Cubs 6, Twins 2: Kody Clemens Can't Do It All as Minnesota Drops Series Even

[Sherry Cerny]

Image courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Taj Bradley - 5 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (94 pitches, 59 strikes (72% strikes)
Home Runs: Kody Clemens 2 (17, 18)
Bottom 3 WPA: Taj Bradley (-0.31); Brooks Lee (-0.10); Austin Martin (-0.08)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs):

 

The Twins headed into game two of their post-game schedule with Taj Bradley on the bump to hopefully continue a positive trend. The Twins would go without Royce Lewis who sat out today with a tight hamstring. The team didn't express a ton of concern on Lewis and he's considered day to day,

The Cubs got on the board first with a scripted solo home run to Michael Busch on a fly ball off Bradley, putting them up 1-0. 

Need a clutch swing? Kody Clemens answered with his 17th bomb of the season, off the lefty Boyd no less, and tied it up like it was just another day at the office, leveling the score 1-1. Clemens has spent much of the season in the No. 3 spot, where his power and contribution is the largest impact. His ability to contribute home runs and drive in runs has helped strengthen the middle of the lineup, giving opposing pitchers another dangerous left-handed bat to navigate. 

In the second, third and fourth innings, Bradley’s command was patchy against the Cubs. Bradley would get to the second out and then labor. A two-out, two-run double in the second followed by back-to-back RBI singles with two outs in the third put the Twins in a 5-1 hole. Bradley was able to get through the fourth and fifth without much incident but by then the damage was done.

While Bradley ran into trouble, Cubs starter Matt Boyd mostly cruised, holding the Twins to three hits and a walk through six innings. Minnesota's lineup could get nothing going outside of Clemens' lefty-on-lefty homer. 

Clemens added another homer, also against a lefty (old friend Caleb Thielbar) in the sixth, but that would be it for offensive output from the Twins. 

Mike Paredes and Kendry Rojas held things down in relief following Bradley's exit, combining to allow one run in three innings. This set up a potential comeback effort in the ninth, but the Twins botched their opportunity with some brutal base-running.

Josh Bell led off with an infield single against Jordan Webb. Victor Caratini singled to put two on with nobody out. Brooks Lee then doubled into the gap, but an inexplicably horrible base-running decision from Bell led to two subsequent pickles, with Bell and Lee both getting tagged out on the bases. A possible bases-loaded, no-outs situation turned into one on, two outs, and that was that. The Twins are now back to one game back under .500 after spending a glorious 12 hours there. 

What’s Next?
The Twins finish the series against the Cubs Sunday at 1:20 pm CST. The Twins will send Zebby Mathews to the mound (4-6, 4.57 ERA) facing Shota Imanaga (LHP)(5-8, 4.17 ERA).

Postgame Interviews 

 

Bullpen Availability Chart

 

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[ashbury]

I hope the Kangaroo Kourt fines Josh Bell for that baserunning blunder in the ninth, and I hope he cheerfully accepts such judgment, and I especially hope he remembers his basics next time.

/edit - I see now that Chief Justice Shelton has already ruled during the media scrum, relieving the lower Kourt of their obligation and solemn duty. 😁

[thelanges5]

Shelty keeps mentioning Montgomery. They were facing Boyd. Maybe they had the wrong scouting report.

[Peter]

This loss may ruin season!!!! Unacceptable!!! Tomorrow/cleveland and A’s are must win!!!

[HarmonK03]

5 minutes ago, Peter said:

This loss may ruin season!!!! Unacceptable!!! Tomorrow/cleveland and A’s are must win!!!

Maybe cut back a little on the caffeine.

[ashbury]

5 minutes ago, Peter said:

This loss may ruin season!!!! Unacceptable!!! Tomorrow/cleveland and A’s are must win!!!

I wish the Like button had a wider array of choices than they give us, so I have to resort to emojis.

🖌️🚀🐮☔🚬🌴🌈

[thelanges5]

8 minutes ago, Peter said:

This loss may ruin season!!!! Unacceptable!!! Tomorrow/cleveland and A’s are must win!!!

Games like this definitely don’t help Peter. This season was more likely ruined due to the fact that they didn’t address the bullpen in the off-season.

[HarmonK03]

It sounds like Shelty is blaming Lee for the base running cluster.  Typical for this organization, the young player gets the blame and the vet gets the cover.

