Sherry Cerny
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thelanges5 reacted to an article:
Tigers 11, Twins: 6: One Rally Too Few, One Homer Too Many
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Tigers 11, Twins: 6: One Rally Too Few, One Homer Too Many
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Tigers 11, Twins: 6: One Rally Too Few, One Homer Too Many
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Sherry Cerny started following Tigers 11, Twins: 6: One Rally Too Few, One Homer Too Many
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Sherry Cerny started following Tigers 11, Twins: 6: One Rally Too Few, One Homer Too Many
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Box Score SP: Dean Kremer - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (79 pitches, 51 strikes (72% strikes) Home Runs: -0- Bottom 3 WPA: Kaelen Culpepper (-0.35); Walker Jenkins (-0.20); Dean Kremer (-0.18) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Dean Kremer took the mound against the Tigers Wednesday night looking for redemption. It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing lately. Over his last five appearances, Kremer has struggled to find the zone consistently, while seemingly every offspeed pitch that missed its spot found a bat. In the first inning, Kremer looked good, but the second was a different story. His cutter appeared to be giving him trouble. A single by Eduardo Garcia was followed by back-to-back doubles from Max Clark and John Peck, which put the Tigers ahead 2-0. The next inning, Kremer adjusted, leaning more heavily on his fastball and moving away from the cutter. The change in pitch selection paid off, and he worked through the frame without surrendering a run. The Twins offense gave Tigers starter Drew Anderson some early pressure, putting runners on base but (as has happened too often) failing to turn those opportunities into runs. They squandered a prime opportunity to get on the board in the third, but they finally got some traction in the fourth. Anderson issued a walk to Kody Clemens, and Ryan Jeffers followed with a hard line drive to left. Clemens raced home to score, as Jeffers picked up his 17th double of the season and the 100th of his MLB career. The Twins were finally on the board, cutting the Tigers' lead to 2-1. Kremer started to struggle again in the fifth. Kevin McGonigle walked to open the inning, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a Hao-Yu Lee line drive to make it 3-1. Kody Funderburk replaced Kremer, but the trouble continued. Riley Greene drove in two to extend the Tigers' lead. The following inning, with Funderburk sticking around, Clark and Peck combined to produce another run, stretching Detroit's lead to four runs. The Twins took advantage of an unraveling Tigers squad in the sixth. A two-out, none-on situation spiraled after Jeffers reached on an error. Josh Bell singled, followed by a sharp double from Larnach, closing the gap to 5-2. The bullpen held serve for the next two innings, giving the team a chance to complete a comeback. Brooks Lee was hitless before finally sending a slider into the gap for a leadoff hit in the bottom of the eighth. Kody Clemens was hit by a pitch: Two on, nobody out. Bell followed with a single to load the bases and was replaced by Ben Ross, bringing some much-needed speed to the basepaths. The Twins burned Gabriel González to get Victor Caratini up against Kenley Jansen as a pinch-hitter for Larnach. Caratini drew a walk that brought Lee home and cut Detroit's lead to 5-3. Ryan Kreidler, another speed option, replaced Caratini as the Twins looked to create chaos—though, yes, this meant the team spun four players through one spot in the batting order in one inning. Then came Royce Lewis. Hitless for the night, Lewis battled through an eight-pitch showdown before finally getting a cutter and ripping a ground ball through the middle to center field, scoring Clemens and Ross. Tie game. 5-5. Yoendrys Gómez worked a scoreless top of the ninth, giving the Twins' top of the order a chance to close out the game before extras. The offense kept the pressure, getting runners on amidst the outs, but a fly ball that died at the warning track for Jeffers ended the inning, but not the game. The 10th inning was quick. Gómez put Tigers hitters down, while the Twins offense managed to create a little pressure, but neither team could come through, pushing the game to the 11th. Taylor Rogers came out for the top of the 11th for Minnesota. The Tigers struck right away. A misread ball by Clemens on Clark's hit scored Ben Melgeri, giving the Tigers the 6-5 lead. Tommy Nance came replaced Rogers and escaped without allowing further damage. Walker Jenkins led off the 11th inning, with Kaelen Culpepper on base. Jenkins battled before hitting into a force out, but Culpepper made it safely to third and waited while the top of the lineup came up. Keaschall hit into center field, scoring Culpepper and tying the game 6-6. Thereafter, though, the Twins squandered a golden chance to walk it off. A single by Lee sent Keaschall racing to third with one out, but Clemens struck out and Jeffers grounded out, stranding the winning run in tantalizing position. Nance came out again for the 12th and picked the most inconvenient time to give up his second home run as a Twin. It was a 8-6 Tigers in a blink, and 11-6 before Nance could recover and hand things off to the beleaguered offense. At last, one side made a lead stand up; the Tigers won. What’s Next? The Twins have a day off while they travel to Chicago to meet the White Sox on Friday 6:40 CST. The Twins will send Zebby Matthews (9-8, 4.58 ERA) against a pitcher the White Sox will determine later. Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart
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Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Dean Kremer - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (79 pitches, 51 strikes (72% strikes) Home Runs: -0- Bottom 3 WPA: Kaelen Culpepper (-0.35); Walker Jenkins (-0.20); Dean Kremer (-0.18) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Dean Kremer took the mound against the Tigers Wednesday night looking for redemption. It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing lately. Over his last five appearances, Kremer has struggled to find the zone consistently, while seemingly every offspeed pitch that missed its spot found a bat. In the first inning, Kremer looked good, but the second was a different story. His cutter appeared to be giving him trouble. A single by Eduardo Garcia was followed by back-to-back doubles from Max Clark and John Peck, which put the Tigers ahead 2-0. The next inning, Kremer adjusted, leaning more heavily on his fastball and moving away from the cutter. The change in pitch selection paid off, and he worked through the frame without surrendering a run. The Twins offense gave Tigers starter Drew