Twins 3, Rockies 2: Prielipp Shoves, Solo Homers Lift Twins To Series Victory

Box Score:
Starting Pitcher: Connor Prielipp: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K (93 Pitches, 65 Strikes, 69.9%)
Home Runs: Kody Clemens (13), Ryan Kreidler (5)
Top 3 WPA: Yoendrys Gomez (0.28), Kreidler (0.16), Andrew Morris (0.14)
Win Probability Chart (Via BaseballSavant):

This week the Twins learned that despite an overperforming offense, they can't really compete with the likes of the Dodgers. Minus Hunter Goodman, they are pretty good against the Rockies. After splitting the first two games of the series, the rubber match would feature Connor Prielipp against Ryan Feltner of Colorado.

Feltner is sneakily not that bad of a pitcher, despite middling numbers. His ERA+, which accounts for his home ballpark, has Feltner over 100 each of the past three seasons, indicating he is an above-average pitcher. The induced vertical break on his four-seamer is within shouting distance of Joe Ryan's, and you could see it in the swings of Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach and Kody Clemens early, with all three getting fastballs in their nitro zone that just swung underneath, resulting in 300-foot flyouts rather than extra-base damage.

Prielipp was a little wild, but his breaking stuff was sharp, and all the Rockies could hope to do was dink and dunk the lefty to death, with mixed results. A ground-ball single from Willi Castro, a hit batsman, and a grounder that kicked off Brooks Lee's glove resulted in a run in the first inning, but Prielipp recovered to strike out lefty-masher Kyle Karros to end the frame. The next two innings were uneventful, with Prielipp generating whiff after whiff, his curveball and slider looking particularly dominant.

The Twins would answer in the second, with Royce Lewis doubling down the left field line and Lee legging out a swinging bunt that third baseman Karros threw wildly on, allowing Lewis to score. Lee even managed to steal second afterward, but the Twins were unable to add on.

The fourth inning was frustrating for Prielipp, as he allowed a bleeder through the infield, a bloop single, and another hit batter to load the bases with one out. But despite falling behind Braxton Fulford, Prielipp struck him out with a slider, then got Ezequiel Tovar to tap out to end the threat. He had generated 12 whiffs already by that point.

Clemens finally got on top of a Feltner offering in the bottom of the fourth, launching a fastball 399 feet for a no-doubt home run to give the Twins the lead.

The Rockies tried some more Guardians-ball in the sixth. Drew Rumfield legged out an infield single, and Cole Carigg tried to bunt for a hit, but hit it right to Lewis at first, who probably had a chance to get the lead runner but opted for the easy out at first. Prielipp then struck out Karros on a nasty curveball and got ahead of Troy Johnston, but served up a flat slider that Johnston served into right field for a run-scoring single. Prielipp then struck out Fulford for his 10th ponche.

Meanwhile, the Twins had no answers for Feltner, who cruised through six innings, consistently keeping his fastball above the Twins' bats. A leadoff double by Larnach in the sixth was squandered, and the seventh was started by Rockies' relief ace Seth Halvorsen, so things were looking grim.

Tell that to Ryan Kreidler, who took Halvorsen to straightaway center for a go-ahead home run. Austin Martin singled sharply up the middle, and Alex Jackson laid down a perfect bunt to put two men on for Josh Bell, pinch-hitting for Larnach against lefty reliever Brennan Bernardino. Bell hit him hard, but the liner was speared by Bernardino to end the frame.

Andrew Morris and Anthony Banda got through scoreless seventh and eighth innings with four strikeouts. Banda was sent back out to start the ninth and immediately plunked Fulford, appearing to hurt himself in the process. Yoendrys Gómez was then inserted and allowed a screaming liner off the bat of Jake McCarthy that Martin made a great sliding play on. Three pitches later, Gómez had another save and the Twins a series victory.

Stuff I'm Tracking:

• Byron Buxton DH'd today, and has looked physically uncomfortable the past few games, particularly after sliding or swinging and missing. He's still hitting, though.
• Kreidler has been getting some more run these past few weeks and is even starting against righties like Feltner today. I feel bad for Tristan Gray, but he's being outhit by Kreidler and was never the preferred option defensively. It sure seems like Gray would be the odd man out if/when Kaelen Culpepper gets his chance.
• Prielipp looked great. He did hit two batters but didn't walk anyone, and was rarely close. He induced 20 whiffs and the Rockies didn't sniff an extra-base hit. They were lucky to generate two runs.
• Crazy how the Yankees have been searching for answers at first base for over a decade now. Now they have Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt finding the fountain of youth, so Rumfield became expendable and has an .860 OPS, looking locked-in against the Twins all series.

Postgame Interviews:

What's Next:
The Twins travel to Houston for a three-game set against the Astros. Zebby Matthews (3-5, 4.56 ERA) faces Peter Lambert (6-4, 3.28 ERA). The 'Stros sit one game ahead of the Twins in the AL Wild Card race and have played better since a brutal start. Matthews has been hit or miss, as usual, and I do shudder to think what Yordan Alvarez will do to him.

Bullpen Usage Chart: