Twins 8, Brewers 6: Twins Dig Out of Early Setback and Secure Game One Win

[Sherry Cerny]

Image courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Box Score
SP: Zebby Mathews 5 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (83 pitches, 50 strikes (66% strikes)
Home Runs: Josh Bell (15), Kaelen Culpepper (1)
3 WPA: Josh Bell (0.32); Royce Lewis (0.15); Yeondrez Gomes (0.09)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)


Every game for the Twins has the pressure of competing for a postseason spot, as they entered today just a half-game out of the last Wild Card spot in the American League. But this game had an extra layer: after a long-awaited call-up, the Twins have promoted Kaelen Culpepper to the 26-man roster. Make the two extra layers: since Joe Ryan was placed on the 10-day injured list, Zebby Matthews returned to the rotation to try and finish his season on a strong note. 

 

The Twins threatened early but couldn't capitalize in the top of the first with a walk, a stolen base and a single. Milwaukee answered in the bottom half, with Brice Turang striking out before Jackson Chourio launched a solo home run to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. 

Milwaukee added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Christian Yelich singled and Luis Lara walked before a Royce Lewis fielding error allowed David Hamilton to reach and Yelich to score. Turang then delivered a two-run double, scoring Lara and Hamilton to push the Brewers' lead to 4-0. Chourio grounded out to end the inning, leaving Milwaukee with a commanding early advantage.

But the Twins responded in their half of the third with a two-out, two-run home run from Josh Bell, scoring himself and Ryan Jeffers. Bell went four-for-five on the night as he shakes his midseason slump. 

 

Zebby stayed locked in after his rough start and worked quickly through the Brewers lineup and gave the offense every chance to keep the pressure on Milwaukee. The Twins took advantage of those clean innings from Mathews and struck back with a solo-homerun from Culpepper on his second at-bat, making the game a one run game 4-3. Then Austin Martin doubled, driving home Victor Caratini, but Ryan Kreidler was thrown out at the plate. Still, it was a new game at 4-4. 

 

In the fifth, the offense continued with a string of singles that scored two, giving the Twins a 6-4 lead. But the Brewers were not giving up. They loaded the bases with no outs, and a sac-fly to Martin gave the Brewers a run back. Garrett Mitchell "singled" on a ground ball to Culpepper who was slow to deliver the ball to first base. That tied the game, but Matthews' fourth strikeout got the Twins out of the inning. 

The Twins responded. With two outs, Jeffers got his tenth double of the season. Lewis also doubled, scoring Jeffers. Then a sharp line drive double from Bell scored Lewis, and the Twins put up a two-spot for the fourth straight inning, taking the lead again 8-6. It appeared the momentum was not going to switch off and on, just back and forth. 

Tommy Nance replaced Mathews for the sixth inning, but not for production; Mathews came out of the game for a blister that had formed on his foot. Nance gave up a leadoff single, but retired the next two batters before being replaced by AJ Minter to face lefty Brice Turang who struck out to end the inning. 

Then the Twins revamped bullpen held the lead. Jeff Hoffman pitched the seventh, Andrew Morris pitched the eigtht, and Yoendrys Gomez got his sixteenth save in the ninth to help the Twins take the first win of the series. 

What’s Next?
The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound (9-4, 3.69 ERA) facing Robert Gasser (LHP)(3-4, 4.48 ERA) at 6:10 Saturday night. They will again try to find their way into the last Wild Card spot, as they remained a half game behind the Texas Rangers, who also won on Friday. 

Postgame Interviews 

 

 

 

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[Parfigliano]

Bullpen puts up 4 shutout innings.  Again.

[PerfectGame]

That was some ugly defense tonight. Hopefully they execute better on Saturday. On the plus side, it was nice to see Bell and Lewis really shine at the plate.

Edited 5 hours ago by PerfectGame
Clarifying that I was commenting on offense for Bell and Lewis.