Anderson some early pressure, putting runners on base but (as has happened too often) failing to turn those opportunities into runs. They squandered a prime opportunity to get on the board in the third, but they finally got some traction in the fourth. Anderson issued a walk to Kody Clemens, and Ryan Jeffers followed with a hard line drive to left. Clemens raced home to score, as Jeffers picked up his 17th double of the season and the 100th of his MLB career. The Twins were finally on the board, cutting the Tigers' lead to 2-1. Kremer started to struggle again in the fifth. Kevin McGonigle walked to open the inning, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a Hao-Yu Lee line drive to make it 3-1. Kody Funderburk replaced Kremer, but the trouble continued. Riley Greene drove in two to extend the Tigers' lead. The following inning, with Funderburk sticking around, Clark and Peck combined to produce another run, stretching Detroit's lead to four runs. The Twins took advantage of an unraveling Tigers squad in the sixth. A two-out, none-on situation spiraled after Jeffers reached on an error. Josh Bell singled, followed by a sharp double from Larnach, closing the gap to 5-2. The bullpen held serve for the next two innings, giving the team a chance to complete a comeback. Brooks Lee was hitless before finally sending a slider into the gap for a leadoff hit in the bottom of the eighth. Kody Clemens was hit by a pitch: Two on, nobody out. Bell followed with a single to load the bases and was replaced by Ben Ross, bringing some much-needed speed to the basepaths. The Twins burned Gabriel González to get Victor Caratini up against Kenley Jansen as a pinch-hitter for Larnach. Caratini drew a walk that brought Lee home and cut Detroit's lead to 5-3. Ryan Kreidler, another speed option, replaced Caratini as the Twins looked to create chaos—though, yes, this meant the team spun four players through one spot in the batting order in one inning. Then came Royce Lewis. Hitless for the night, Lewis battled through an eight-pitch showdown before finally getting a cutter and ripping a ground ball through the middle to center field, scoring Clemens and Ross. Tie game. 5-5. Yoendrys Gómez worked a scoreless top of the ninth, giving the Twins' top of the order a chance to close out the game before extras. The offense kept the pressure, getting runners on amidst the outs, but a fly ball that died at the warning track for Jeffers ended the inning, but not the game. The 10th inning was quick. Gómez put Tigers hitters down, while the Twins offense managed to create a little pressure, but neither team could come through, pushing the game to the 11th. Taylor Rogers came out for the top of the 11th for Minnesota. The Tigers struck right away. A misread ball by Clemens on Clark's hit scored Ben Melgeri, giving the Tigers the 6-5 lead. Tommy Nance came replaced Rogers and escaped without allowing further damage. Walker Jenkins led off the 11th inning, with Kaelen Culpepper on base. Jenkins battled before hitting into a force out, but Culpepper made it safely to third and waited while the top of the lineup came up. Keaschall hit into center field, scoring Culpepper and tying the game 6-6. Thereafter, though, the Twins squandered a golden chance to walk it off. A single by Lee sent Keaschall racing to third with one out, but Clemens struck out and Jeffers grounded out, stranding the winning run in tantalizing position. Nance came out again for the 12th and picked the most inconvenient time to give up his second home run as a Twin. It was a 8-6 Tigers in a blink, and 11-6 before Nance could recover and hand things off to the beleaguered offense. At last, one side made a lead stand up; the Tigers won. What’s Next? The Twins have a day off while they travel to Chicago to meet the White Sox on Friday 6:40 CST. The Twins will send Zebby Matthews (9-8, 4.58 ERA) against a pitcher the White Sox will determine later. Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart View full article
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White Sox 3, Twins 2: Solid Pitching, Same Result: Another Series Slips Away
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White Sox 3, Twins 2: Solid Pitching, Same Result: Another Series Slips Away
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White Sox 3, Twins 2: Solid Pitching, Same Result: Another Series Slips Away
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Image courtesy of Nick Wosika-IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Box Score SP: Bailey Ober - 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (80 pitches, 53 strikes (72% strikes)) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Kaelen Culpepper (-0.17); Brooks Lee (-0.15), Royce Lewis (-0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins set out to try and get the same momentum during the day game on Saturday that they had Friday night. Bailey Ober, much like his teammate Dean Kremer, had a little trouble finding the strike zone early. He walked the first two hitters, and then Andrew Benintendi dropped a weak single that the infield couldn’t quite handle. The misplay allowed Sam Antonacci to come around and score, giving the White Sox an early 1-0 lead. Ober eventually got his wits about him and escaped the inning, but the White Sox made him work, driving his pitch count all the way up to 28 pitches in the first. Not exactly the start you draw up. The Twins offense, however, wasted no time answering back. Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee created some traffic for White Sox starter Erik Fedde, and then Fedde made a mistake at the wrong time. An 88-mph changeup landed right in Josh Bell’s sweet spot, and Bell sent a sacrifice fly deep enough to score Keaschall and tie things up at 1-1. Ober came back out for the second looking much more like himself, making quick work of the bottom of the White Sox lineup with a clean 1-2-3 inning. Then the Twins bats got rolling. Trevor Larnach fell victim to a force out, but Kaelen Culpepper and Victor Caratini followed with line drives into the right-field gap, putting runners on the corners for rookie Walker Jenkins. And Jenkins? He was ready for the moment. The rookie grounded to second for a fielder's choice. He hustled out of the box and easily beat the return throw to first base which allowed to score Culpepper. It also marked the first RBI of Jenkins career. The 21-year-old decided he wasn't done making noise, taking advantage of Fedde's timing to swipe his first stolen base. After two innings, the Twins had flipped the script and taken a 2-1 lead. The White Sox came alive in the fourth inning and said, “Not so fast.” A leadoff double by Benintendi set the tone, and a bobbled slow roller by Culpepper off the bat of Chase Meidroth brought Benintendi home. Just like that, a 2-2 ballgame. Ober’s day was officially done after five innings and 80 pitches. Andrew Morris