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Box Score
SP: Joe Ryan 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (76 pitches, 46 strikes (60.5%)
Home Runs: Trevor Larnach (6)
Top 3 WPA: Ryan (.240), Larnach (.230), Cole Sands (.118)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
Joe Ryan looked to give a repeat of Chris Paddack's performance from Friday night, but was fighting illness and unsure of how long he could go into the outing. Logan Webb came into Saturday night's tilt with a 4-2 record and a stellar 2.70 ERA based on elicting ground balls and strike outs early and often.
Giants Strike First, but Twins Strike Better
After the Twins couldn't knock in Trevor Larnach from second base after a first inning double, the Giants drew first blood when Heliot Ramos clobbered a home run off a Ryan fastball with two out and two strikes. Ryan recovered and limited the damage until Larnach could come back to the plate. This time Trevor had Christian Vazquez on first base, and by the time Webb's first pitch sweeper landed in the right field seats Target Field and Paddack were all smiles, and up 2-1.
Pitchers Duel, and Rocco's Rage
A Ramos single was the only other baserunner that the Giants could muster off of Ryan through six innings, who looked to be at the top of his game despite the rough week. Webb also set down the Twins mostly in order, but Rocco Baldelli believed that the home plate umpire might have had something to do with that success, and during a Carlos Correa at bat in the bottom of the sixth inning he let all of the radio audience know just how he felt about things. Baldelli was ejected, Correa struck out, and it was still 2-1 Twins heading into the seventh.
Bullpens and Boneheads
Ryan was taxed after six, so Griffin Jax came in to face the heart of the Giants lineup, and he took them down in order. Webb kept on rolling into the seventh inning, and Willi Castro led off with a blast to the right field corner. Unfortunately, Castro posed too long, and got himself thrown out second base on what would have been an easy double. This mental miscue came back to immediately haunt the home team as Harrison Bader doubled later in the inning. Bader was stranded, and the Twins missed a golden chance to add to their lead. Would Castro's gaffe come back to bite the Twins?
Immediately, Ramos unleashed a double in the top of the eighth off of Cole Sands, and Target Field started to collectively wince. A fly out saw Ramos tagging up and on third base with only one out. Unfortunately for Ramos and the Giants, bonehead plays weren't just limited to the home team. Vazquez and Royce Lewis exectued a brilliant pick off play, and Ramos and the threat were eliminated.
Closing it Out
The Giants bunted their way to a baserunner to start the ninth against Jhoan Duran, but a Mike Yastrzemski grounder to Duran started a 1-6-3 double play. Three strikes later, Willy Adames was heading back to the dugout, and the Twins were celebrating their seventh straight victory!
What’s Next?
Pablo Lopez (3-2, 2.18 ERA) looks to pitch the Twins to the sweep in Sunday's series finale. His mound opponent will be righty Landen Roupp (2-3, 4.89 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm CDT.
Postgame Interviews
Coming Soon!
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
| TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | TOT | |
| Coulombe | 11 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 37 |
| Jax | 0 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 14 | 33 |
| Varland | 12 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 29 |
| Sands | 10 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 23 |
| Durán | 0 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Alcalá | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Stewart | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Topa | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
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