Twins 11, Tigers 1: Offensive Explosion Starts Crucial Week Right for Twins

[Cory Moen]

Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Box Score 
SP: Taj Bradley - 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K (104 pitches, 66 strikes (63.5% strikes))
Top 3 WPA (via FanGraphs): Taj Bradley (0.28), Luke Keaschall (0.15), Ryan Jeffers (0.14)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): 

Looking to hold on to their slim hopes of making the playoffs, turned to Taj Bradley Monday to square off with Kevin McGonigle and the struggling Tigers. Detroit countered with former phenom Jackson Jobe, making his fifth appearance this year and first against the Twins. 

Bradley had a nice first inning, sending the Tigers down in order. He recorded two strikeouts and induced a lineout on a nice play by Brooks Lee. The Twins offense made some noise right away, with Luke Keaschall leading off the bottom of the first inning with a double down the left-field line. He eventually scored on a Kody Clemens sacrifice fly, giving the Twins a 1-0 lead. Jobe was able to limit the damage, striking out Ryan Jeffers to finish his first inning of work. 

Taj Bradley kept rolling, not giving up a base runner in the second, either. He added two more punchouts along the way. The Tigers got their first baserunner in the top of the third, when Spencer Torkelson battled to a seven-pitch leadoff walk. Bradley was able to erase the baserunner with a nifty 5-6-3 double play off the bat of rookie outfielder Max Clark, though. Third baseman Hao-Yu Lee got the Tigers' first hit after the double play, but Bradley was able to keep the Tigers off the board on an inning-ending groundout, preserving the one-run lead. 

The bottom of the third inning started with a bang. Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper led off with a double down the left-field line, and two batters later, Keaschall collected his second hit of the game, putting runners on first and third with one out. Unfortunately, Brooks Lee grounded into an inning-ending double play, keeping the score a taut 1-0.

Jobe wasn’t so lucky in the fourth inning, with Kody Clemens getting hold of one and depositing it onto the plaza in right field to lead off the inning. It was his 23rd home run on the season. 

The Twins loaded the bases later in the inning, giving Walker Jenkins an RBI chance, but Jenkins flied out to left field to end the inning. The Twins offense didn’t stay quiet in the fifth inning, however. Keaschall led off with a single, then stole second during what ended up as a Clemens walk. Then Jeffers did this: 

The Twins added on in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Lee (with some really good baserunning by Lee and Keaschall), extending the lead to 8-1. 

Those runs were more than enough for Bradley and the bullpen. The de facto ace of the Twins staff struck out nine over seven impressive innings. In the bottom of the seventh, Jeffers stayed hot, hitting his second home run of the game to give the Twins an eight-run lead. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Jenkins hit his first career home run—off starting right fielder Zach McKinstry, who was pitching for Detroit. This gave the Twins a 10-run lead. Luckily for Jenkins, the ball went off the foul pole, so it came back onto the field and could be returned to Jenkins with no issues. 

Tommy Nance finished the game with two scoreless innings, striking out two and giving the rest of the bullpen a day off heading into an extremely important stretch wherein the team is hoping they will be relied upon to close out some wins.

Other Notes: 

• With the rosters expanding tomorrow, the Twins will be calling up utility prospect Ben Ross and righty Garrett Acton. Ross will make his major-league debut, and Acton will be recalled after pitching well at Triple-A.
• Across Double-A and Triple-A, Ross has hit .274/.378/.506 while playing second base, third base, shortstop, and both left field and center field. Now 25 years old, Ross was a fifth-round pick by the Twins back in 2022 out of Notre Dame College in Ohio. 
• Acton made four appearances for the Twins earlier this year, throwing 6 ⅔ innings, striking out nine and walking three. With the Saints, he has thrown 17 ⅔ innings over 13 appearances, with 23 strikeouts and a 2.55 ERA. 

Post Game Interview

What’s Next?

The Twins will host the Tigers for two more, with tomorrow’s game seeing Connor Prielipp (3-7, 5.55 ERA) face off with righty Troy Melton (7-3, 1.86 ERA) in the second game of the series. 