came in to relieve him, but apparently nobody had informed him that Andrew Benintendi was having the game of his life. Like the pitchers before him—and frankly, like everyone for the previous five innings—Morris couldn't get around Benintendi's bat, surrendering a solo home run that gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead. As Derek Shelton noted after the game. It was a 95-mph cutter, three-to-four inches below the zone. All you can do is tip your cap to the cagey veteran. AJ Minter replaced Morris in the eighth, and with one out and two runners on, Benintendi stepped back into the box already 3-for-3 on the day. Naturally, that looked terrifying. But Minter said, not today. He struck Benintendi out, becoming the first Twins pitcher to retire him all afternoon. A much-needed out was followed by a smothered ball from Culpepper to Lee to end the inning and finally give Minnesota a chance to breathe. Unfortunately, the Twins offense spent the seventh and eighth innings doing what it had become far too comfortable doing: absolutely nothing. Every opportunity was squandered, every hit seemed to find a glove, and no matter how much the pitching staff tried to keep the Twins within striking distance, the offense remained on life support. One inning remained. One last chance to wake up. Yoendrys Gómez replaced Minter as the insurance policy—the guy brought in to make sure the White Sox didn't add anything the Twins couldn't overcome. He did his job. The offense, however? Yeah... they never woke up. Maybe Sunday? What’s Next? The Twins finish their second day game with the White Sox on Sunday 1:10 CST. The Twins will send Zebby Matthews (8-8, 4.86 ERA,) against a pitcher the White Sox will determine later. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Availability Chart View full article
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Box Score SP: Bailey Ober - 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (80 pitches, 53 strikes (72% strikes)) Home Runs: None Bottom 3 WPA: Kaelen Culpepper (-0.17); Brooks Lee (-0.15), Royce Lewis (-0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins set out to try and get the same momentum during the day game on Saturday that they had Friday night. Bailey Ober, much like his teammate Dean Kremer, had a little trouble finding the strike zone early. He walked the first two hitters, and then Andrew Benintendi dropped a weak single that the infield couldn’t quite handle. The misplay allowed Sam Antonacci to come around and score, giving the White Sox an early 1-0 lead. Ober eventually got his wits about him and escaped the inning, but the White Sox made him work, driving his pitch count all the way up to 28 pitches in the first. Not exactly the start you draw up. The Twins offense, however, wasted no time answering back. Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee created some traffic for White Sox starter Erik Fedde, and then Fedde made a mistake at the wrong time. An 88-mph changeup landed right in Josh Bell’s sweet spot, and Bell sent a sacrifice fly deep enough to score Keaschall and tie things up at 1-1. Ober came back out for the second looking much more like himself, making quick work of the bottom of the White Sox lineup with a clean 1-2-3 inning. Then the Twins bats got rolling. Trevor Larnach fell victim to a force out, but Kaelen Culpepper and Victor Caratini followed with line drives into the right-field gap, putting runners on the corners for rookie Walker Jenkins. And Jenkins? He was ready for the moment. The rookie grounded to second for a fielder's choice. He hustled out of the box and easily beat the return throw to first base which allowed to score Culpepper. It also marked the first RBI of Jenkins career. The 21-year-old decided he wasn't done making noise, taking advantage of Fedde's timing to swipe his first stolen base. After two innings, the Twins had flipped the script and taken a 2-1 lead. The White Sox came alive in the fourth inning and said, “Not so fast.” A leadoff double by Benintendi set the tone, and a bobbled slow roller by Culpepper off the bat of Chase Meidroth brought Benintendi home. Just like that, a 2-2 ballgame. Ober’s day was officially done after five innings and 80 pitches. Andrew Morris came in to relieve him, but apparently nobody had informed him that Andrew Benintendi was having the game of his life. Like the pitchers before him—and frankly, like everyone for the previous five innings—Morris couldn't get around Benintendi's bat, surrendering a solo home run that gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead. As Derek Shelton noted after the game. It was a 95-mph cutter, three-to-four inches below the zone. All you can do is tip your cap to the cagey veteran. AJ Minter replaced Morris in the eighth, and with one out and two runners on, Benintendi stepped back into the box already 3-for-3 on the day. Naturally, that looked terrifying. But Minter said, not today. He struck Benintendi out, becoming the first Twins pitcher to retire him all afternoon. A much-needed out was followed by a smothered ball from Culpepper to Lee to end the inning and finally give Minnesota a chance to breathe. Unfortunately, the Twins offense spent the seventh and eighth innings doing what it had become far too comfortable doing: absolutely nothing. Every opportunity was squandered, every hit seemed to find a glove, and no matter how much the pitching staff tried to keep the Twins within striking distance, the offense remained on life support. One inning remained. One last chance to wake up. Yoendrys Gómez replaced Minter as the insurance policy—the guy brought in to make sure the White Sox didn't add anything the Twins couldn't overcome. He did his job. The offense, however? Yeah... they never woke up. Maybe Sunday? What’s Next? The Twins finish their second day game with the White Sox on Sunday 1:10 CST. The Twins will send Zebby Matthews (8-8, 4.86 ERA,) against a pitcher the White Sox will determine later. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Availability Chart
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mikelink45 reacted to an article:
Twins 6, Braves 4: Sweeping Them All the Way Back to Their House Under the Highway
