KC 2, MIN 1: Every Game is the Same Game

Snapshot (chart via FanGraphs)

Current record: 22-28

Kyle Gibson: 78 Game Score, 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 8 K, 1 BB, 64.4% strikes

Bullpen: 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 K, 2 BB

Lineup: 2-for-7 w/RISP, 13 LOB

Top three per WPA: Gibson .509, Magill .496, Hildenberger .290

This wasn’t just good Gibby, great Gibby showed up Tuesday night. He allowed very little traffic in his seven innings of work, limiting the Royals to five hits and one walk. This was the first time Kyle completed seven innings this season and the fourth time in 11 starts he walked fewer than two batters.

Here’s a look at Gibson’s pitch usage and outcomes via Baseball Savant. The slider continues to be an elite pitch, but he really upped its usage tonight.

As has far too often been the case this season for the Twins, they let that excellent start go to waste. Their one run came on a bases-loaded single form Miguel Sano. Brian Dozier was thrown out at home on that play and Eddie Rosario was later caught being over aggressive on a turn at first base.

https://twitter.com/TwinsHighlights/status/1001652289088745477

Still, Gibson exited this game with a 1-0 lead. Addison Reed came on in the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to Jon Jay, a one-out single to Mike Moustakas then hit Salvador Perez to load the bases. Reed walked Jorge Soler to bring in the game-tying run. He hadn’t walked a batter in his previous eight appearances.

Mitch Garver led off the top of the ninth with a single and was replaced with pinch runner Byron Buxton. Ehire Adrianza bunted him over to second, but pinch hitter Logan Morrison lined out and Dozier grounded out to strand the runner and send the game into the bottom of the ninth tied.

The Twins loaded up the bases with two outs in the 10th. Buxton flew out. The best the Twins could muster in the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th innings was one lousy walk. That Garver single to open the ninth would be their final base hit of the evening.

Trevor Hildenberger pitched two scoreless innings and Matt Magill tossed 3 1/3 no-hit innings. Taylor Rogers gave up a walk-of homer to Alcides Escobar to end it in the bottom of the 14th inning.

You never know what you’re going to see in a baseball game, but this is getting to be unbelievable.

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:

Next Three Games

Wed at KC, 7:15 pm CT

Thu vs. CLE, 7:10 pm CT

Fri vs. CLE, 7:10 pm CT

Last Three Games

MIN 8, KC 5: Bats Break Out

SEA 3, MIN 1: Worst Birthday Ever

SEA 4, MIN 3: Zuni-Not Again

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