In his most recent start, Prielipp threw 5 ⅓ innings against the Athletics, giving up three runs and striking out five. He received a no-decision in a game the Twins went on to lose 7-4. 

BULLPEN CHART

	THU	FRI	SAT	SAT	MON	TOT
Morris	0	0	27	0	0	27
Rogers	0	38	0	0	0	38
Funderburk	0	18	0	0	0	18
Adams	0	26	0	0	0	26
Gomez	0	0	25	0	0	25
Minter	0	0	20	0	0	20
Hoffman	0	0	0	13	0	13
Nance	0	0	0	0	26	26

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[ashbury]

I like the baserunning on Lee's "single".  Slow batter, fast baserunner on first?  The ball as struck looked like a double, so send all the runners.  Too bad if Lee's not fast enough to convert the 2bagger, but it's smart for him to try anyway given the pressure it puts on the defense.

[Mai.K]

Wow, I just found out from this post that Ross is getting called up.

I was disappointed for about a second that it wasn’t Emma, but I’m really glad Ross is finally getting a chance.

I wonder what they’re going to do with the 40-man roster. I don’t think there’s anyone currently on the injured list who could be moved to the 60-day IL. So maybe Fedko?

[shimrod]

If Keaschall can become even average defensively we'll really have something. Second base is likely to be Culpepper sooner or later so an offseason of outfield work is in order. Lots of outfield work. 

 

[Bracky]

I get it. He SHOULD be in a utility role. It would be great if he wasn’t essentially our starting 2nd baseman. Ultimately I don’t care for this season at this point.
 

But I still can’t help but like Kody.

 

[LastOnePicked]

[ashbury]

3 minutes ago, Mai.K said:

I was disappointed for about a second that it wasn’t Emma, 

I can't wait for him to be called up, so that we can learn for sure what to call him - speculation is that he goes by Manny.

[ashbury]

2 minutes ago, LastOnePicked said:

If two game streaks of either variety give you vertigo, check if your doctor can prescribe something.  🙃

[DJL44]

6 games under .500 with 24 games remaining. They just need to repeat tonight 16 more times in the next month.

[Mai.K]

1 minute ago, ashbury said:

그가 콜업되는 날이 기다려져서 우리가 확실히 어떤 이름을 써야 할지 알 수 있길 기대돼요 - 추측에 따르면 그는 매니라고 불린다고 하더라고요.

Is that Manny?
That has a nice ring to it lol.

[LastOnePicked]

Just now, ashbury said:

If two game streaks of either variety give you vertigo, check if your doctor can prescribe something.  🙃

My doctor wrote me a prescription for a Twins AL pennant but no one can seem to fill it.

I took two of 'em as a kid and they cured all my ills.

[ashbury]

4 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

6 games under .500 with 24 games remaining. They just need to repeat tonight 16 more times in the next month.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

The Twins will host the Tigers for two more, with tomorrow’s game seeing Connor Prielipp (3-7, 5.55 ERA) face off with righty Troy Melton (7-3, 1.86 ERA) in the second game of the series. 

The post-game broadcast noted that Prielipp has been pushed back and Morris will get the start. 

[TCanWins]

MLB app says Morris is opening tomorrow, what happened to Prelipp? Bullpen games make me nervous...er.

[Shaitan]

I love how this site is absurdly excited about prospects. Then after 2 weeks is ready to move Culpepper to a new position permanently rather than live in the present. While he is peforming above expectation.

[Parfigliano]

17 minutes ago, Shaitan said:

I love how this site is absurdly excited about prospects. Then after 2 weeks is ready to move Culpepper to a new position permanently rather than live in the present. While he is peforming above expectation.

Who doing that?

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

6 games under .500 with 24 games remaining. They just need to repeat tonight 16 more times in the next month.

This is a recording...BEEEEEEEEP!!!

[Permanent Twins Fan]

3.5 half back with 24 to go isn't unattainable. It will be really hard with four teams to pass, but there is enough of a chance to make me care about games in September which is a definite win for me.