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    Tigers 6, Twins 4: Twins Rally Strikes Out, Tigers Take Series

    Steven Trefz

    By Steven Trefz

    The Twins entered Sunday's  matchup with the Tigers looking to salvage a series split. No ties this Father's Day, however, as the Tigers continued to frustrate Twins batters and mash Twins pitchers. Here's how it all went down.

    Image courtesy of Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

    Twins Video

    Box Score
    SP: Louie Varland:  IP,  H,  ER,  BB,  K (99 Pitches, 67 Strikes, 67.7%)
    Home Runs:  None
    Bottom 3 WPA: Varland (-0.272), Joey Gallo (-0.168), Byron Buxton (-0.097)

    Win Probability Chart (Via Fangraphs):
    image.png.a9346e45f2ee092a052ce1ea0590ac54.png

    Baez Continues to Rake
    Louie Varland started his outing by getting two quick outs. A Kerry Carpenter single broke up the no-hitter, and Javier Baez broke up the chance the Twins had at winning the game. On a 1-2 count, Christian Vasquez asked for a pitch two feet north of the strike zone, and Varland laid it right at the top of the zone, and Baez crushed it to right. Max Kepler misplayed the carom off of the wall, and Carpenter scored with Baez cruising into third base for a triple to make it 1-0 Tigers,

    The Twins fought back breifly in the bottom of the second inning, when Kyle Farmer and Vasquez unleashed a pair of doubles to knot the score at 1-1. Michael A. Taylor and Edouard Julien flailed away the scoring opportunity from there, and Vasquez was left at second to end the threat.

    Pleading in the Fifth
    The offenses took turns making the pitchers look like Cy Young Award winners until the top of the fifth inning, when the Tigers unloaded on Varland. Jake Marisnick laced a triple to center, as Taylor failed to read a second ball tailing away from him. Varland then got ahead of Spencer Torkelson 0-2, before Torkelson caught up in the count and then really caught up to this 89 mph cutter for a two-run home run that broke a chunk off of Joe Mauer's retired number sign. Ouch.

    Does Varland have a home run problem? Carpenter stepped up to the plate next and shouted "YES!" as he rounded the bases, making the score 4-1 Tigers.

    Welcome to the Show Jordan Balazovic!?
    After a controversial start to spring training, Balazovic worked his way back up the pitching pecking order until making his debut today. He got his chance today because Jorge Lopez was placed on the restricted list, and then the injured list for mental health reasons. This roster shake-up no doubt had the Twins shooken up, and more details will be forthcoming over the coming weeks on Lopez's future with the team. No one wants to see Lopez hurt, and hopefully this story has a redemptive ending.

    Back to the game itself, Balazovic inherited runners at first and second, with only one out. The first batter up was Andy Ibanez, and he rudely welcomed the rookie by lacing an RBI single to left. The timeless Miguel Cabrera followed that up with a sacrifice fly to deep center, and suddenly the Tigers were in control of the game and the series with a 6-1 lead in the sixth.

    Undeserved Hope in the Eighth...
    The Tiger's bullpen game approach continued to baffle the Twins lineup, with five relievers scattering five hits over the first seven innings. closer Alex Lange started the eighth for the Tigers, and he started it off by almost hitting Taylor in the gut. Unfortuneately for Taylor, Lange then succeeded by climbing the ladder, and striking Taylor in the back of the helmet. Taylor was able to walk off the field under his own power, but Ryan Jeffers took his place on the bases.

    The danger of the bullpen game is that a team runs the risk of having one of the multiple arms go off the rails, and that appeared to be Lange today. Julien walked. Then Willi Castro took two strikes, called timeout, and then laced a double to right to plate Jeffers to make the score 6-2. Donovan Solano followed by taking one for the team in a softer spot on his body, and suddenly Carlos Correa strode to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out, representing the tying run! Lange promptly sent a pitch to the backstop to take the grand slam out of play, plating Julien from third to make it 6-3. Correa couldn't even get a strike to swing at, walking on four pitches to load the bases yet again for Royce Lewis.

    Needless to say, Lange's night was done, and the Tigers turned to Jason Foley with the bases loaded and nobody out.

    Unredeemed Opportunities in the Eighth
    Royce didn't hit a grand slam, but he didn't get out either. Lewis lost his bat in the process, but he gained a single up the middle and an RBI to make the score 6-4. Farmer battled, but ultimately flied out weakly to left field, unable to advance any of the runners. This set the stage for Joey Gallo and his 11 home runs and 66 strike outs.

    Make that 67 strike outs for Gallo, and now the Twins miracle inning was down to its last out. Byron Buxton strode to the plate to pinch hit for Vasquez and the last hope for the game and series perhaps. Buxton still looked lost at the plate, watching a called strike three to end the threat. Bases loaded, nobody out, and the Twins can't cash in once again.

    Let's Put This Game Out of It's Misery
    Jovani Moran got the top of the ninth for the Twins, and he mowed them down in order to set up a potentially dramatic bottom of the ninth. Foley remained in the game to face Jeffers, Julien, and Solano with the Twins hopes hanging by a thread, but present nonetheless.

    Jeffers struck out looking. Julien struck out looking. Castro flew out weakly to left field. Fade to black.

