game recap Brewers 2, Twins 1: No Strike Back, Only Strike Outs for Twins

[Steven Trefz]

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Connor Prielipp 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K (86 pitches, 55 strikes (64%))
Home Runs: Trevor Larnach (2)
Bottom 3 WPA: Austin Martin (-0.28), Brooks Lee (-0.15), Tristan Gray (-0.15)

 

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

The Twins looked to re-establish their home field after a rowdy Brewer crowd watched Milwaukee take the first game of the series. Minnesota had the right starter on the mound in young lefty Connor Prielipp, but would they have the right bats in the lineup with Byron Buxton sitting yet again and Luke Keaschall taking the night off against the equally young righty Logan Henderson?

Ducks Left on the Pond
The Twins had a golden opportunity to make a statement in the bottom of the second. After Prielipp dominated his way through his first two frames with three strikeouts, Josh Bell found his way on with a leadoff excuse-me single. Kody Clemens ripped a Henderson changeup into the corner for a double to put runners at second and third with nobody out. What happened next was a dreadful reminder of how things have been going, and how the Twins bats would continue to function on Saturday. The only way the Twins would fail to score would be strikeouts. Royce Lewis, strikeout. James Outman, strikeout. Austin Martin...strikeout. 

Trevor Larnach was back in the lineup after missing the past three games. He solved the "runners left in scoring position" dilemma in the bottom of the third inning by skipping a few steps and hitting the ball over the overhang in right to put his team up 1-0.

Whiffing in the Field and at the Plate
The Twins' lead didn't last very long, as the Brewers scraped a single and a walk on the base paths to start the fourth. After a rough call on a good play last night, Lewis got the gift of a double play grounder from Luis Rengifo. Unfortunately Royce forgot to get the ball before he tried to turn two, and by the time the ball got collected in left field Brice Turang had scampered all the way home from second base to knot the game at one apiece. 

In the bottom of the fourth, more Twins in scoring position with nobody out, and more whiffs. The Twins eventually went 0-8 with RISP and the strikeouts proved to be the most frustrating component. On three separate occasions the Brewers were either playing to surrender the run, or any ground ball or flyball could have done the deed. 

Prielipp got the chance to pitch into the sixth, and he tried to sneak a changeup past young phenom Jackson Chourio. That pitch got accelerated by 17 mph and found the seats for a 2-1 Brewer lead.

Comeback Special?
The Twins came into the ninth inning having gone 0-18 when trailing after seven innings in 2026. Righty Chad Patrick had entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, and was still pitching into the bottom of the ninth. The Twins mounted no threat, and Patrick got his four-inning save.

What’s Next?
The Twins look to salvage the final game of the series on Sunday. Twins righty Bailey Ober (4-2, 3.46 ERA) will look to match his shutout performance earlier this week, while the Brewers have yet to name their starter for the mid-day tilt. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT.

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	TOT
Rojas	0	0	0	41	0	41
Topa	0	35	0	0	0	35
Adams	0	29	0	0	0	29
Orze	0	0	0	0	26	26
Morris	0	0	0	24	0	24
Rogers	0	0	0	23	0	23
Garcia	0	18	0	0	0	18
Gómez	0	0	0	7	11	18
Banda	0	0	0	8	0	8

 

 

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[USAFChief]

Nerds: "strikeouts are just like any other out."

USAFChief: "false."

Nerds: "RBI are meaningless."

USAFChief: "false."

Edited 5 hours ago by USAFChief

[jkcarew]

4 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Nerds: "RBI are meaningless."

USAFChief: "false."

Well, sure…to the score of the game they’re meaningful…but other than that??

[thelanges5]

Feel bad for Shelty but he knew what he was getting himself into. Same core lineup and the same results for the past three season. Zoll has some tough decisions to make. 

[Nshore]

Bottom half of the order: Clemens, Lewis, Gray, Outman - and they don't win???  My world doesn't make sense anymore!

It's amazing there were that many fans at the game.  Hope is eternal!