[Dman]

Great to see Culpepper with the home run and the bats come alive.  I had the Brewers possibly sweeping the Twins so it's nice to see them put up a fight and get the win.  Let's keep it going and find a series win.

[LastOnePicked]

KC is a winner. That's clear already. Now get Jenkins up here and let these kids join the hunt.

[USAFChief]

At the risk of repeating myself from the game thread:

I'm thoroughly enjoying watching this team.  Yeah, they're not that good. Roster is clumsy. Frustrating as hell at times. 

But by God they battle their tails off. And I'm damn glad they didnt cut the bottom out from under this team at the deadline. That woukd have been a crime.

Edited 5 hours ago by USAFChief

[Saxophone Joe]

Wow, what an elite bullpen! You gotta love it 🙌🏼

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

I said before you need 4 hitters to get hot. 
 

1. Lewis is turning a corner fast with the bat.

2. Bell has been known to get hot the 2nd half of the season. 
 

A long with Jeffers that’s a decent 3. Culpepper looks solid.  What a star for the kid.  
 

The bullpen is starting to look legit. 

[VivaBomboRivera!]

12 minutes ago, PerfectGame said:

That was some ugly defense tonight. Hopefully they execute better on Saturday. On the plus side, it was nice to see Bell and Lewis really shine at the plate.

Agreed. Looked much more like a playoff contending team tonight. Keep the bats warm, and roll the videotape of all the missed chances for outs today, and set up tomorrows pre-game drills. Lucky we weren't hurt worse by those misses.

[GNess]

Not much has gone easy for this year's Twins, but they show up and get after it consistently. You have to respect their competitive spirit.

[90stwinskid]

26 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Bullpen puts up 4 shutout innings.  Again.

Let's goooo!!

Post-deadline record: 2-2

Overall: 58-59

 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

Any update on Buxton?

[Saxophone Joe]

Cool to see Hoffman pumped up on the punchout to end the 7th, 

[DJL44]

I am not a fan of Royce Lewis playing second base.

[Peter]

KC with his first home run!!! What a comeback win again!!! Only 2 back of division and 1/2 game back of wild card!!!! Let’s get a series win tomorrow night!!! Go Twins!!!!

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

Culpepper's 1st ML hit is a Home Run! Incredible!

Need to get this defense cleaned up. Its a daily problem. 

[USAFChief]

59 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I am not a fan of Royce Lewis playing second base.

I wish they'd just park him at 1st and be done with it.

[TWTwinsFan]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

I am not a fan of Royce Lewis playing second base.

and not a fan of Keaschall playing OF

[SF Twins Fan]

So, when does Houston get promoted to AAA?

[wesnewy]

1 hour ago, TWTwinsFan said:

and not a fan of Keaschall playing OF

he is athletic enough for the OF just needs more time out there to get used to it I think.

[knothole61]

Great game...I live near Milwaukee and this win will be helpful! That double play in the 8th saved a lot of trouble. 

[jaimedude]

2 hours ago, DJL44 said:

I am not a fan of Royce Lewis playing second base.

Rather see Royce at 1st and Kody at 2nd base. Clemens is our best 2nd basemen right now. 

[DocBauer]

Just to be clear, Matthews only had 3 earned  runs against him before he left the game due to a blister on his foot.

The bullpen was amazing .

The bats seemed to wake up.

What a wonderful debut for K-Pepper and his family! I honestly don't care whether he ends up at 2B or 3B eventually being replaced by Houston.  He is a LEGIT 20/20 with 30+ Dbls potential.

But TONIGHT was his debut.  And you couldn't ask for a better one.

[ToddlerHarmon]

Nice that Shelton used Kriedler over Lee against the lefty. Culpepper improved two spots in the lineup

[UK Twin]

3 hours ago, TWTwinsFan said:

and not a fan of Keaschall playing OF

If only there was one of the best prospects in baseball who plays OF playing well at AAA.