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Box Score SP: Taj Bradley 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (88 pitches, 56 strikes (66% strikes) Home Runs: -0- Top 3 WPA: Taj Bradley (0.14); Byron Buxton (0.11); Kaelen Culpepper (0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) After what threatened to be a season-derailing weekend against the Phillies, the Twins roared back with huge wins in the first two games of the final set of their homestand. They sent de facto ace Taj Bradley to the mound on getaway day, hunting a deliciously unexpected sweep. Bradley responded with ruthless efficiency over his first two innings of work. On the broadcast, Cory Provus mentioned that Bradley threw 16 pitches in the first two innings, the fewest to get the first six outs in any start of his career, After he'd needed three times that many offerings to get through two frames against the Phillies at the Field of Dreams, that was an especially welcome surprise. The offense got a runner on against Atlanta's AJ Smith-Shawver, with a walk to Victor Caratini, followed by a single from Kaelen Culpepper. Luke Keaschall squared to bunt, but rather than drag it up the third-base line or dribble it for an easy sacrifice, he popped it over Smith-Shawver's head and neatly into the undefendable area behind the pitcher's mound. The unique single loaded the bases for Byron Buxton. Returning to the lineup after a day off Tuesday, Buxton hit a ground ball toward the hole at shortstop, on which Atlanta again failed to find an out. Caratini came home with the first run of the game, though the Twins were stymied after that. Royce Lewis gave the lineup a chance to get more runs at the bottom of the fourth with a one-out, line-drive single, a stolen base and an advancement on an error to end up on third. Alas, he was left after a strikeout and grounder ended the inning. Bradley continued to push through the game, but it unraveled in the fifth. He got two quick outs, but then issued a pair of walks, as his command seemed to desert him. With Taylor Rogers warming up in the bullpen, Bradley’s follies bit him. Ronald Acuña Jr, singled to left field, with the ball falling in front of Trevor Larnach and Austin Riley racing home to tie the score at 1-1. The bottom of the fifth was a repeat of the third, in a way, as Culpepper and Keaschall both got on base with one out. This time, Smith-Shawver walked Buxton, loading the bases, and Josh Bell took a walk, ending Smith-Shawver’s day and bringing home Culpepper to put the Twins back in front 2-1. Dylan Dodd replaced Smith-Shawver, and immediately, Kody Clemens doubled home two more runs, with a clobbered fly ball off the wall in right-center field. Kody Funderburk came out to replace Bradley in the sixth, making his fourth appearance of the week. (He also warmed up at length on Monday night, when he didn't pitch.) Funderburk has been one of the most reliable Twins relievers as of late, making him one of the most used. That caught up to him Wednesday, though, and he left having recorded just one out and given up two runs. Tommy Nance replaced Funderburk, but balked home the tying run before extricating the team from the jam. Atlanta reliever Victor Mederos kept Minnesota fairly quiet in the sixth, but Nanace and A.J. Minter responded by hanging a goose egg in the top of the seventh. After the stretch, Josh Bell hit a one-out rocket up the middle and turned what looked like a single into an utterly stunning hustle double. His smarts and intensity immediately paid off, too. Dylan Lee came out to face Clemens, but the left-on-left matchup didn't tilt Atlanta's way. Clemens dunked an RBI single down the right-field line, untying the game and giving the Twins a surge of momentum. The Braves walked Ryan Jeffers, but Brooks Lee made them pay for their tactic with another RBI single, providing some insurance. Jeff Hoffman worked in and out of trouble in the top of the eighth. With one out and after a nine-pitch at-bat with a runner in scoring position, Mauricio Dubón was rules to have gone around on a check-swing—by the home-plate umpire. Dubón was furious that Carlos Torres hadn't appealed for help at first base, rather than ringing him up, and argued vociferously. Atlanta manager Walt Weiss was ejected for his own argument. When the dust cleared, though, Hoffman finished the frame with another strikeout to defuse the tension. Yoendrys Gómez came out for the ninth inning, working a third day in a row, but it proved no sweat. On to San Diego! By the time the Twins play again, they could very well be officially in playoff position. What’s Next? The Twins get a day off to travel to San Diego, where they'll take on the Padres Friday night. Connor Prielipp (3-6; 3.46 ERA) will start the series against a pitcher TBD. The game starts at 8:40 pm CST. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Availability Chart
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Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Taj Bradley 5 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (88 pitches, 56 strikes (66% strikes) Home Runs: -0- Top 3 WPA: Taj Bradley (0.14); Byron Buxton (0.11); Kaelen Culpepper (0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) After what threatened to be a season-derailing weekend against the Phillies, the Twins roared back with huge wins in the first two games of the final set of their homestand. They sent de facto ace Taj Bradley to the mound on getaway day, hunting a deliciously unexpected sweep. Bradley responded with ruthless efficiency over his first two innings of work. On the broadcast, Cory Provus mentioned that Bradley threw 16 pitches in the first two innings, the fewest to get the first six outs in any start of his career, After he'd needed three times that many offerings to get through two frames against the Phillies at the Field of Dreams, that was an especially welcome surprise. The offense got a runner on against Atlanta's AJ Smith-Shawver, with a walk to Victor Caratini, followed by a single from Kaelen Culpepper. Luke Keaschall squared to bunt, but rather than drag it up the third-base line or dribble it for an easy sacrifice, he popped it over Smith-Shawver's head and neatly into the undefendable area behind the pitcher's mound. The unique single loaded the bases for Byron Buxton. Returning to the lineup after a day off Tuesday, Buxton hit a ground ball toward the hole at shortstop, on which Atlanta again failed to find an out. Caratini came home with the first run of the game, though the Twins were stymied after that. Royce Lewis gave the lineup a chance to get more runs at the bottom of the fourth with a one-out, line-drive single, a stolen base and an advancement on an error to end up on third. Alas, he was left after a strikeout and grounder ended the inning. Bradley continued to push through the game, but it unraveled in the fifth. He got two quick outs, but then issued a pair of walks, as his command seemed to desert him. With Taylor Rogers warming up in the bullpen, Bradley’s follies bit him. Ronald Acuña Jr, singled to left field, with the ball falling in front of Trevor Larnach and Austin Riley racing home to tie the score at 1-1. The bottom of the fifth was a repeat of the third, in a way, as Culpepper and Keaschall both got on base with one out. This time, Smith-Shawver walked Buxton, loading the bases, and Josh Bell took a walk, ending Smith-Shawver’s day and bringing home Culpepper to put the Twins back in front 2-1. Dylan Dodd replaced Smith-Shawver, and immediately, Kody Clemens doubled home two more runs, with a clobbered fly ball off the wall