Pirates 2, Twins 1: Twins' Chances to End First Half on High Note Get Stuck In Webbing

[Hans Birkeland]

Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

Box Score:
Starting Pitcher: Simeon Woods Richardson: 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (77 Pitches, 57 Strikes, 74%)
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Jhoan Duran (-.302), Willi Castro (-.168), Brooks Lee (-.163)
Win Probability Chart (Via FanGraphs):

It was rather circuitous, but the Twins entered Sunday’s game with a chance to improve their record to 48-48 entering the All-Star break. With the team’s other stars all failing to post their usual numbers, Byron Buxton has carried the load, punctuated by his posting the first-ever cycle at Target Field during Saturday’s romp against Pittsburgh.

The team remains just three games out of a playoff spot, despite losing every series in June and the fifth spot of their rotation becoming a recurring bullpen game. At some point, the team will have to pitch and hit at the same time for extended stretches, but for now, Buxton has put them in a position where a hot stretch out of the All-Star break will get them right back where they need to be.

First, though, they had to finish off a sweep against the Pirates, and despite the Bucs' deficiencies in most areas, they do have a couple of legitimate starting pitchers—including Sunday’s starter, Mitch Keller, who offers an array of quality pitches and a 96-MPH fastball. He's also been one of the most durable starters in baseball over the course of his career.

Opposing him was Simeon Woods Richardson, the cause of one of Aaron Gleeman’s more embarrassing (though correct) recent crashouts. Woods Richardson has been nails since his recall, ditching his changeup for a splitter and posting a sub-1.00 ERA in his past five starts. He didn’t look all that amazing against the Pirates’ lineup, giving up some hard contact. The game plan was clearly to swing early to take advantage of his trying to get ahead. But the only damage came on an ambush by veteran Tommy Pham, who dove out over the plate and crushed a slider 421 feet to give Pittsburgh a brief lead 1-0 in the second.

Keller seemed to have little trouble with the Twins lineup, mixing his slider, four-seamer and sinker to great effect. But a bloop from Harrison Bader (who should maybe sign an extension at this point, since he would probably be my third choice for first half MVP) put Buxton at the plate with a runner on. The Twins' star slugger did his usual routine, working the count and then barreling up a breaking ball that Keller should just be thankful stayed in the yard. It ended up being a double off the left-field wall that scored Bader and tied the game.

Woods Richardson danced around raindrops for a while before allowing a couple baserunners with two outs in the fifth. After allowing his starter to face the top three batters in the Pirates lineup a third time, Baldelli turned to Louis Varland, who finished off the inning with a single pitch. (Gleeman began scouring and searching for folks with incorrect opinions on the matter.)

Keller continued to cruise, finishing six innings with just the one run allowed on four hits. Varland pitched a scoreless sixth, working around a Jack Suwinski single by picking him off first base. Brock Stewart worked a scoreless seventh, working around a single by striking out Twins killer Andrew McCutchen on a nasty cutter to end the inning.

Lefty Caleb Ferguson is still around and pitching well for the Pirates, and he worked a 1-2-3 seventh in relief of Keller. Griffin Jax then worked a 1-2-3 eighth, in dominant fashion. It figures, as he allows a .532 OPS in tie games and a .773 OPS when protecting a lead this year.

The Twins made some noise in their half of the eighth, with consecutive singles by Christian Vázquez and Buxton putting two on base with one out, and prompting Baldelli to lift Vázquez for a pinch-runner. That immediately backfired, as Castro hit a nubber that Pirates catcher Henry Davis pounced on and threw out the lead runner (now DaShawn Keirsey Jr.) at third base for the second out. Trevor Larnach then flied out to end things.

After throwing 34 pitches on Saturday, Jhoan Duran was called upon to pitch the ninth. He allowed a jam shot single to Ke'Bryan Hayes, and an infield hit to Oneil Cruz, the latter of which came when a dribbler got past a reaching Duran at the mound. Isiah Kiner-Falefa then delivered his fourth hit of the game, a clean single to center to load the bases. Spencer Horwitz, on an 0-2 count, got a far-too-hittable pitch that he smacked right to Brooks Lee in a drawn-in infield. A double play looked possible. The ball got stuck in Lee's glove, however, and he was only able to retire Horowitz at first base. 2-1 Pirates. David Bednar put Carlos Correa on to start the bottom of the ninth but then flummoxed the Twins with his curveball.

What’s Next: The All-Star break is here! It begins with the Home Run Derby on Monday featuring Buxton and no, he won't be cursed or get hurt. I mean, he might, but aren't sports supposed to be fun? Buxton and Joe Ryan will then represent the American League in the All-Star game on Tuesday. The Twins will resume their season on Friday in Coors Field against the woeful Rockies (22-74).

