Twins 4, Rays 2: Twins Make Key Plays, Hop Back into the Win Column

[Sherry Cerny]

Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Joe Ryan 6 IP, 5H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K (82 pitches, 52 strikes (64%))
Home Runs: Kody Clemens (5)
Top WPA: Joe Ryan (.232); Carlos Correa (.119); Brooks Lee (.114)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

The Twins dropped the first game of the series versus the Rays 7-2 on Monday, but Tuesday night, they wasted no time getting out in front with Joe Ryan on the mound. Ryan responded with three scoreless innings to open the contest, although he needed some help from his defense along the way—including multiple gems from Carlos Correa.

Trevor Larnach led off today, and punched out his seventh double of the season to start the game, followed by a single from Correa (who has had a hit in nine games out of the 16 he has played in May and is hitting .375 since coming back from his concussion). A sac fly from Brooks Lee scored Larnach to put the Twins on the board 1-0, as good hustle and a great slide got Larnach past the tag in time.

Kody Clemens continues to be a menace. He swatted his fifth home run of the season in the top of the second, to widen the lead to 2-0. Rays pitcher Taj Bradley tightened up after that, allowing just the two runs. The next time he allowed a hit was in the top of the fifth (Clemens again), but that was it. No more for the Twins lineup.

Ryan didn't have a bad day, but he didn't have an easy day, either. By the time he reached the fourth inning, Ryan was laboring. The Rays got ahead of Ryan in the count a few times, and had a lot of movement on the bases. It was also the fourth time they had someone on third base, and while the defense did their job chasing down hard-hit balls (highlighted by a diving catch in right field from Clemens), the Rays kept the pressure on.

The Rays' Brandon Lowe, hit a hard double out to the right-field wall. A single from Jonathan Aranda scored Lowe, to cut the lead to 2-1. A mound visit was the Twins' attempt to give Ryan some time to breathe, but with two outs in the inning, Ryan hit José Caballero to put more on base. He got out of the jam on a fly ball to left, but ran up his pitch count to 68.  

A small side note: The defense had a little different look tonight. With Byron Buxton still out, Harrison Bader’s finger ailing and Royce Lewis on the bench, Clemens took over right field, Willi Castro was in left and DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. was in center. All of them acquitted themselves well, though Castro did lose the ball in the sky on a key single for Tampa.

Ryan was back out in the fifth and took back command of his pitches, logging a 1-2-3 inning in efficient fashion. The heat and humidity wer certainly a factor in tonight's game: If a bat grabbed the ball, it traveled. 

In the top of the sixth, Bradley walked Ryan Jeffers, and Correa got on base with a single. Brooks Lee hit a grounder to Lowe at second. He tried to start a double play, but his throw was too high, off the upstretched glove of the shortstop and trickling into left field. The error scored Jeffers to get back the run the Twins had lost and restore a two-run lead, 3-1.

Louis Varland came out to replace Ryan. Caballero hit a single against him, then stole both second and third. Jeffers attempted to pick him off at second and third, but was unsuccessful in each attempt, and the next ground out from Kameron Misner scored Caballero to close the gap again: 3-2. 

While the weather truly had a factor in tonight’s game to help move the ball along, Correa took every advantage that he could and squared up every chance. He went 3-for-4 and got his ninth double of the season. Correa’s aggressive hitting and baserunning gave the Twins a huge advantage, and a base hit from old reliable Ty France brought Correa back home again, getting back their run and stretching the advantage to 4-2.

The one constant tonight was the striking out of Yandy Diaz. Every pitcher who came in dominated Diaz at the plate, and reliever Griffin Jax was no different. Jax’s relief appearances have been better and better, and against the Rays tonight, he shut them down to secure the lead heading into the ninth. 

Jhoan Duran came in to close out the game and keep things in the win column. The Rays brought the tying run to the plate in the person of Caballero, who hit a long fly ball to left, but it settled into the glove of Keirsey (who'd moved over in a defensive switch) for the final out. 

What’s Next? 
The Twins finish out the series tomorrow with the Rays. Pablo Lopez (4-2; 2.31ERA) will be taking the mound against Drew Rasmussen (3-4;  2.60ERA) at 12:10PM CST. 

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

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[Blyleven2011]

Getting that challenge on the double play was huge early in the game to prevent rays from scoring  , the rays gifting us runs on a attempted double play error and twins could do wrong ...

They worked for the win ...

Jax has his MOJO going strong and Clemens seems to have found a home ...

Nice to be back in the win column and let's take the series from the rays ...

[DJL44]

Quote

though Castro did lose the ball in the sky on a key single for Tampa

The lighting must be awful in Tampa. The players on TV are so grainy that I feel like I'm watching on KMSP over rabbit ears like when I was a kid.

[tony&rodney]

Nice win. 

Anyone else worried about the bullpen in September? It is too early to think about that though. Varland has been efficient with his pitches and Jax has his dominant stuff.

[knothole61]

Nice win and I'm happy to see Jax back to form--he was awesome.

Okay, I'm an aging member of the rub dirt on your cut generation who is a bit flummoxed by Bader missing two games because of a "sore ring finger"--did I get that right? It's not broken, or stress fractured, or even sprained (involving the stretching or rupturing ligaments), but sore-yes?