in right-center field. Kody Funderburk came out to replace Bradley in the sixth, making his fourth appearance of the week. (He also warmed up at length on Monday night, when he didn't pitch.) Funderburk has been one of the most reliable Twins relievers as of late, making him one of the most used. That caught up to him Wednesday, though, and he left having recorded just one out and given up two runs. Tommy Nance replaced Funderburk, but balked home the tying run before extricating the team from the jam. Atlanta reliever Victor Mederos kept Minnesota fairly quiet in the sixth, but Nanace and A.J. Minter responded by hanging a goose egg in the top of the seventh. After the stretch, Josh Bell hit a one-out rocket up the middle and turned what looked like a single into an utterly stunning hustle double. His smarts and intensity immediately paid off, too. Dylan Lee came out to face Clemens, but the left-on-left matchup didn't tilt Atlanta's way. Clemens dunked an RBI single down the right-field line, untying the game and giving the Twins a surge of momentum. The Braves walked Ryan Jeffers, but Brooks Lee made them pay for their tactic with another RBI single, providing some insurance. Jeff Hoffman worked in and out of trouble in the top of the eighth. With one out and after a nine-pitch at-bat with a runner in scoring position, Mauricio Dubón was rules to have gone around on a check-swing—by the home-plate umpire. Dubón was furious that Carlos Torres hadn't appealed for help at first base, rather than ringing him up, and argued vociferously. Atlanta manager Walt Weiss was ejected for his own argument. When the dust cleared, though, Hoffman finished the frame with another strikeout to defuse the tension. Yoendrys Gómez came out for the ninth inning, working a third day in a row, but it proved no sweat. On to San Diego! By the time the Twins play again, they could very well be officially in playoff position. What’s Next? The Twins get a day off to travel to San Diego, where they'll take on the Padres Friday night. Connor Prielipp (3-6; 3.46 ERA) will start the series against a pitcher TBD. The game starts at 8:40 pm CST. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Availability Chart View full article
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Image courtesy of Jim Cowsert, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Consider this a well-earned correction, or public apology, to Trevor Larnach for earlier criticism of his long-term outlook that definitely did not age particularly well in previous articles. That's a credit to the strides he's made on both sides of the ball. Right up until 6:00 pm of the MLB trade deadline, the speculation and the biggest move the Minnesota Twins made may have been the one they didn't. While speculation swirled around Larnach's name and the possibility of acquiring a controllable infielder such as Zach Neto, the Twins ultimately chose continuity over another roster shakeup. Based on Larnach's continued development throughout the 2026 season, that decision looks increasingly like one rooted in both patience, sound baseball evaluation, and a push for the postseason. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. Larnach's evolution has been one of the most encouraging developments for Minnesota. Earlier in his career, Larnach often profiled as an all-or-nothing power hitter whose strikeouts could neutralize his offensive value. In 2026, that profile has changed. His more efficient wrist angle at contact, his hitting sequence- from his pre-pitch load to his swing path and finish through contact- all have made him a nearly flawless hitter with timing. Before the trade deadline, he was hitting .291 with a .380 on-base percentage and an .829 OPS. Those numbers alone justify keeping him in the middle of the lineup, but the underlying metrics suggest this isn't simply a player riding a temporary hot streak. Baseball Savant shows Larnach’s breakout is backed by sustainable improvements: he ranks in the 70th percentile in expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), 73rd percentile in expected batting average, 77th percentile in strikeout rate, and an impressive 89th percentile in hard-hit rate. His improved command of the strike zone has lowered his strikeout rate while allowing his natural power to play more consistently. Larnach doesn’t focus on the home runs, but they are a by-product of his patience at the plate. He's working deep counts, and when he's not hitting homers, he's producing quality at-bats, hitting into gaps and getting on base. Other teams clearly saw that value and expressing interest. Heading into the deadline, Larnach was reported by Matthew Leach as saying, “It’s definitely not ordinary,” Larnach said. “I don’t take it into the field at all. I don’t take it personal, but at the end of the day, there’s a lot of noise outside the field that I try to stay away from … and just let whatever happens take its place.” Larnach's talent, confidence, reverence for the game, and performance worried fans that he may become a bigger trade target, but the Twins ultimately recognized his value and kept him. Keeping Larnach was a better choice for this trade deadline than, say, rumored trades for Anaheim Angel Zach Neto. Neto is an outstanding young player who could have replaced players like Tristian Gray or Josh Bell, who have had less than productive games in the past few weeks, and solidified the Twins' infield for years to come. However, acquiring a controllable talent like Neto almost certainly would have required Minnesota to part with one of its own ascending top prospects. Trade deadlines are often judged by the players who arrive or depart, but sometimes the smartest move is recognizing what you already have and building around those players. Larnach remains a platoon player, but he is also a power bat. His traditional production is impressive, but the advanced metrics suggest there's even more room for growth. If that trend continues and he helps the Twins find their way into the postseason, the Twins may ultimately look back on standing pat with Larnach, not making a blockbuster trade for a position player, as one of the organization's best decisions of the 2026 trade deadline. View full article
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Going Oppo: Keeping Trevor Larnach Was the Twins' Smartest Deadline Move
Sherry Cerny posted an article in Twins
