The Twins Almanac: Weekend Edition (A Duensing Double and a Maurer Sighting)

Feb. 22: Happy 42nd birthday to former Twins pitcher Brian Duensing. He is the only pitcher in Minnesota Twins history to win two games in one day—at least on paper. Duensing came in out of the bullpen in both games of a doubleheader in Chicago on August 9, 2013, retiring all four White Sox he faced. What doesn't show up in the record book, however, is that back in 1969 Jim Perry earned two wins for the Twins on the same day. He pitched two hitless innings, doubled, and scored the winning run in a game resumed from the night before, and then pitched a complete-game shutout in the day’s regularly scheduled game. Officially, however, the first win shows up as the day before—when the game began. (Going back to Washington Senators days, Walter Johnson also once won two games in one day.) 

Duensing pitched a three-hit shutout as the first-place Twins beat the Oakland A’s 2-0 on August 14, 2010. He gave up one hit in each of the first three innings before completely shutting down the Oakland offense for the final six innings. Reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 in the game. The Twins went on to win the Central for the sixth time in nine years that season, with a remarkable SIX pitchers notching at least 10 wins each: Carl Pavano (17), Francisco Liriano (14), Kevin Slowey (13), Scott Baker (12), Nick Blackburn (10), and Brian Duensing (10).

Feb. 23: Happy 50th birthday to Apple Valley graduate Dave Maurer, who made 22 relief appearances over four seasons with San Diego, Cleveland, and Toronto. 

His only MLB loss came pitching for Cleveland at the Metrodome on September 25, 2002, giving up a 12th-inning walk-off home run to David Ortiz (didn’t need him). Cleveland first baseman Jim Thome, incidentally, hit two home runs in the game, both off Rick Reed (naturally). 

Dave’s brother Mike pitched six seasons in the A’s organization, making it as high as Double A. The Twins drafted their dad Thomas out of the University of St. Thomas in 1966 and he pitched four seasons in their farm system. During those four years in the minors, Thomas Maurer was teammates with fellow Minnesotans Charley Walters, Dave Goltz, and Mike Sadek.

If anybody has any interesting stories or fun facts about any of the Maurers, please share them in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Feb. 23, 1929: Former AL MVP Elston Howard was born in St. Louis on this date in 1929. It's a slow day in Minnesota baseball history, but here's the connection: In 1961, Howard was one of THREE Yankees catchers to hit over 20 home runs, along with Minneapolis native Johnny Blanchard, and Yogi Berra (who played mostly left field that season). How many teams in baseball history have had three catchers hit 20+ home runs in a season?

Blanchard hit two home runs in the World Series that season. He played in five-straight World Series, winning rings in 1961 and '62. Of course Hibbing-born, Fargo-raised Roger Maris also put up respectable power numbers in 1961. 

Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!