Runs were bound to be scored, and with Game 1 taxing the bullpens of both squads, striking first and holding on was going to be essential if the Twins were to extend their winning streak to double-digits.

Twins Strike First, but Leave Ducks on the Pond
McDermott showed little control in the opening frame, walking designated hitter Byron Buxton to start the game and eventually Willi Castro with two outs to load the bases after Ryan Jeffers singled up the middle. This brought up Harrison Bader, who managed to beat out an infield single to plate Buxton and the first Minnesota run. Kody Clemens almost took the first pitch he saw into grand slam land, but after that hope went foul, he struck out swinging to leave the bases loaded. Would this failure to cash in come back to haunt the Twins?

Larnach Continues to Rip the Cover Off the Ball
Thanks to Trevor Larnach, these initial fears only lasted an inning. In the top of the second, Jonah Bride got hit by a pitch. Then, with two outs, Larnach made it 3-0 Twins with his seventh homer of the year. 

Kody Clemens added an RBI single in the top of the third, plating another McDermott walk recipient, Brooks Lee. It looked like the Twins were cruising to a lopsided victory. Alas, that was not to be.

Woods Richardson Implodes in the Third
With a four-run lead, Woods Richardson looked to lengthen his start and put the game on lockdown. Three singles later, though, it was a 4-1 ballgame with only one out. The Twins thought they had a double play grounder to end the inning, but the new tandem of Clemens and Lee couldn't convert. Woods Richardson walked Ramón Laureano on a full count, and then Cedric Mullins turned a slider into a grand slam. Just like that, it was 5-4 Orioles.

To add insult to injury, Heston Kjerstad followed suit two pitches later, with a long solo shot to make it 6-4 Baltimore. Woods Richardson managed to come back to pitch a scoreless fourth, but the damage was done and the Twins bullpen's version of the Thunderbolts was going to have to come in to save the day.

Willi Castro Thunders... and Bolts!
Charlie Morton was cruising along for the Orioles in his relief of McDermott, until Castro stepped up to the plate with two outs in the top of the fifth. First-pitch fastball, 105.8 mph exit velocity, and suddenly, it's only a one-run deficit.

The top of the eighth saw the Twins still trailing, but not having slipped any further back, and ex-Twin Yennier Canó was called into action to face Castro and the bottom of the Twins lineup. Castro stayed hot, lacing a single to left. He then stole second, and advanced to third on a Canó balk to put the tying run on third with nobody out. Royce Lewis worked a quality walk, and then Clemens got another chance to make his mark on this game. By the time Canó's first-pitch changeup landed in the right-field stands, the broken and duct-taped spartan helmet was getting prepared in the dugout. The Twins were up 8-6, and the Clemens redemption trip around the bases had sent Twins Territory into a tizzy.

Does the Twins Bullpen Have What it Takes to Close it Out?
The 27th man, Kody Funderburk, got the first out of the eighth but then he allowed an infield hit to Mullins. With Rocco Baldelli absent from the dugout, acting manager Jayce Tingler made the call to the bullpen for the rarely-used Justin Topa. Topa served up a rocket to Tyler O'Neill, but Castro saved the day yet again, with a racing, galloping catch in left field. An Emmanuel Rivera single put the tying run on base with two outs, and brought superstar-in-waiting Adley Rutschman off the bench to serve as the potential go-ahead run. Rutschman took a mighty swing, but the ball fell harmlessly into DaShawn Keirsey Jr.'s glove in center for out number three.

Cole Sands was the last man standing (literally) in the bullpen to get the call for the bottom of the ninth to face the top of the Orioles order. He navigated it smoothly, securing a 10th straight W.

What’s Next?
The red-hot Minnesota Twins look for their third straight sweep and 11th victory in a row on Thursday afternoon. Righty Chris Paddack (1-3, 4.76 ERA) looks to repeat his excellent outing from last Friday against the Giants, and he will face the surprise ace of the Baltimore staff, righty Tomoyuki Sugano (4-2, 2.72 ERA). Worth watching is whether Harrison Bader, Ty France, or Baldelli compete in the contest. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 am CDT.