Consider this a well-earned correction, or public apology, to Trevor Larnach for earlier criticism of his long-term outlook that definitely did not age particularly well in previous articles. That's a credit to the strides he's made on both sides of the ball. Right up until 6:00 pm of the MLB trade deadline, the speculation and the biggest move the Minnesota Twins made may have been the one they didn't. While speculation swirled around Larnach's name and the possibility of acquiring a controllable infielder such as Zach Neto, the Twins ultimately chose continuity over another roster shakeup. Based on Larnach's continued development throughout the 2026 season, that decision looks increasingly like one rooted in both patience, sound baseball evaluation, and a push for the postseason. Going Oppo is two stories on Twins Daily with different opinions running simultaneously. Read the other side here. Larnach's evolution has been one of the most encouraging developments for Minnesota. Earlier in his career, Larnach often profiled as an all-or-nothing power hitter whose strikeouts could neutralize his offensive value. In 2026, that profile has changed. His more efficient wrist angle at contact, his hitting sequence- from his pre-pitch load to his swing path and finish through contact- all have made him a nearly flawless hitter with timing. Before the trade deadline, he was hitting .291 with a .380 on-base percentage and an .829 OPS. Those numbers alone justify keeping him in the middle of the lineup, but the underlying metrics suggest this isn't simply a player riding a temporary hot streak. Baseball Savant shows Larnach’s breakout is backed by sustainable improvements: he ranks in the 70th percentile in expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA), 73rd percentile in expected batting average, 77th percentile in strikeout rate, and an impressive 89th percentile in hard-hit rate. His improved command of the strike zone has lowered his strikeout rate while allowing his natural power to play more consistently. Larnach doesn’t focus on the home runs, but they are a by-product of his patience at the plate. He's working deep counts, and when he's not hitting homers, he's producing quality at-bats, hitting into gaps and getting on base. Other teams clearly saw that value and expressing interest. Heading into the deadline, Larnach was reported by Matthew Leach as saying, “It’s definitely not ordinary,” Larnach said. “I don’t take it into the field at all. I don’t take it personal, but at the end of the day, there’s a lot of noise outside the field that I try to stay away from … and just let whatever happens take its place.” Larnach's talent, confidence, reverence for the game, and performance worried fans that he may become a bigger trade target, but the Twins ultimately recognized his value and kept him. Keeping Larnach was a better choice for this trade deadline than, say, rumored trades for Anaheim Angel Zach Neto. Neto is an outstanding young player who could have replaced players like Tristian Gray or Josh Bell, who have had less than productive games in the past few weeks, and solidified the Twins' infield for years to come. However, acquiring a controllable talent like Neto almost certainly would have required Minnesota to part with one of its own ascending top prospects. Trade deadlines are often judged by the players who arrive or depart, but sometimes the smartest move is recognizing what you already have and building around those players. Larnach remains a platoon player, but he is also a power bat. His traditional production is impressive, but the advanced metrics suggest there's even more room for growth. If that trend continues and he helps the Twins find their way into the postseason, the Twins may ultimately look back on standing pat with Larnach, not making a blockbuster trade for a position player, as one of the organization's best decisions of the 2026 trade deadline.- 4 comments
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Twins 8, Brewers 6: Twins Dig Out of Early Setback and Secure Game One Win
Sherry Cerny posted an article in Twins
Box Score SP: Zebby Mathews 5 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (83 pitches, 50 strikes (66% strikes) Home Runs: Josh Bell (15), Kaelen Culpepper (1) 3 WPA: Josh Bell (0.32); Royce Lewis (0.15); Yeondrez Gomes (0.09) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Every game for the Twins has the pressure of competing for a postseason spot, as they entered today just a half-game out of the last Wild Card spot in the American League. But this game had an extra layer: after a long-awaited call-up, the Twins have promoted Kaelen Culpepper to the 26-man roster. Make the two extra layers: since Joe Ryan was placed on the 10-day injured list, Zebby Matthews returned to the rotation to try and finish his season on a strong note. The Twins threatened early but couldn't capitalize in the top of the first with a walk, a stolen base and a single. Milwaukee answered in the bottom half, with Brice Turang striking out before Jackson Chourio launched a solo home run to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. Milwaukee added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Christian Yelich singled and Luis Lara walked before a Royce Lewis fielding error allowed David Hamilton to reach and Yelich to score. Turang then delivered a two-run double, scoring Lara and Hamilton to push the Brewers' lead to 4-0. Chourio grounded out to end the inning, leaving Milwaukee with a commanding early advantage. But the Twins responded in their half of the third with a two-out, two-run home run from Josh Bell, scoring himself and Ryan Jeffers. Bell went four-for-five on the night as he shakes his midseason slump. Zebby stayed locked in after his rough start and worked quickly through the Brewers lineup and gave the offense every chance to keep the pressure on Milwaukee. The Twins took advantage of those clean innings from Mathews and struck back with a solo-homerun from Culpepper on his second at-bat, making the game a one run game 4-3. Then Austin Martin doubled, driving home Victor Caratini, but Ryan Kreidler was thrown out at the plate. Still, it was a new game at 4-4. In the fifth, the offense continued with a string of singles that scored two, giving the Twins a 6-4 lead. But the Brewers were not giving up. They loaded the bases with no outs, and a sac-fly to Martin gave the Brewers a run back. Garrett Mitchell "singled" on a ground ball to Culpepper who was slow to deliver the ball to first base. That tied the game, but Matthews' fourth strikeout got the Twins out of the inning. The Twins responded. With two outs, Jeffers got his tenth double of the season. Lewis also doubled, scoring Jeffers. Then a sharp line drive double from Bell scored Lewis, and the Twins put up a two-spot for the fourth straight inning, taking the lead again 8-6. It appeared the momentum was not going to switch off and on, just back and forth. Tommy Nance replaced Mathews for the sixth inning, but not for production; Mathews came out of the game for a blister that had formed on his foot. Nance gave up a leadoff single, but retired the next two batters before being replaced by AJ Minter to face lefty Brice Turang who struck out to end the inning. Then the Twins revamped bullpen held the lead. Jeff Hoffman pitched the seventh, Andrew Morris pitched the eigtht, and Yoendrys Gomez got his sixteenth save in the ninth to help the Twins take the first win of the series. What’s Next? The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound (9-4, 3.69 ERA) facing Robert Gasser (LHP)(3-4, 4.48 ERA) at 6:10 Saturday night. They will again try to find their way into the last Wild Card spot, as they remained a half game behind the Texas Rangers, who also won on Friday. Postgame Interviews- 67 comments