    What's Next
    The Twins will send RHP Pablo Lopez (3-3, 4.27 ERA) out on Monday night after some extra rest to face the Boston Red Sox to kick off their second four-game series in a row. The Red Sox will counter with LHP James Paxton (2-1, 3.09 ERA) who has pitched six games since returning from the injured list. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm CDT.

    Postgame Interviews

     

    Bullpen Usage Chart

      WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT
    Pagán 0 24 0 21 0 45
    Balazovic 0 0 0 0 40 40
    Headrick 0 0 0 35 0 35
    Morán 0 22 0 0 11 33
    Durán 12 0 0 15 0 27
    De León 0 0 0 24 0 24
    Jax 11 0 0 8 0 19
    Stewart 14 0 0 5 0 19

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    Featured Comments

    dxpavelka

    dxpavelka 2,936

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    13 hours ago, roger said:

    The following comment will probably be jumped on by many of you, but I 100% agree with dxp's comment.

    Looked at Atlanta's box score this morning.  Down 5-0 in the second inning, Eddie hit a 3 run home run to get them back in the game.  His two run blast later in the game, put it away.  

    Eddie has 37 RBI and 13 home runs.  That is after missing the start of the season with an injury.  After a slow start, his average is up to .265 and his home runs and RBI are more than any Twin.  

    I said it when they didn't resign him that they were cutting the heart and soul out of this team.  Look at who has been playing in left field since?  Meanwhile he was the Series MVP, wasn't he?  And I doubt he would cost more than the $11M our current left fielder is making.  Yesterday, our left fielder was 0-4 for 4 K's.  Eddie was 3-4 with a walk, 2 home runs and 6 RBI and NO strikeouts.  

    Eddie, Eddie, Eddie!

    (edit. after reading my own comment, I had a tear in my eye.  Damn, I miss this guy)

    HEART and SOUL.  Thank God. Been saying the same thing since the day they cut him loose.  No analytic for it.  They've never replaced what he does that can't be measured.  Joe Ryan was a great return but trading Nelson Cruz a hundred games after dumping Eddie only magnified what we lost when we lost Rosario.   You think your comment is gonna get jumped on wait until you hear me mention that this team has not been the same offensively since Miguel Sano left the lineup either.  Easily verifiable.  Three guys who could carry the team on their shoulders ala Kirby of old.  Guys in the current lineup who seemingly can do that?  Nobody.  You laid out Eddie's numbers above.  OUR LFs have the worst OPS in the big league.  But maybe I fret too much.  Gallo's almost near the Mendoza line.  AND he's missed enough games that he's not likely to break the team strikeout record.

    Aerodeliria

    Aerodeliria 2,163

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    1 hour ago, dxpavelka said:

    and yet his team is 20 games over .500

     

    Yes, that's true and Rosario has contributed but even without him in the lineup, the Braves are a superior team to the Twins and it's not really even close...and besides, I said he would fit right in...

    I think going out and getting other players is not going to help the Twins very much as they are destined to obliterate the SO record regardless. How about a litte extra BP to help the players with their timing? The Softbank Hawks have been the best Japanese baseball team the past decade. They have BP twice a day (at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm) when there are night games. The pitching coach throws mostly non-fastballs to the hitters. Of course, the hitters don't really like having to come to the ballpark early to hit, but they do it because they know it helps--maybe it's all psychological, but they all talk about how it helps their timing in the games. I think the Twins need to focus on the practical a bit more and the analytical a bit less...otherwise, it won't matter who the Twins go out and get (IMHO).

    USAFChief

    USAFChief 78,972

  • Twins Daily Contributor

    • Posted

    6 hours ago, Aerodeliria said:

    He leads the Braves in whiffs and strikes out more than 25% of the time, but I guess that he would fit right in...

    To dx's point, though,  Rosario is hitting .265/.305/.511. He actually DOES hit some of what he swings at.

    dxpavelka

    dxpavelka 2,936

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    7 hours ago, Aerodeliria said:

    Yes, that's true and Rosario has contributed but even without him in the lineup, the Braves are a superior team to the Twins and it's not really even close...and besides, I said he would fit right in...

    I think going out and getting other players is not going to help the Twins very much as they are destined to obliterate the SO record regardless. How about a litte extra BP to help the players with their timing? The Softbank Hawks have been the best Japanese baseball team the past decade. They have BP twice a day (at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm) when there are night games. The pitching coach throws mostly non-fastballs to the hitters. Of course, the hitters don't really like having to come to the ballpark early to hit, but they do it because they know it helps--maybe it's all psychological, but they all talk about how it helps their timing in the games. I think the Twins need to focus on the practical a bit more and the analytical a bit less...otherwise, it won't matter who the Twins go out and get (IMHO).

    Braves are a superior team because their lineup is scattered with players with heart.  Players who produce above and beyond what the "analytics" say they should produce.  We don't have that .

    rv78

    rv78 3,126

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    This is the problem = Even Popkins went on the record, and was available to the media recently to talk about the Ks. Admitted they may be overwhelming players with too much info. 

    And This is the solution = I think the Twins need to focus on the practical a bit more and the analytical a bit less

    It's not too difficult to know where the problem is coming from and how to solve it. Fire the FO and Rocco.



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