Postgame Interviews
TBD

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	SAT	SUN	MON	TUE	WED	TOT
Jax	14	29	0	0	20	63
Durán	10	14	0	0	11	35
Varland	0	8	0	0	24	32
Coulombe	0	20	0	0	11	31
Stewart	0	0	0	0	29	29
Sands	15	0	0	0	8	23
Alcalá	0	0	0	0	22	22
Funderburk	0	0	0	0	17	17
Topa	0	0	0	0	11	11

 

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[Vanimal46]

The lame part is 10 game win streak but still 5 GB of Detroit. We need the other teams in the division to cool down! 

[jkcarew]

Last three game-winning hits…

2-out walk-off base hit: DeShawn Keirsey Jr.

2-out 3-run home run: Christian Vasquez

Late inning 3-run home run down by one: Kody Clemens

Meanwhile, every bullpen button Rocco hits goes Jackpot.

 

I hope the baseball gods aren’t upset about this.

[LastOnePicked]

Can anybody explain to me what the h%ll is going on?! I had just settled down to hate this team until at least September.

[bean5302]

Unusual to the see the bats carrying the team this season, but here we are! 10 in a row is great for the team morale, and the bullpen was critical in a double header today with 2 bad starts from the rotation. Clemens is really making the most of his opportunity.

I've seen all I need to see of DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. He's just like he looked at the plate last year, clearly outmatched by MLB caliber pitchers. .086/.086/.086 OPS .174 wRC+ -63 with a 34% K rate in 35 PA after today. SSSS, but even his xwOBA is a miserable .174 between his heaping helping of rollover grounders and pop ups. It's abundantly clear he's not an MLB player.

Speaking of guys who don't need to be getting regular playing time, Simeon Woods-Richardson should be replaced in the rotation now. He still doesn't have a single quality start this year in 7 tries, only 3 times making it through inning 5 and in only 2 of those starts did he manage an ERA under 6.35.

With poor/short starts from both Ober and SWR, the bullpen used all 9 bullpen arms in Alcala, Sands, Funderburk, Topa, Varland, Coulombe, Jax, Duran, and Stewart. We really need a long start from Paddack tomorrow at noon in Baltimore. Tonkin is back rehabbing, but he won't be ready. I wonder if the Twins would call up Marco Raya to pitch out of the 'pen? If they were in Minnesota, it wouldn't surprise me a bit. 

[jkcarew]

 

The lame part is 10 game win streak but still 5 GB of Detroit. We need the other teams in the division to cool down! 

I’m confident 142 wins will take the division 😉

[Schmoeman5]

Twins came back from down 3 1st game and down 2 in the 2nd game. That was after the Orioles hung a 6 spot coming back from a 4-0 deficit. Pretty impressive.  In their 10 game win streak they've gotten contributions up and down the lineup. Starters were slightly off today so the pen stepped up big. And I believe there's still room for improvement. 

[TheLeviathan]

 

Can anybody explain to me what the h%ll is going on?! I had just settled down to hate this team until at least September.

The team had some rotten luck early that made them seem worse than they really are.

The team is now having some crazy good luck that makes them seem better than they actually are.

I think we can safely say that this team has four good starters and a good bullpen.  It might even have a functional lineup when all the horses are back.  But the infield defense and lineup will decide how far this team goes, it just needs to consistently scrape across 4 runs and we can be a legit shot to make the playoffs.

[FlyingFinn]

Listened on the radio today and it just feels like the Twins are going to find a way to win lately.

I'm thinking the Twins send down SWR and bring up a reliever as an extra warm body for tomorrow (tonkin?). Then, he gets sent down to bring up Matthews for Sunday.

[jkcarew]

 

I wonder if the Twins would call up Marco Raya to pitch out of the 'pen? If they were in Minnesota, it wouldn't surprise me a bit. 

Raya might be the last guy I’d pick right now…anyone else who’s already on the roster…especially if the objective is just temporary.

[Vanimal46]

 

I'm thinking the Twins send down SWR and bring up a reliever as an extra warm body for tomorrow

I know a guy that was born for the role 

[bean5302]

 

I know a guy that was born for the role 

He's on the IL.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

The lame part is 10 game win streak but still 5 GB of Detroit. We need the other teams in the division to cool down! 

There is nothing "lame" about any 10 game winning streak. The Twins ultimately control their own destiny.