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Image courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Box Score SP: Zebby Mathews 5 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (83 pitches, 50 strikes (66% strikes) Home Runs: Josh Bell (15), Kaelen Culpepper (1) 3 WPA: Josh Bell (0.32); Royce Lewis (0.15); Yeondrez Gomes (0.09) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Every game for the Twins has the pressure of competing for a postseason spot, as they entered today just a half-game out of the last Wild Card spot in the American League. But this game had an extra layer: after a long-awaited call-up, the Twins have promoted Kaelen Culpepper to the 26-man roster. Make the two extra layers: since Joe Ryan was placed on the 10-day injured list, Zebby Matthews returned to the rotation to try and finish his season on a strong note. The Twins threatened early but couldn't capitalize in the top of the first with a walk, a stolen base and a single. Milwaukee answered in the bottom half, with Brice Turang striking out before Jackson Chourio launched a solo home run to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. Milwaukee added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Christian Yelich singled and Luis Lara walked before a Royce Lewis fielding error allowed David Hamilton to reach and Yelich to score. Turang then delivered a two-run double, scoring Lara and Hamilton to push the Brewers' lead to 4-0. Chourio grounded out to end the inning, leaving Milwaukee with a commanding early advantage. But the Twins responded in their half of the third with a two-out, two-run home run from Josh Bell, scoring himself and Ryan Jeffers. Bell went four-for-five on the night as he shakes his midseason slump. Zebby stayed locked in after his rough start and worked quickly through the Brewers lineup and gave the offense every chance to keep the pressure on Milwaukee. The Twins took advantage of those clean innings from Mathews and struck back with a solo-homerun from Culpepper on his second at-bat, making the game a one run game 4-3. Then Austin Martin doubled, driving home Victor Caratini, but Ryan Kreidler was thrown out at the plate. Still, it was a new game at 4-4. In the fifth, the offense continued with a string of singles that scored two, giving the Twins a 6-4 lead. But the Brewers were not giving up. They loaded the bases with no outs, and a sac-fly to Martin gave the Brewers a run back. Garrett Mitchell "singled" on a ground ball to Culpepper who was slow to deliver the ball to first base. That tied the game, but Matthews' fourth strikeout got the Twins out of the inning. The Twins responded. With two outs, Jeffers got his tenth double of the season. Lewis also doubled, scoring Jeffers. Then a sharp line drive double from Bell scored Lewis, and the Twins put up a two-spot for the fourth straight inning, taking the lead again 8-6. It appeared the momentum was not going to switch off and on, just back and forth. Tommy Nance replaced Mathews for the sixth inning, but not for production; Mathews came out of the game for a blister that had formed on his foot. Nance gave up a leadoff single, but retired the next two batters before being replaced by AJ Minter to face lefty Brice Turang who struck out to end the inning. Then the Twins revamped bullpen held the lead. Jeff Hoffman pitched the seventh, Andrew Morris pitched the eigtht, and Yoendrys Gomez got his sixteenth save in the ninth to help the Twins take the first win of the series. What’s Next? The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound (9-4, 3.69 ERA) facing Robert Gasser (LHP)(3-4, 4.48 ERA) at 6:10 Saturday night. They will again try to find their way into the last Wild Card spot, as they remained a half game behind the Texas Rangers, who also won on Friday. Postgame Interviews View full article
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Twins 10, Guardians 6: Twins Bats Heat Up and Snap Four-Game Losing Streak
Sherry Cerny posted an article in Twins
Box Score SP: Bailey Ober - 4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (89 pitches, 57 strikes (64% strikes) Home Runs: Trevor Larnach (8); Brooks Lee (15) Top 3 WPA: Brooks Lee (0.32); Trevor Larnach (0.12); Travis Adams (0.11) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins and Guardians met Wednesday night for Game 3 of 4, with Minnesota looking to keep alive their chance to split the series and to snap a four-game losing streak. The game started with promise as Trevor Larnach crushed a 404-foot leadoff home run to right-center, giving the Twins an early 1-0 lead. Making just his third start since returning from the injured list, Bailey Ober wasn't getting shelled, but Cleveland did what it does best. The Guardians sat on his 80-mph changeup, blooping soft singles into the outfield and manufacturing runs. Singles from José Ramírez and Brayan Rocchio tied the game, before Cleveland small-balled its way to a 3-1 lead in the second. The Twins, however, answered with big ball. Alex Jackson doubled, Larnach worked a walk, and Brooks Lee drove in a run with a single. Josh Bell tied the game with an RBI groundout. Ober battled through a messy third without allowing a run, despite his pitch count continuing to climb. Minnesota took control in the fourth, and stayed there the rest of the game. Three straight singles put the Twins back in front by one, before Lee launched his 18th home run of the season to extend the lead to 7-3. That cushion would prove to be significant later in the game. Cleveland answered with one run in the bottom half, but Ober limited the damage. The fifth inning brought a scare, when Victor Caratini fouled a pitch off his right knee and was helped off the field. Ryan Kreidler replaced him, while Luke Keaschall worked an 11-pitch walk, but the Twins stranded the runners. (Caratini was later diagnosed with a right knee contusion, needing further testing.) The bullpen took over from Ober in the fifth inning. Usually an early visit to the bullpen is a recipe for disaster for the Twins, but Kody Funderburk tossed a scoreless inning before Travis Adams retired the side on just six pitches in the sixth and put up another goose egg in the seventh. The yeoman's work from those middle relievers gave the offense a much-needed opportunity to keep the pressure on. Minnesota added insurance in the late innings. After Ramírez committed an error, Matt Festa hit Keaschall with a pitch, and Trevor Larnach delivered a two-run single to put the game further out of reach at 9-4. The Guardians made a pitching change, but that didn’t save them. The Twins got one more in from Bell for a 10-4 lead. Andrew Morris came out in the eighth inning and immediately broke his 18-inning scoreless streak with a solo home run from Kyle Manzardo. Not as sharp as he might have been if the game were a little tighter, Morris put two more runners on base, but avoided further damage. Yoendrys Gómez closed down the game for the Twins. He faced the meat of the hosts' lineup, and while he gave up one run, there was never any real worry that the Guardians would come back. It was a sloppy game for Cleveland, but an impressive win for the Twins. What’s Next? The Twins finish the series and the road trip with a getaway day game at 12:10 pm CST. The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound (9-4, 3.85 ERA), facing Gavin Williams, then head home to make the most of one last push before the trade deadline. Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart- 72 comments
