Twins 3, Angels 0: Connor Prielipp Dominates in Shutout Win

[Matt Braun]

Image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Box Score
Connor Prielipp: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
Home Runs: Walker Jenkins (3)
Top 3 WPA: Connor Prielipp (.410), Walker Jenkins (.110), Brooks Lee (.090)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

An aimless wandering; an exploration of parts unknown; the playing out of a season whose finality is understood and sealed. Though postseason hopes are stale and dead, the games ahead are an important test, allowing youngsters to prove that they can be a part of future solutions needed to fix current problems. How will that play out? We shall see.

Matters started with the predictable: a Luke Keaschall hit by pitch, his 22nd of the year, a new Twins single-season record. A Brooks Lee single advanced our well-bludgeoned protagonist to third, and he was soon cut down at home on a Kody Clemens fielder’s choice. So it goes. The play sent Lee to third and Clemens to second, turning a well-struck Ryan Jeffers liner into a sacrifice fly, with Lee racing home. A Josh Bell single clanked off Mike Trout’s glove coaxed in a second run. 

The runs put Connor Prielipp in a great position to start, and he responded with vigor, punching out the side in order to start the game.

Indeed, this was a game for pitchers. Bats entered with caution. Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez found a deep, dominating groove, only once allowing a runner to reach second until the seventh, as run-scoring attempts fell meagerly and rallies were squashed before they could begin. 

Prielipp was up for the battle, though, as he had tricks of his own against an impotent Angels lineup. Scattered baserunners in the second, third, and fourth portended nothing; he punched out two in a 1-2-3 fifth to right his efficiency ways. Zach Neto nearly lifted one of the lefty’s signature breaking balls out to left for a solo homer, but Emmanuel Rodriguez saw the sky-scraping shot the entire way, and cleanly robbed the shortstop of a home run. Thank god for short walls.

The robbing perhaps ignited something in a stale Twins offense, as Walker Jenkins blasted a solo homer in the next half-inning. The shot was his sixth straight hit, and the second long ball in that span.

Prielipp re-took the mound in the seventh with a regal elegance—and with a career benchmark on the line. The lefty had previously never crossed the six-inning threshold as a starter. It stood like the mighty walls of Jericho, blocking all attempts to pass. And here Prielipp stood, armed with metaphoric instruments and a mandate to go beyond the standard he had previously set for himself. Denzer Guzman flew out at the warning track. Oswald Peraza, struck out swinging. Then Travis d’Arnaud stared at three straight strikes to conclude the evening for Prielipp, the new owner of a career-high in innings pitched in a single game. 

Tommy Nance loaded the bases in the eighth but escaped unscathed. Travis Adams traveled a simpler route in the ninth, earning three quick outs to earn his third save of the season, and to end a firmly successful day for the Twins. 

Notes:

Luke Keaschall's hit by pitch gave him 22 on the season, a Twins record.

Connor Prielipp's seven innings pitched are a single-game MLB career-high. 

Six of Walker Jenkins' seven hits in September have come Thursday and Friday. His slugging percentage rose from .200 to .396.

Josh Bell has 89 RBIs on the season, the third-most in a single year for the veteran. His career-high is 116 set in 2019 with Pittsburgh. 

Post-Game Interview:

 

 

What’s Next?
The Twins and Angels continue their late-night show excursions on Saturday, with first pitch coming at 8:38 PM. Joe Ryan is set to start against Reid Detmers. 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	TOT
Nance	22	0	14	0	23	59
Morris	11	30	0	13	0	54
Minter	18	0	22	14	0	54
Gomez	0	10	24	18	0	52
Adams	0	0	34	0	10	44
Rogers	0	38	0	0	0	38
Hoffman	13	0	16	5	0	34
Funderburk	3	0	4	1	0	8

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[ashbury]

With career Save #3, Travis Adams moves into a tie for 80th most in Minnesota Twins history. 

[Parfigliano]

26 minutes ago, ashbury said:

With career Save #3, Travis Adams moves into a tie for 80th most in Minnesota Twins history. 

No stopping him now.

[AceWrigley]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

With career Save #3, Travis Adams moves into a tie for 80th most in Minnesota Twins history. 

I had no idea he was that close.

[AceWrigley]

E8 on that play Trout dropped. How the heck is that a hit?

[AceWrigley]

Kudos to Nance for getting out of the jam in the 8th but that was not a fun inning. I wonder how many game watchers/listeners were flinging choice words at their device during THAT.

[AceWrigley]

Congrats to Connor Prielipp for a pretty good rookie season. I didn't think he'd make it through the whole season due to innings limit or arm issues but he held up well and no late season slump. Impressive.

[AceWrigley]

I'll bet there's some butt puckering in Chicago and Philadelphia now that San Diego has tied them for a post season birth. Only 2 can go.

[PuckettPond]

Connor will be an All Star next season.