[FlyingFinn]

@Vanimal46 I actually typed in Dobnak and then checked. He's on the IL for St. Paul.

[jmlease1]

anything to keep the streak going! Nice to see the lineup pick up the starters, and Larnach is doing a fine job. 

Funny seeing the Twins put it on Cano twice in a week.

Wild seeing every pitcher in the bullpen get used in one day, but that's what happens when neither of your starters goes long in a doubleheader. Funderburk did fine (and good for Alcala in taking 2 innings) but I really wish the Twins could find a decent middle reliever who could go 2+ innings without needing a week off.

But I love seeing the streak continue. Let's go sweep these guys!

(btw, who do you think is the most likely member of the Twins to pull a Roy Kent: rip up a bench in the locker room in a fit of rage and then tell the team "let's go get these $@&*%" and have everyone lose their minds? LOL)

[mikelink45]

No comment - just sitting back in amazement

[Vanimal46]

 

@Vanimal46 I actually typed in Dobnak and then checked. He's on the IL for St. Paul.

Thanks I’m not up to date on my St Paul Saints evidently 

[LastOnePicked]

"The team had some rotten luck early that made them seem worse than they really are.

The team is now having some crazy good luck that makes them seem better than they actually are."

About this "crazy good luck" you mention. Is it possible to get more of it?

[Schmoeman5]

 

The team had some rotten luck early that made them seem worse than they really are.

The team is now having some crazy good luck that makes them seem better than they actually are.

I think we can safely say that this team has four good starters and a good bullpen.  It might even have a functional lineup when all the horses are back.  But the infield defense and lineup will decide how far this team goes, it just needs to consistently scrape across 4 runs and we can be a legit shot to make the playoffs.

Honest question. What crazy luck have they gotten? And who are the horses that are missing?  Wallner and Keaschall are the only ones I can think of. And Lewis and Correa haven't really hit yet. That's why I said they can still get better. Enjoying the ride in the meantime. 

[Fatbat]

Its May 14th, 2025 and Roger Clemens spawn has 200% more HR’s that Martin and Lewis. Pure comedy 🎭 

[Dlee]

wonder if there is a way to delay the scoreboard and live games on MLB. was going to watch it this evening but game was done by the time I got home.  not a fan of watching a game with knowing the outcome. well except during the covid hysteria then the world series run on youtube was nice.  

[NotAboutWinning]

 

wonder if there is a way to delay the scoreboard and live games on MLB. was going to watch it this evening but game was done by the time I got home.  not a fan of watching a game with knowing the outcome. well except during the covid hysteria then the world series run on youtube was nice.  

There is a setting to not show scores 🙂

[stringer bell]

Early on, it seemed anything that could go wrong did go wrong at the worst possible moment. Now, the reverse seems to be happening. Regression to the mean?

I would think all the guys who threw more than 20 pitches would not be available tomorrow. That would leave Topa, Coulombe, Sands and Dúran to pitch tomorrow. I imagine Paddack will go pretty deep unless he gets shelled. 
 

If Bader is going to be out more than a day, maybe someone very tall gets a major league chance. They will need a starter on Sunday. It is possible SWR gets optioned and a bullpen guy is added for four days before Festa/Matthews comes up Sunday. 

[DocBauer]

I actually think the homestand against the Dirty Sox and Angels was the turning point. They didn't play good ball against the Sox, but still won 2 of 3. They just looked better against the Angels. And despite losing 3 of 4 against Cleveland in very disappointing fashion, it still looked like they were playing solid baseball. (Games in Cleveland have been like a cursed wasteland for the Twins the past few seasons).

While the pitching is carrying the team, the offense has been at least a little better, showing signs of some life, on the winning streak. I'm a little worried about the pen, but 2 days off before today should help some.

Kudos to Alcala today looking more like the arm we need and think he can be.

When a team feels good about itself, and doesn't make major mistakes, you get winning streaks like this. And contributions come from unexpected sources at times, like Clemmons. You can't bank on players like him for the long haul...you need your top players to stop floundering or come back from injury...but contributions can come from everywhere if the team is feeling good about itself.

I haven't given up on SWR, but he is starting to worry me a bit. I'd give him at least 1 more start. But I'm starting to wonder if he needs a re-set at St Paul with Festa or Matthews getting a shot.

