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    Angels 4, Twins 3: Twins Outslugged in Anaheim, Despite Pair of Homers

    After swapping blowouts, the Twins and Angels decided to change things up and play a close contest on getaway day. Unfortunately, the Twins couldn't get away with a win.
    Sherry Cerny

    By Sherry Cerny

    Image courtesy of © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

    Twins Video

    Box Score
    SP:     Taj Bradley 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (98 pitches, 57 strikes (58%))
    Home Runs: James Outman (2); Byron Buxton (31)
    Bottom 3 WPA: Kody Clemens -.230, Austin Martin -.207, Mickey Gasper -.130
    Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
    image.png.6b3c5cd5b1cfb5a02a6d39f2d09e859d.png

    After getting nothing going Tuesday night, the Twins tried to come out of the gate and create an early advantage Wednesday. Trevor Larnach hit a two-out single in the top of the first, and Luke Keaschall followed with a double to left. As is the Twins' new plan, Larnach pushed the envelope by trying to score from first—but he was gunned down, and it wasn't especially close.

    Taj Bradley came out firing strikes, though, and the Twins would get that first lead, after all. In the third inning, against recent teammate José Ureña, James Outman tagged his second Twins homer. Ureña, seemingly flustered, then loaded the bases, but a Kody Clemens line drive found the glove of right fielder Jo Adell, forcing the Twins to settle for a lone run.

    Bradley finally ran into trouble in the bottom half of the frame, though. With two outs, a Mike Trout single brought Sebastián Rivero home to tie the game. Then, a two-run home run from Zach Neto gave the Angels the lead, 3-1. It was a frustrating sequence, as the scoreboard seemed to flip in the blink of an eye.

    The Angels made a pitching change heading into the fifth, and things looked like they might finally tilt the Twins’ way. Andrew Chafin came in and walked Larnach to lead off the inning, and a wild pitch to Luke Keaschall moved him to second. In the middle of it, Angels coach Ryan Goins was tossed by home plate umpire Junior Valentine, adding even more chaos to the proceedings. Keaschall then reached first when second baseman Luis Rengifo botched a play and dropped the ball. With two on and no outs, momentum was squarely in the Twins’ hands—until it wasn’t. Chafin got a pep talk from his infield, then promptly struck out the next two batters and induced a harmless fly ball from Mickey Gasper, leaving yet another rally wasted. 

    After his minor derailment in the third, Bradley locked back in for the next two innings and moved the game along with no issues. He has been working on his command and gaining confidence. Bradley has been coachable and dedicated, and on Wednesday, he kept his team in the game.

    The Angels made another pitching change, and the Twins' constant chance creation finally paid off. Another leadoff walk, this time for Ryan Fitzgerald, set the table for Byron Buxton, who hit a 396-foot homer to the opposite field to tie the game, 3-3.

    Bradley worked into more trouble in the seventh, but getting that deep into the game was a nice change of pace for the Twins lately. With one out and two on, Rocco Baldelli went to Cole Sands, who got out of the jam and kept the score tied.

    The eighth inning, however, didn't go as well. Sands gave up a triple to Bryce Teodosio, on which Outman (playing center in this game) appeared to have a play but didn't get there. A sacrifice fly from Trout scored Teodosio, giving the Angels a one-run lead, 4-3.

    Kenley Jansen, the future Hall of Fame closer, pitched a 1-2-3 inning to end the game and secure the series win for the Angels.

    What’s Next? 
    The Twins head home to play Arizona on Friday. Pablo López (5-4; 2.84 ERA) will be back on the mound, this time against Brandon Pfaadt (13-8; 5.18 ERA) at 7:40 PM CST, after the travel day.  

    Postgame Interviews

    Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

    image.png.7b9bd06da2775ced5dbdad432a4ae935.png

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    Featured Comments

    LA Vikes Fan

    LA Vikes Fan 8,116

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    1 minute ago, DJL44 said:

    Fedko has only played 32 games at 1B - 19 of them this season. He's still playing more LF than 1B at St. Paul.

    Thanks for letting me know. That makes me hope even more than the 1B plan for next year is Larnach or Wallner. 

    DJL44

    DJL44 16,605

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    1 minute ago, Blyleven2011 said:

    The entertainment value of getting consecutive hits and bunching hits and runs together has become a lost art ....

    The other night Detroit against Yankees  , Detroit strung hits , walks and homers in one inning  , around 10 batters consecutively got on base before an out was recorded ...

    THAT WAS ENTERTAINMENT  , A CHA CHA CHA ...

    When you have three .300 hitters in a row, there is a 2.7% chance of stringing three consecutive hits together.

    When you have three .240 hitters in a row, there is a 1.3% chance - less than half as likely.

