Game Recap: Athletics 13, Twins 12

Box Score

Maeda: 3 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Home Runs: Donaldson (1), Cruz 2 (6), Buxton (6)

Bottom 3 WPA: Colomé -.957, Maeda -.651, Astudillo -.179

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs):

Kenta Maeda has rough outing

After a career year in 2020 (well career couple of months) Kenta Maeda has not been on form to start his 2021 campaign, with today’s start being one of the worst of his career. While control was not an issue for Maeda in terms of allowing walks, it was a massive issue within the strike zone, as he left a lot of hittable pitches in the middle of the zone and the Athletics did not miss. As Twins Daily writer Matthew Taylor pointed out, this issue was particularly apparent with his slider.

https://twitter.com/MatthewTaylorMN/status/1384972280183275521

Before his day was done, Maeda allowed seven earned runs on eight hits, three of which were home runs (2 by Matt Olson and 1 by Seth Brown) in just three innings pitched. This start brought Maeda’s season ERA up to an ugly 6.11.

Josh Donaldson stays hot

While the Twins offense has been struggling to get anything going over the past 10 games or so, Josh Donaldson has been virtually the lone spark during that stretch. That spark continued in Wednesday afternoon’s ballgame. In the top of the first, Donaldson got ahold of a 98 MPH fastball, giving the Twins their first run since last week Friday.

https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1384956568425349123

He followed that up with an RBI single in his second at-bat, following a Luis Arraez leadoff ground-rule double. He added a leadoff single in the 8th but was left stranded on the bases.

Nelson Cruz blasts two home runs

It wasn’t only Josh Donaldson who provided the power for the Twins in this game, as Nelson Cruz blasted a couple of long balls of his own. Cruz’s first home run was a two-run shot in the third that gave the Twins a 4-3 lead.

https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1384968635333189641

He followed that up in his next at-bat, this time it was leading off the fifth to cut into the A’s three-run lead. After both home runs, it was clear that Cruz was dealing with some pain in his lower half, as he rounded the bases gingerly and at an exceptionally slow pace.

https://twitter.com/BallySportsNOR/status/1384977869563121668

Jorge Polanco’s four-hit game

One of the major focal points for the Twins offensive struggles to start the season has been Jorge Polanco’s difficulties in the top of the order. That was not the case today, as Polanco sprayed the ball around the ballpark, picking up four singles for his efforts.

Polanco’s single in the fifth helped setup one of three different three-run innings for the Twins in the ballgame, in which he would come around to score to tie the game at seven runs apiece. He had another big single in the sixth, this time with two outs bringing Josh Donaldson around to score. Polanco then stole second base, and scored on a Willians Astudillo single, giving the Twins a 10-7 lead.

Taylor Rogers gets extended work

Coming into today’s ballgame, Taylor Rogers had five days of rest since his last appearance. Rocco Baldelli took full advantage of this rest and let arguably his best reliever get the Twins through the later innings. Rogers came in with two outs in the sixth, with runners on second and third and the Twins leading by three. Rogers was not able to get out of the jam, as he gave up a double to Jed Lowrie, cutting the Twins lead to one. He was able to escape the inning without allowing any further damage thanks to this highlight reel catch from Byron Buxton.

https://twitter.com/Twins/status/1384996545251086338

Rogers stayed in the game not just for another inning, but two more shutout innings of work. He gave up a leadoff single in the seventh, but that was quickly erased with a double play. He then retired the last four batters he faced, including striking out the side in the eighth.

Alex Colome blows another save

It has been anything but a good start to his Twins tenure for Alex Colome. Today’s game was no different, as Colome entered the game with a one run lead in the bottom of the ninth. Colome then proceeded to hit the first batter he faced. He then got Jed Lowrie to fly out to left, before giving up a single to Matt Olson, and suddenly the A’s had first and third with only one out. Matt Chapman nearly ended the game with a walk off home run, but the ball narrowly missed the foul pole down the right field line. Chapman would latter bring the tying run home on a sac-fly.

Byron Buxton’s extra innings blast

The inning started with Travis Blankenhorn pinch running for Josh Donaldson at second. While this move was a moot point in the top of the 10th, it played a big part in what ultimately happened in the bottom of the inning. After the Twins failed to score an extra inning run in any of their first three chances, Byron Buxton decided he had enough of that and unleashed the frustrations the Twins and many Twins fans were feeling on this baseball.

https://twitter.com/CoopCarlson/status/1385012622970474502

Twins implode in the bottom of the 10th

Any frustrations that Buxton may have taken out in the top of the tenth, were reinstated after what was maybe the worst inning of Twins baseball, I think I have ever watched. For starters, Rocco Baldelli let Alex Colome in to pitch after already seeing him implode once today.

The inning actually started out great, as he got Stephen Piscotty to fly out to center, and struck out Sean Murphy for two quick outs. Colome then procced to give up back-to-back walks to load the bases before all hell broke loose. With two outs, and the bases loaded, Mark Canha hit this weak groundball to Travis Blankenhorn (who pinch ran for Donaldson earlier in the inning).

https://twitter.com/MLBWalk_Offs/status/1385019039865442306

Now the A’s are down just one run, with the bases still loaded and two outs. If Colome can get Ramon Laureano he could still close it down. However, after a long at-bat where Laureano fouled off five straight pitches, he finally put the ball in play for what should have been a routine groundout to third to end the game, but with the Twins this season nothing is routine, except ripping their fans hearts out.

https://twitter.com/ZPathletic/status/1385022228870287364

Oh, the joys of being a Minnesota sports fan.

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

Click here to see the bullpen usage over the past five days (link opens a Google Sheet).