[Doctor Gast]

 

Listened on the radio today and it just feels like the Twins are going to find a way to win lately.

I'm thinking the Twins send down SWR and bring up a reliever as an extra warm body for tomorrow (tonkin?). Then, he gets sent down to bring up Matthews for Sunday.

Sounds like a good idea.

[Western SD Fan]

Raya is schedule to pitch tomorrow in Iowa.  I think we can leave him there for now.

Matthews is scheduled for Friday.  Festa for Saturday.  Maybe possible to push Lopez back a day (Saturday to Sunday) since they have no starter currently listed for Sunday and bring up Festa for Saturday.  I believe you are still stuck with SWR and his next scheduled start next Monday against Cleveland.

A couple other things to consider.  Any pitchers sent down must stay in AAA for 15 days unless brought back up because of injury.  Also, I am unfamiliar with what options many of these relievers have left and most of them are too good to just DFA and pray no one else picks them up.  

Edited May 15, 2025 by Western SD Fan
Added third paragraph

[Doctor Gast]

Today the SPs have let us down. Again, I had to break away from the game & they were losing 6-4 when I returned. Again I felt we'd come back to win it & we did. It's not luck, as some say. it's chemistry, the force to be able to do that.

[stringer bell]

 

Raya is schedule to pitch tomorrow in Iowa.  I think we can leave him there for now.

Matthews is scheduled for Friday.  Festa for Saturday.  Maybe possible to push Lopez back a day (Saturday to Sunday) since they have no starter currently listed for Sunday and bring up Festa for Saturday.  I believe you are still stuck with SWR and his next scheduled start next Monday against Cleveland.

A couple other things to consider.  Any pitchers sent down must stay in AAA for 15 days unless brought back up because of injury.  Also, I am unfamiliar with what options many of these relievers have left and most of them are too good to just DFA and pray no one else picks them up.  

Ober would be on regular rest to pitch on Monday. If either Festa or Matthews is recalled I would presume they take SWR's spot in the rotation for at least two starts and it would appear that one of them will be starting against the Brewers, so why not keep them around for a while? 

If the Twins want to recall a bullpen arm while they are short (tomorrow especially) Travis Adams would probably be the guy. He's on the 40-man roster, he has pitched effectively and he's worked multiple innings. Adams started a game on the 11th and worked four innings. I don't know if that would preclude him from being recalled and available tomorrow. 

[DocBauer]

 

Early on, it seemed anything that could go wrong did go wrong at the worst possible moment. Now, the reverse seems to be happening. Regression to the mean?

I would think all the guys who threw more than 20 pitches would not be available tomorrow. That would leave Topa, Coulombe, Sands and Dúran to pitch tomorrow. I imagine Paddack will go pretty deep unless he gets shelled. 
 

If Bader is going to be out more than a day, maybe someone very tall gets a major league chance. They will need a starter on Sunday. It is possible SWR gets optioned and a bullpen guy is added for four days before Festa/Matthews comes up Sunday. 

Would they send down SWR for a pen arm at this point? Adams up for a couple of games and then Festa or Matthews up for Sunday? The rainout does mess with Ober's spot in the rotation for sure. I don't think they WANT to send SWR just yet, but maybe they need to to keep the rotation on schedule? Or could someone...again MAYBE Adams, maybe not...for the start on Sunday and do a bullpen game?

A lot to consider here.

The pen was taxed a bit today, but everyone also got 2 days rest before today as well. But they also don't have an off day until next Thursday. 

[arby58]

 

With poor/short starts from both Ober and SWR, the bullpen used all 9 bullpen arms in Alcala, Sands, Funderburk, Topa, Varland, Coulombe, Jax, Duran, and Stewart. We really need a long start from Paddack tomorrow at noon in Baltimore. Tonkin is back rehabbing, but he won't be ready. I wonder if the Twins would call up Marco Raya to pitch out of the 'pen? If they were in Minnesota, it wouldn't surprise me a bit. 

They had two consecutive days off - pitching today shouldn't overly tax the bullpen tomorrow. My guess is that Duran, Coulombe, Sands, and Topa are all plenty available - none of them threw more than 11 pitches in a pretty stress free inning of work today.

Agree that it's probably time to drop SWR in favor of Festa (still think he's ahead of Matthews in the pecking order).