    When you have three .200 hitters in a row that drops to 0.8% or 1/3 as likely.

    jmlease1

    jmlease1 15,285

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    15 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

    The entertainment value of getting consecutive hits and bunching hits and runs together has become a lost art ....

    The other night Detroit against Yankees  , Detroit strung hits , walks and homers in one inning  , around 10 batters consecutively got on base before an out was recorded ...

    THAT WAS ENTERTAINMENT  , A CHA CHA CHA ...

    I'm sure Detroit was thrilled. Tigers are a pretty good team. They also don't have anyone on their roster with more than 50 PA's that has a batting average over .280 and only 3 regulars that have a BA over .260. So I don't know if they're stringing together all that many innings where then send 10 to the plate without an out based on hits.

    But they do have a 7 regulars with an OBP over .325 and 8 with an OPS+ 105 or better, and have enjoyed decent health this season, so it's not really a shock that they're 7th in baseball in runs per game.

    The Twins have tried in the current era to go for those "crooked number" innings as a strategic pillar, and you've seen it with how they've deployed pinch hitters to try and capitalize (and they've been frequently pilloried for it too).

    Bottom line is the Twins simply don't have enough consistent hitters on this roster. Buxton, Keaschall, Jeffers, maybe Wallner (even when he's racking up K's he's drawing walks, but it's been a down season for him for sure), maybe Larnach, and maybe Martin. That's simply not enough. (I still have hope for Lewis as a hitter and player, but that OBP is not acceptable, especially at 3B) Part of how Detroit is having success is their lineup doesn't have tons of holes and their worst hitters are mostly playing SS or CF along with generally good health.

    Blyleven2011

    Blyleven2011 6,763

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    19 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

    I'm sure Detroit was thrilled. Tigers are a pretty good team. They also don't have anyone on their roster with more than 50 PA's that has a batting average over .280 and only 3 regulars that have a BA over .260. So I don't know if they're stringing together all that many innings where then send 10 to the plate without an out based on hits.

    But they do have a 7 regulars with an OBP over .325 and 8 with an OPS+ 105 or better, and have enjoyed decent health this season, so it's not really a shock that they're 7th in baseball in runs per game.

    The Twins have tried in the current era to go for those "crooked number" innings as a strategic pillar, and you've seen it with how they've deployed pinch hitters to try and capitalize (and they've been frequently pilloried for it too).

    Bottom line is the Twins simply don't have enough consistent hitters on this roster. Buxton, Keaschall, Jeffers, maybe Wallner (even when he's racking up K's he's drawing walks, but it's been a down season for him for sure), maybe Larnach, and maybe Martin. That's simply not enough. (I still have hope for Lewis as a hitter and player, but that OBP is not acceptable, especially at 3B) Part of how Detroit is having success is their lineup doesn't have tons of holes and their worst hitters are mostly playing SS or CF along with generally good health.

    The main problem with our players is not enough of them are elite 5 tool players or our philosophy in coaching is not utilizing their strengths ... 

    I see both as a problem but coaching at the ML level should continue to take the talent they have and teach that talent to be a better talent , the teaching should never quit,  I just don't see this organization at the ML level as teachers ...

    Oh , I was thrilled that inning when Detroit took a commanding lead over the Yankees  ...

    karcherd

    karcherd 1,671

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    13 hours ago, DocBauer said:

    I don't  believe his BAT is  ready for MLB at this time, but I'd rather have Cardenas have a rude awakening at the ML level to get ready for 2026.

    I will give you the answer, Gasper's bat will never be MLB ready.  He will be 30 at the end of the season, he is what he is.  Get Cardenas up here and see if he can be a part of the team in 26.  If Gasper is here next season that could be the straw that breaks the camel's back for me.

    karcherd

    karcherd 1,671

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    I keep seeing posts that say Wallner or Larnach should move to 1B.  I think it is fairly obvious the team doesn't agree with the position.  They have moved players with no experience in the past, so they are not unwilling to put just anyone there.  I think we need to accept Wallner and Larnach are going to be OF and DH if they are playing for the Twins.

    I think we can probably stop banging this drum because I doubt it will happen.

    USAFChief

    USAFChief 78,972

  • Twins Daily Contributor

    • Posted

    59 minutes ago, karcherd said:

    I keep seeing posts that say Wallner or Larnach should move to 1B.  I think it is fairly obvious the team doesn't agree with the position.  They have moved players with no experience in the past, so they are not unwilling to put just anyone there.  I think we need to accept Wallner and Larnach are going to be OF and DH if they are playing for the Twins.

    I think we can probably stop banging this drum because I doubt it will happen.

    An opinion I share, and made more believable by recent play.

    If they havent moved one to 1st base now, it ain't happening.



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