Postgame Interviews:

Coming soon

Bullpen Usage Chart:

	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN	TOT
Adams	0	0	0	68	0	68
Durán	9	0	0	34	17	60
Stewart	15	0	23	0	13	51
Varland	12	0	19	0	14	45
Jax	14	0	0	12	9	35
Coulombe	9	0	11	14	0	34
Sands	0	0	5	19	0	24
Topa	0	16	0	0	0	16
Wentz	0	0	0	0	0	0

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[Peter]

🤬😡👎💩loss!!! Losses like this infuriate me!!!! We Needed sweep!!! Now winning all 3 in Colorado is a must!!! Soo glad break is here as I need it-no baseball will be most needed to calm down and relax!!! Getting over .500 is must as well winning season!!! Enjoy the all star break!!!

[DJL44]

12 games until the trade deadline. 6 vs playoff teams and 6 vs cellar dwellers. To get to .500 they need to go 7-5.

[Mike Sixel]

Can't win many games if you don't hit. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, DJL44 said:

12 games until the trade deadline. 6 vs playoff teams and 6 vs cellar dwellers. To get to .500 they need to go 7-5.

Purgatory.....

[DJL44]

4 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Purgatory.....

I agree. I would sell if they don't go 8-4 over the next 12 games.

[mikelink45]

Typical of the year pitch good hit bad, or hit Good and hit bad.  It's the reason we're struggling to be 500. But then there's Colorado if we don't make it to 500 then I'm not sure we can at any other point. 

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Peter said:

🤬😡👎💩loss!!! Losses like this infuriate me!!!! We Needed sweep!!! Now winning all 3 in Colorado is a must!!! Soo glad break is here as I need it-no baseball will be most needed to calm down and relax!!! Getting over .500 is must as well winning season!!! Enjoy the all star break!!!

Statins, my guy.

[thelanges5]

4 days to rest and reset. Hopefully will do the offense some good. Larnach and Wallner should take some fly balls. 

[Riverbrian]

The Pirates came to town with 12 Pre-Arb players on the 26 man roster. 

The Twins had 10 Pre-Arb players this weekend. 

The Pirates are 39-58

The Twins are 47-49. 

[chinmusic]

Enjoy the break, folks....

[CRF]

Disappointing loss. Another chance at a sweep and we just can't get it done. Some things never change.

[tony&rodney]

2 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

Larnach and Wallner should take some fly balls. 

They don't need to because their peak potential is Nelson Cruz / DH. The Twins are just mean to their pitchers when Wallner is in right field. His mind would be at ease if he could burn his glove and just hit.

[darwin22]

I know insignificant, but whoever totaled bullpen usage chart for Duran is wrong.  Not only did Duran NOT pitch yesterday (34 pitches), he did throw 16 pitches in Friday's save.  Also, Jax did not pitch in Saturdays (all to infrequent) blowout victory.

[knothole61]

Rest your hearts fellow game threaders...I think the last 66 games will bring us tantalizingly close to a playoff spot with concomitant cardiac chaos along the way! 

[David HK]

Woof-  These day games usually start at 2 or 3 in the morning at my house, so I catch up with TD and the mlbtv replay.  Glad I missed this one, and no need to rewatch anything.

But hold on a second-- Checking out yesterday's highlights, I see Alphabet Soup Guy Misiewicz pitching in relief WEARING #57!!! WHAAAAAAT?!?!?!?  WHY is a journeyman callup wearing #57???  Why is ANY Twins ever wearing #57 again?!?!?!?  The sacrilege! 

              57!!

 

[Whitey333]

They usually have trouble winning the last game of a series that could involve a sweep.  I will give Baldelli credit for using a regular lineup.  I was afraid it was going to be a B lineup.  Hopefully they take care of business by winning all 3 in colorado.

[Bodie]

15 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

4 days to rest and reset. Hopefully will do the offense some good. Larnach and Wallner should take some fly balls. 

4 days of taking fly balls... and the result is one of the two end up on injured list!

[David Maro]

They all had their bags packed in the clubhouse and no interest in the game. Over and under throws to first. Giving up on slow rollers in the middle of the field. Wallner playing a single into a double. If you watched SWR on the mound you saw the disappointment on his face.

[Larry Janisewski]

6 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

They usually have trouble winning the last game of a series that could involve a sweep.  I will give Baldelli credit for using a regular lineup.  I was afraid it was going to be a B lineup.  Hopefully they take care of business by winning all 3 in colorado.

While I also will give him credit for starting the regulars when I saw the infield playing in for a play at the plate with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 10th I told my wife, oh oh, I'd have them playing at double play depth. If they had been, it would have been an easy double play ball to Lee. Oh well..........

[BillyBallLives]

On 7/13/2025 at 9:16 PM, darwin22 said:

whoever totaled bullpen usage chart for Duran is wrong.

And...it's not the first time I've seen errors on that chart....whoever's doing it isn't paying attention.