I hope that Bader is able to play tomorrow because his presence is badly needed in the Twin's less-than-impressive lineup.

 

 

[knothole61]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

The lighting must be awful in Tampa. The players on TV are so grainy that I feel like I'm watching on KMSP over rabbit ears like when I was a kid.

Lunch with Casey and the Grandpa Ken Show, were never THAT grainy!

[Western SD Fan]

1 hour ago, knothole61 said:

Nice win and I'm happy to see Jax back to form--he was awesome.

Okay, I'm an aging member of the rub dirt on your cut generation who is a bit flummoxed by Bader missing two games because of a "sore ring finger"--did I get that right? It's not broken, or stress fractured, or even sprained (involving the stretching or rupturing ligaments), but sore-yes?

I hope that Bader is able to play tomorrow because his presence is badly needed in the Twin's less-than-impressive lineup.

 

 

IIRC, Correa had something similar when he took a pitch off of his fingers or knuckles earlier this year.  He could play the field but couldn't really hold a bat without pain.  If Bader has a similar type of feeling in his finger(s), it makes sense why he wouldn't be in the lineup.  Although tonight he was available as a defensive replacement.  I also hope that Bader can start tomorrow.

[DJL44]

Crazy stat from the MLB.com recap. Since the Twins acquired Kody Clemens he has out-hit both Judge and Ohtani (over the same time period).

[UK Twin]

Jax looks like he's back to the dominant reliever he was last year which is great news. With Duran back to somewhere near his best we have one of the best combinations to close out a game. 

Clemens has been such a big surprise he's now pretty much a lock in the line up right now. Great pick up. 

Such a relief to see that Correa has fully recovered from his concussion and has picked up where he left off before that collision with Buxton. Heads up play to nail the runner at the plate in the double steal attempt.

[jmlease1]

9 hours ago, knothole61 said:

Nice win and I'm happy to see Jax back to form--he was awesome.

Okay, I'm an aging member of the rub dirt on your cut generation who is a bit flummoxed by Bader missing two games because of a "sore ring finger"--did I get that right? It's not broken, or stress fractured, or even sprained (involving the stretching or rupturing ligaments), but sore-yes?

I hope that Bader is able to play tomorrow because his presence is badly needed in the Twin's less-than-impressive lineup.

 

 

They talked about it on the broadcast and had interviewed Bader about it, how he'd gotten stingers like this before but this was one of the worst, that normally he'd play through it but was trying to get healthy because he knew he was going to struggle at the plate. I get that he's been good for us, but give the guy a day or three off from gripping the bat so his fingers can heal (you could see them taped up) and he can swing the bat without pain. and not for nothing, but the "play through it" mentality is how players end up hiding injuries from the training staff. Players are frequently the worst evaluators of their own condition. (Buxton are Lewis are both known for being guys who if you asked them "you good to play?" they will say yes even if they just got hit by a combine and had a limb flopping off.)

Interesting decision on pulling Ryan. I expect it had a fair bit to do with the heat? Normally I'd be excited to see Ryan go 7 there with his pitch count sitting where it was but this was probably wise with guys available in the bullpen.

Correa looks pretty good right now, and it's great to have him back in the lineup. Can't wait to get Buxton and Wallner in as well to hopefully juice up the offense some more. I have a lot of faith in this pitching staff, but it's easier for everyone if they can get more runs on the board.

[Guest]

I think the key to a Twins win is to have Audra Martin talk incessantly at the beginning of each Twins inning. Guaranteed something good will happen during that time and she’ll be talking over it. 🤪

[jorgenswest]

11 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Nice win. 

Anyone else worried about the bullpen in September? It is too early to think about that though. Varland has been efficient with his pitches and Jax has his dominant stuff.

Yes. I would imagine followers of other teams have the same worry. Is there a reason the Twins should be more worried? I guess they have been very healthy in the bullpen compared to most so maybe the injuries are coming.

[LambchoP]

With the way things are going, at least in the short term, Clemens should be playing second base and Lee should be at 3rd. Clemens is raking and Lewis looks lost. I think he needs some time in the minors to work things out. Hopefully Buxton and Wallner are back soon. The way Buck was hitting before the injury and with Wallner crushing the ball in St Paul, the lineup should be much better. 

[Jeff K]

16 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Nice win. 

Anyone else worried about the bullpen in September? It is too early to think about that though. Varland has been efficient with his pitches and Jax has his dominant stuff.

Unless the Twins make trades, I could see Paddack bolstering the bullpen late in the season.

[Jeff K]

6 hours ago, UK Twin said:

Jax looks like he's back to the dominant reliever he was last year which is great news. With Duran back to somewhere near his best we have one of the best combinations to close out a game. 

Clemens has been such a big surprise he's now pretty much a lock in the line up right now. Great pick up. 

Such a relief to see that Correa has fully recovered from his concussion and has picked up where he left off before that collision with Buxton. Heads up play to nail the runner at the plate in the double steal attempt.

I just watched that play and I think Correa is the smartest player on the team.  He just seems to be ahead of the game in his thinking.  True professional ballplayer.