Brewers 3, Twins 2: Close Calls Sink Twins in Border Battle

Box Score
Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Andrew Morris (-.500), Josh Bell (-.340), Luke Keaschall (-.100)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

The border battle. The Midwestern rivalry. The matchup of two teams in two separate leagues, whose effect on each other is minimal beyond the outcomes of the few games they play every year. Whatever description you favor. We here at Twins Daily don’t judge.

Joe Ryan started for the Twins. The eccentric righty shook off his elbow problems from two starts ago to put forth a Joe Ryan-y outing in Cleveland, working around the typically plucky Guardians for one earned run spread across six innings. Friday should be more of the same. A pitcher named Coleman Crow started for the Brewers. Though his name is more in line with a 90’s singer-songwriter, the righty possesses some spunk; he allowed just two earned runs over 5 ⅓ innings in his previous start. 

The game started inconspicuously for Minnesota, with Jackson Chourio jumping on a first-pitch fastball—how rude of him—for a double to center. He soon scored on an infield single deflected into the outfield by a diving Brooks Lee.

The 25-year-old Crow proved an impressive force for the Twins’ batters. His finesse was overwhelming; soft contact and easy outs abounded, as batter after batter failed to reach base. Minnesota didn’t earn their first base hit until the fifth inning—and even he was quickly erased in an attempt to steal second.

But runs did appear, even if the early efforts were meager. James Outman and Austin Martin singled off Crow to start the sixth; the lead-running Outman reached third. That was enough to call Pat Murphy from the dugout to change pitchers. The new hurler, Aaron Ashby, coaxed Brooks Lee into a run-scoring double play to tie the game, a bittersweet outcome for the Twins.

Minnesota then took the lead outright in the seventh on an RBI single by Royce Lewis, possibly aided by Kody Clemens distracting the infield into cutting off the throw to home. 

Then, the drama. No, not the recent Robert Pattinson movie; rather, this drama was confusing and unresolved. With runners on second and third, William Contreras grounded a ball to short. Lee fielded and threw to Royce Lewis, as the runner had hesitated a step, allowing for a possible out. So it was. Lee nabbed the runner. Until the umpires conspired and sent the runner home on an obstruction call, believing that Lewis had blocked the bag with his foot in an unfair manner. Derek Shelton lasted about 10 seconds before being ejected. Was the call correct? That’s your call.

Milwaukee added on with an RBI double by Jake Bauers to take the lead. 

The sudden change of fate proved deflating for the Twins, who succumbed to Abner Uribe in the eighth before coming up empty against Trevor Megill in the ninth to lose the game. 

Notes:

Post-Game Interview:

What’s Next?
The Twins and Brewers play again on Saturday at 6:10 PM, with Logan Henderson set to pitch against Connor Prielipp. 

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