[mnfireman]

2 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

Congrats to Connor Prielipp for a pretty good rookie season. I didn't think he'd make it through the whole season due to innings limit or arm issues but he held up well and no late season slump. Impressive.

3-0 record, 2.70 ERA, 24/4 K/BB, 1 HR allowed, over his last 5 appearances (including tonight) covering 26.2 IP

[FlyingFinn]

Love that LF defense by Rodriguez. Makes some of our other LF's look like they are running in cement. I wonder how many hits would have been outs had he been out there all season. Even though some want him traded, you can see the skills that excite people.

[Patzky]

2 hours ago, mnfireman said:

3-0 record, 2.70 ERA, 24/4 K/BB, 1 HR allowed, over his last 5 appearances (including tonight) covering 26.2 IP

He just had to shatter that innings limit and Voila! Look what happens.

[rv78]

2 hours ago, mnfireman said:

3-0 record, 2.70 ERA, 24/4 K/BB, 1 HR allowed, over his last 5 appearances (including tonight) covering 26.2 IP

Aren't small sample sizes great? He's on the verge of becoming Jorge Lopez quality.

[mnfireman]

10 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Aren't small sample sizes great? He's on the verge of becoming Jorge Lopez quality.

Just pointing out that he is finishing the season strong, whereas TD posters were crying for innings limits and for the team to shut him down. I also would have posted the numbers if they were horrible.

[Peter]

Erod/jenkins are the real deal!!! These guys along with KC/keaschal are going to lead us to multiple championships!!! Huge huge huge bounce back win!!!

[UpstateNewYorker]

5 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

I'll bet there's some butt puckering in Chicago and Philadelphia now that San Diego has tied them for a post season birth. Only 2 can go.

All three would qualify as wildcards, although the one with the best record will get home games in the WC round.

[DJL44]

Six hits in a row for Jenkins. Not quite Jose Miranda but still impressive.

[thelanges5]

3 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Love that LF defense by Rodriguez. Makes some of our other LF's look like they are running in cement. I wonder how many hits would have been outs had he been out there all season. Even though some want him traded, you can see the skills that excite people.

Larnach was a -8 defensive runs saved in LF

[thelanges5]

I like Emma’s energy. Twins need more of that. Are we witnessing the 2027 starting OF?

[PuckettPond]

More quality youth equals more quality wins. Dead wood causes forest fires & Twins losses. AAAA players are not acceptable. 

[Linus]

Emma has contributed with the glove a couple of times now. Good to see. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

8 hours ago, AceWrigley said:

I'll bet there's some butt puckering in Chicago and Philadelphia now that San Diego has tied them for a post season birth. Only 2 can go.

berth

[bean5302]

3 hours ago, rv78 said:

Aren't small sample sizes great? He's on the verge of becoming Jorge Lopez quality.

It's 5 starts. The sample size is significant enough to warrant optimism.

How about we go over his past 11 starts where he owns a 3.78 xERA, 3.84 FIP and 3.51 xFIP on the back of a 25.7% K rate and 7.1% BB rate?

[rv78]

3 hours ago, mnfireman said:

Just pointing out that he is finishing the season strong, whereas TD posters were crying for innings limits and for the team to shut him down. I also would have posted the numbers if they were horrible.

Just pointing out that Jorge Lopez looked great for half a season that Falvey fell for, which is more than what Mr. Preilipp has accomplished yet. I agree, it looks promising but I'm not as gullible as Falvey.

[Jeff K]

Youth and improved athleticism should give all Twins pitchers hope for improving their chances.

[MeleMouth]

I read elsewhere that Lewis has been dealing with a shoulder problem. I'm not a fan of his swing, his demeanor, or his defensive IQ, but an injury could be at least a partial explanation for the drop-off in his offense.

[TheLeviathan]

I would happily have taken the under on innings pitched for Prielipp after August 15th at the beginning of the year, so seeing him pitch like this in late September is awesome to see for his future. 

Also, is it legal to be both a good young hitter and a good fielder?  Asking before someone arrests Mr. Erod for being such a welcome breath of fresh air.

[MeleMouth]

5 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

It's 5 starts. The sample size is significant enough to warrant optimism.

How about we go over his past 11 starts where he owns a 3.78 xERA, 3.84 FIP and 3.51 xFIP on the back of a 25.7% K rate and 7.1% BB rate?

For a pitcher in his first MLB year after limited experience in the minors, consistency of results matter less than demonstration of potential. Prielipp has many times this year demonstrated a very high upside. As he gets more experience, his results will become more consistent, assuming no major injuries.

[rdehring]

So glad to see Jenkins begin hitting like everyone thought he could.  Sure, as heck will give him a better winter than had he finished hitting 1 for 10.  Hopefully, he will keep getting some hits these last few games. 

Will continue believing that Prielipp will become an ACE level pitcher, perhaps as soon as 2028.

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

What a start from Prielipp. I am excited to see his development next season. 

Same with Jenkins. 

Adams making a save look easy.