Twins Video
Box Score
SP: Pablo López 6.1 P, 4H, 2ER, 0BB, 6K (90 pitches, 60 strikes (67%))
Home Runs: Brooks Lee (5)
Top 3 WPA: Trevor Larnach (.461), Pablo Lopez (.110), Brooks Lee (.047)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
Mickey Gasper got his first-ever turn in the leadoff spot Wednesday night against the Guardians, as Rocco Baldelli tried again to jumpstart his sleepy offense. It didn't work in the first frame, though, as the visitors went down in order.
Pitcher Pablo López is back for his second start since returning from the IL. His first start back on April 25, López went five innings, giving up 5 runs (2 earned) and striking out six, with 101 pitches. He doesn’t have a strict pitch limit, but the team certainly wanted to keep him under that number Wednesday. The top of the order for the Guardians didn’t work López too hard, even with a hard-hit line drive down the first base line by José Ramírez. López worked his way out of the inning with 21 pitches.
The game was lackluster through six frames. Neither the Twins nor the Guardians could really get anyone on base, outside two walks and a Ramírez double. Both pitchers did their jobs. It felt like every batted ball was a routine, unthreatening out—something the Twins are all too familiar with, and seemed to slip back into during the game Tuesday night. That not-real-rain delayed game was bound to be a disaster, though. When you make a player go through their routine, only to sit for three hours for rain that never happened, it was no wonder it was a low-scoring game. Wednesday night's game was just poor hitting and routine defense on both sides.
Kody Clemens made his first Twins start at second base, and looked good there. He's a versatile defender, but if he's going to be needed for any significant amount of playing time, he's best cast at second.
López’s pitch count was well under control through five frames. At the end of the fifth, he had five strikeouts, had retired 13 batters straight, and had enjoyed four 1-2-3 innings; he'd fired only 64 pitches. Good starting pitching continues to be the strength of the club. The Twins have given the bullpen a lot of work early on, but that's begun to change. (Unfortunately, it didn't change fast enough Wednesday night.)
In the sixth, Byron Buxton reached on a two-out infield single. After Luis L. Ortiz knocked Carlos Correa down with a pitch high and tight, on the next pitch, Buxton took off for second base. He made it to third on an error by Bo Naylor, his seventh steal on the season and the 100th in his career. In the process, he joined Torii Hunter and Kirby Puckett as the only Twins to have 100 stolen bases. Sadly, the effort was wasted, with Correa striking out to end the inning.
The seventh inning, sadly, was nothing but trouble. In a still-scoreless game, Ramírez cracked a leadoff double. A great catch by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. held the rally at bay momentarily, but on a dribbler back to the mound, López then committed a pivotal throwing error, overthrowing first base on what should have been a routine second out.
Brock Stewart came out to relieve López, but offered no relief at all. A stolen base, a wild pitch, a walk and another steal put two more runners in scoring position. Then, the threat turned into an outright disaster with a three-run right-field homer off the bat of Bo Naylor. In a blink, the Guardians led 4-0.
López should have stayed in. The argument that his error indicated fatigue or that he was at 89 pitches holds no water; he should have had the chance to stay in and work his way out of the jam. There were certainly poor calls that made the situation worse. Ultimately, though, the offense has to do their job. They didn't do it Wednesday night.
Hunter Gaddis came in to relieve Cade Smith, and Brooks Lee ripped a home run just over the fence to give the Twins their first run. However, it stayed 4-1, as the eighth inning ended with two strikeouts on Gasper and Edouard Julien.
The Twins got a reprieve in the ninth. The Guardians brought in Emmanuel Clase. Clase has been struggling this season, and he was off again Wednesday—but not enough for the offense to fully catch up. Larnach singled and eventually came home on a wild pitch to bring up the score 4-2, but Clemens struck out to end the game.
What’s Next?
The Twins finish out the series with a getaway game on their way to Boston to face the Red Sox. Simeon Woods-Richardson (2-2; 4.07 ERA) will be taking the mound against Ben Lively (1-2; 4.40 ERA) at 12:10PM CST.
Postgame Interviews
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
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