[ashbury]

13 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

Shelty keeps mentioning Montgomery. They were facing Boyd. Maybe they had the wrong scouting report.

[wesnewy]

The Cubs are a good team. Let’s just hope the boys can bounce back tomorrow.

[Saxophone Joe]

Heading into the 9th, I was feeling very zen. 6-2 losses go that way sometimes. “We’ll get ‘em tomorrow.”

But damnit, the base running debacle is bugging me bad.

[weitz41]

The sun will still set today and rise tomorrow. Wish I had Clemens in my line up on ALL my fantasy teams...Dang it needed those points. 

[mrmpls]

1 hour ago, HarmonK03 said:

It sounds like Shelty is blaming Lee for the base running cluster.  Typical for this organization, the young player gets the blame and the vet gets the cover.

Shelty ,  why did Bell not get a pinch runner when on 1st or 2nd ?  there were options and it was Last call

[Church of Kreidler]

One of those games where I have to laugh just to keep from crying!!! I was working on making a gift while watching today, and so I completely missed the running fiasco... I just saw Lee's excellent hit and their CF's bungle, so I'm still very confused where it all went wrong... Not that I'll be watching any replays - I'd need hazard pay for that.

But, this is pretty par for the course for the team!!! Tomorrow's game is going to go so well, I can just tell!!!

[strumdatjag]

With the way this team has played over the last month or so, I’m willing to cut some slack to Josh Bell today.  He has been a big contributor. One question: did the Ramon Borrego send him home??? 

[thelanges5]

Red Sox have won 12 in a row and are now one game ahead of the Twins for the wildcard spot.

[Wedman13]

2 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

Maybe cut back a little on the caffeine.

Or the..... :)

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

Maybe cut back a little on the caffeine.

You spelled Adderall wrong.

[RpR]

[RpR]

3 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

It sounds like Shelty is blaming Lee for the base running cluster.  Typical for this organization, the young player gets the blame and the vet gets the cover.

Or it is simply the fact.

[HarmonK03]

6 minutes ago, RpR said:

Or it is simply the fact.

Yes, Bell played that perfectly sitting on second base and then heading for home.

[ashbury]

44 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

You spelled Adderall wrong.

How do you feel about my rendering of Uffda?

[RpR]

2 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

Yes, Bell played that perfectly sitting on second base and then heading for home.

Tell the head coach you know more than he did, or accept the fact which is what he said.

[HarmonK03]

33 minutes ago, RpR said:

Tell the head coach you know more than he did, or accept the fact which is what he said.

As a fan I don't have to accept it. I can choose to criticize the team in any respectful way I wish to. 

[Hunter4848]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Or it is simply the fact.

You might want to go watch the replay a few times before opening your mouth, little fella.

[Hashim]

5 hours ago, wesnewy said:

The Cubs are a good team. Let’s just hope the boys can bounce back tomorrow.

Yeah 👍. Let’s win the series tomorrow hopefully. 

[Wedman13]

2 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

As a fan I don't have to accept it. I can choose to criticize the team in any respectful way I wish to. 

This back and forth has me smiling.  HarmonK is one of my favorite posters.  Twins lost one, let's go get the series win!

[Bracky]

4 hours ago, strumdatjag said:

With the way this team has played over the last month or so, I’m willing to cut some slack to Josh Bell today.  He has been a big contributor. One question: did the Ramon Borrego send him home??? 

I didn't get to watch the game but had the same question. What direction were the base runners getting from the 1st and 3rd base coaches?

 

[knothole61]

The loss today is on Taj...I think he's an important part of the Twins' future but he was off. In addition, it's very tough to play in a packed Wrigley against a good Cubs team. We weren't likely to sweep the Cubs over the weekend in their beautiful bandbox park--but, if the Twins can win the rubber game, when facing another lefty starter, it will be quite a feather in their cap.

Even if the ninth-inning base running had been perfect, a win on Saturday was still a long shot, but Bell's execution  in particular has me flummoxed. Bell had to know that if PCA could somehow come up with that rapidly sinking ball he'd certainly have to go to the ground and thus not be able to rise immediately and throw into second. On such a play, Bell should have been halfway to third waiting to see what transpired. That was his first mistake--the second was jogging (why??) to third and then around the base to the point of no return, and then trying to return. I don't get it.   

[Jacksson]

Well, so much for .500.  Shelton should fine both Bell & Lee.