 

 

[jkcarew]

Prielipp seems to be throwing more strikes with the Twins than he was in AAA. Maybe it’s just me. I swear, if he can figure out where his changeup is going, he might be even better than he’s looked so far, which would be……exciting. Again, maybe I’m getting way ahead of things.

[Parfigliano]

10 minutes ago, Nshore said:

Bottom half of the order: Clemens, Lewis, Gray, Outman - and they don't win???  My world doesn't make sense anymore!

It's amazing there were that many fans at the game.  Hope is eternal!

 

 

30,000+ attendance.  Guessing 21,000 MILW fans.

[mikelink45]

 Didn't Ryan and Prielipp get Ober's memo - if you are going to win with this team it has to be a shutout.

[Road trip]

It seems inconceivable when watching games like this, but the Twins rank......

 

 

..... 2nd in the American League in both runs and rbi's.

I know, I can't believe it either.  Could be the AL is just really awful this year relative to the NL.

[thelanges5]

Fun little stat - Prielipp is the first starter in Twins history to give up 2 or fewer earned runs in each of his first 5 career outings. 

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

Prielipp looked good again. Same with Clemens. Outman with another hit? 

Defense is still bad.

Is Lewis currently the worst position player on the team? I had really hoped he'd come around but he is swinging at pitches so far off the plate. 

Hopefully we can avoid the sweep tomorrow. 

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Nshore said:

It's amazing there were that many fans at the game.  Hope is eternal!

People still like Star Wars

[Aggies7]

You wonder if Royce could go somewhere else and be better? And where? Not like the MN fans or media are notoriously difficult, but something has zapped any real confidence he had. Or was it opposing pitchers 😂 he looks desperately in need of another organization where maybe the expectations for him aren’t as high 

[Permanent Twins Fan]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

 Didn't Ryan and Prielipp get Ober's memo - if you are going to win with this team it has to be a shutout.

Bailey says he is throwing about 10 mph too to shut out anyone regardless

[howeda7]

It's time for Royce to join Wallner on the AAA reset. Either call up Culpper or Arcia. And PLEASE bench Josh Bell unless they're facing a lefty. 

[ashbury]

No offense, but this team has no offense.

[howeda7]

They could really call up Culpepper and Arcia. Gray is completely worthless and will not be on the team in 2027. Play Culpper at 3rd and let Arcia take the bench roll and play 2B some. 

[DJL44]

28 minutes ago, ashbury said:

No offense, but this team has no offense.

8th in MLB in runs per game and 2nd to the Yankees in the American League.

[knothole61]

Royce has to go now...the Grand Slam Prodigy who "doesn't do slumps" is nowhere to be found. He began the game by striking out with runners on second and third and no outs--just a little contact and it's likely a run. He managed somehow to completely miss a double-play grounder hit right at him that let in the eventual winning run--and in the end he failed to come through again. Enough is enough for this fan. Send him down: if he has sufficient skill and desire he'll come back from a demotion to St. Paul and become a contributing member of the team again, and if not, well then we will be freed once and for all of the enigmatic Mr. Lewis. It is doubtful that management will send him down before the Royce Lewis jersey giveaway day on June 6 (how embarrassing if he's in the minors at the time) but I fervently hope that he's gone by June 7! 

[Parfigliano]

22 minutes ago, knothole61 said:

Royce has to go now...the Grand Slam Prodigy who "doesn't do slumps" is nowhere to be found. He began the game by striking out with runners on second and third and no outs--just a little contact and it's likely a run. He managed somehow to completely miss a double-play grounder hit right at him that let in the eventual winning run--and in the end he failed to come through again. Enough is enough for this fan. Send him down: if he has sufficient skill and desire he'll come back from a demotion to St. Paul and become a contributing member of the team again, and if not, well then we will be freed once and for all of the enigmatic Mr. Lewis. It is doubtful that management will send him down before the Royce Lewis jersey giveaway day on June 6 (how embarrassing if he's in the minors at the time) but I fervently hope that he's gone by June 7! 

Didn't they Bobblehead him last year under eerily similar circumstances

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

8th in MLB in runs per game and 2nd to the Yankees in the American League.

Get your nose out of the spreadsheets and watch a game.  😀