Tigers 10, Twins 4: Detroit Rocks Taj Bradley in Series Opener

[Steven Trefz]

Image courtesy of © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Taj Bradley - 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (89 pitches, 52 strikes (58%))
Home Runs: Byron Buxton (19), Josh Bell (7), Brooks Lee (10), Kody Clemens (9)
Bottom 3 WPA: Bradley (-0.42), Tristan Gray (-0.19), Victor Caratini (-0.16)

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 

The Twins limped out of their 17-game string between off days by dropping three out of four to the hapless Royals. Nothing says "day off" like traveling to Detroit, only to experience a tornado warning and a two-hour rain delay. With a couple of 25-year-old righties on the mound in Taj Bradley and Troy Melton on Tuesday night in the Motor City, who would come out victorious in the battle of American League Central disappointments?

Free Solos Against the Youngsters
When the game finally got started, Byron Buxton wasted no time celebrating his return to center field and into the leadoff spot. One pitch, one 428-foot bomb. 1-0 Twins.

The Twins' good vibes were short-lived and often stifled throughout tonight's contest, though, as the Tigers responded with solo homers of their own in the first (Dillon Dingler) and second (Riley Greene) to reestablish the lead at 2-1. Greene's home run to start the bottom of the second inning was especially frustrating, given that the Twins had loaded the bases in the top of the frame with only one out, only to see Tristan Gray and Buxton strike out to leave them that way. 

Josh Bell hit a solo shot of his own in the top of the third to knot things back up, and this one had some historical significance. It was No. 200 for Bell, and put the Twins right back into the game.

Bradley's Control Didn't Make the Trip
Bradley struggled early and often to find the strike zone, walking the leadoff man in the third and fourth innings to put the pressure immediately back on himself and the Twins' defense. He somehow escaped with only surrendering one run after those walks, but as his pitch count climbed, it became apparent that the Twins bullpen was immediately going to need to use their rested arms in order to find victory. 

Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens went back-to-back in the top of the fifth to put the Twins back on top, 4-3. Normally, this awesome occurrence would warrant video highlights. In this case, before I could enter them into the recap, Bradley had surrendered a double to start the bottom of the fifth, and then surrendered the lead immediately back by serving up Kerry Carpenter for a two-run jack. In each of those at-bats, Bradley started with a non-competitive pitch for ball one. In each of those at-bats, Bradley served up a center-cut off-speed pitch in hopes of not walking more humans. That was the end of Bradley's night, and the start of this evening's bullpen implosion.

No Relief in Sight
The bullpen rest didn't do a darn thing. Eric Orze got the Twins out of the bottom of the fifth still within a run, but after Gray and Buxton repeated their "striking out with a chance to knock a run in" vibe in the top of the sixth, Orze got chased with runners on the corners and only one out in the bottom of the sixth. Twins hero Taylor Rogers came in, and unfortunately, memories are all that appear to be left of Rogers's game. After getting Kevin McGonigle to strike out on a high sweeper, Rogers went one-too-many sweepers into the well on Dingler, and by the time the Tiger catcher trotted around the bases, it was 8-4 Detroit.

The Twins loaded the bases yet again in the top of the seventh with only one out. Again, the clutch hits with runners on did not pack their bags for Detroit. Victor Caratini struck out, and Royce Lewis got Twins Territory to its feet—only to see his Grand Slam moment drop into Greene's glove on the warning track.

Like we've seen so often this season, a Twins failed rally was immediately followed by an opponent's padding of the lead. This time, it was the Justin Lawrence experience who drew the sacrificial lamb role after Rogers stayed in the game and walked the leadoff man. Lawrence followed the night's theme and walked the first man he faced. It looked like the newest Twins would escape the jam after he got the next two outs, but he walked the bases loaded with two outs and then Gray booted a "single" to allow two more runs to score. 

What’s Next?
That's a tough question to answer after a night like this. In theory, the Twins look to rebound and even up the series on Wednesday evening, but they have yet to name their starting pitcher. While the Twins faithful pray for a Marco Raya sighting, the threat of a bullpen game looms larger. The Tigers will send lefty Framber Valdez (3-4, 4.21 ERA) out to win the series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 pm CDT.

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	FRI	SAT	SUN	MON	TUE	TOT
Laweryson	0	0	36	0	12	48
Morris	0	0	41	0	0	41
Orze	0	17	0	0	23	40
Lawrence	0	0	12	0	26	38
Rogers	0	15	0	0	17	32
Adams	16	0	0	0	0	16
Gómez	0	14	0	0	0	14
Banda	14	0	0	0	0	14
Paredes	0	0	0	0	0	0

 

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[Parfigliano]

By what standard are TC disappointments?  Vegas had them at 72-3 wins.  They are what the money said they are.  Not good.

[thelanges5]

4-11 since the Boston sweep. 

[Aggies7]

Starting to feel a bit more like the last few seasons. I was starting to make time to watch more games around Memorial Day and it’s been in the dumper since then. Maybe I should go back to paying less attention 😂 

[ashbury]

This appearance spoiled Justin Lawrence's 0.00 ERA in a Twins uniform.

[jaimedude]

Would it kil the Twins to give a few of the talented guys with the Saints a chance? 

[Patzky]

Taj stunk but choking repeatedly with runners on didn't help. 

Yeah the pen but the script was already written by then 

[RpR]

[RpR]

Had to quit watching but it seems I did not miss much.

Buxton got his early home run then followed it up with 4 strike out; Lewis kinda sorta went 2 for 4 so complaining Buxton was not playing seems  rather a waste of time.

I hope Gray is not trying to emulate Buxton.

[howeda7]

If we're going to be bad, at least play the young guys. Enough watching old bad players. Call up Culpepper, Mendez and Funderburk  and get rid of Gray, Kreidler and one of the pathetic duo of Adams or Lawrence from the bullpen.

[KirbyDome89]

How long does the Justin Lawrence experiment need to last? 

3.2 IP, 5 BB, 2 HP, 2 H so far....

[KirbyDome89]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

This appearance spoiled Justin Lawrence's 0.00 ERA in a Twins uniform.

Unbelievable that was his only earned run allowed with the Twins (thus far at least)