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Image courtesy of © David Richard-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Bailey Ober - 4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (89 pitches, 57 strikes (64% strikes) Home Runs: Trevor Larnach (8); Brooks Lee (15) Top 3 WPA: Brooks Lee (0.32); Trevor Larnach (0.12); Travis Adams (0.11) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins and Guardians met Wednesday night for Game 3 of 4, with Minnesota looking to keep alive their chance to split the series and to snap a four-game losing streak. The game started with promise as Trevor Larnach crushed a 404-foot leadoff home run to right-center, giving the Twins an early 1-0 lead. Making just his third start since returning from the injured list, Bailey Ober wasn't getting shelled, but Cleveland did what it does best. The Guardians sat on his 80-mph changeup, blooping soft singles into the outfield and manufacturing runs. Singles from José Ramírez and Brayan Rocchio tied the game, before Cleveland small-balled its way to a 3-1 lead in the second. The Twins, however, answered with big ball. Alex Jackson doubled, Larnach worked a walk, and Brooks Lee drove in a run with a single. Josh Bell tied the game with an RBI groundout. Ober battled through a messy third without allowing a run, despite his pitch count continuing to climb. Minnesota took control in the fourth, and stayed there the rest of the game. Three straight singles put the Twins back in front by one, before Lee launched his 18th home run of the season to extend the lead to 7-3. That cushion would prove to be significant later in the game. Cleveland answered with one run in the bottom half, but Ober limited the damage. The fifth inning brought a scare, when Victor Caratini fouled a pitch off his right knee and was helped off the field. Ryan Kreidler replaced him, while Luke Keaschall worked an 11-pitch walk, but the Twins stranded the runners. (Caratini was later diagnosed with a right knee contusion, needing further testing.) The bullpen took over from Ober in the fifth inning. Usually an early visit to the bullpen is a recipe for disaster for the Twins, but Kody Funderburk tossed a scoreless inning before Travis Adams retired the side on just six pitches in the sixth and put up another goose egg in the seventh. The yeoman's work from those middle relievers gave the offense a much-needed opportunity to keep the pressure on. Minnesota added insurance in the late innings. After Ramírez committed an error, Matt Festa hit Keaschall with a pitch, and Trevor Larnach delivered a two-run single to put the game further out of reach at 9-4. The Guardians made a pitching change, but that didn’t save them. The Twins got one more in from Bell for a 10-4 lead. Andrew Morris came out in the eighth inning and immediately broke his 18-inning scoreless streak with a solo home run from Kyle Manzardo. Not as sharp as he might have been if the game were a little tighter, Morris put two more runners on base, but avoided further damage. Yoendrys Gómez closed down the game for the Twins. He faced the meat of the hosts' lineup, and while he gave up one run, there was never any real worry that the Guardians would come back. It was a sloppy game for Cleveland, but an impressive win for the Twins. What’s Next? The Twins finish the series and the road trip with a getaway day game at 12:10 pm CST. The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound (9-4, 3.85 ERA), facing Gavin Williams, then head home to make the most of one last push before the trade deadline. Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart View full article
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Image courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images Box Score SP: Taj Bradley - 5 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (94 pitches, 59 strikes (72% strikes) Home Runs: Kody Clemens 2 (17, 18) Bottom 3 WPA: Taj Bradley (-0.31); Brooks Lee (-0.10); Austin Martin (-0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): The Twins headed into game two of their post-game schedule with Taj Bradley on the bump to hopefully continue a positive trend. The Twins would go without Royce Lewis who sat out today with a tight hamstring. The team didn't express a ton of concern on Lewis and he's considered day to day, The Cubs got on the board first with a scripted solo home run to Michael Busch on a fly ball off Bradley, putting them up 1-0. Need a clutch swing? Kody Clemens answered with his 17th bomb of the season, off the lefty Boyd no less, and tied it up like it was just another day at the office, leveling the score 1-1. Clemens has spent much of the season in the No. 3 spot, where his power and contribution is the largest impact. His ability to contribute home runs and drive in runs has helped strengthen the middle of the lineup, giving opposing pitchers another dangerous left-handed bat to navigate. In the second, third and fourth innings, Bradley’s command was patchy against the Cubs. Bradley would get to the second out and then labor. A two-out, two-run double in the second followed by back-to-back RBI singles with two outs in the third put the Twins in a 5-1 hole. Bradley was able to get through the fourth and fifth without much incident but by then the damage was done. While Bradley ran into trouble, Cubs starter Matt Boyd mostly cruised, holding the Twins to three hits and a walk through six innings. Minnesota's lineup could get nothing going outside of Clemens' lefty-on-lefty homer. Clemens added another homer, also against a lefty (old friend Caleb Thielbar) in the sixth, but that would be it for offensive output from the Twins. Mike Paredes and Kendry Rojas held things down in relief following Bradley's exit, combining to allow one run in three innings. This set up a potential comeback effort in the ninth, but the Twins botched their opportunity with some brutal base-running. Josh Bell led off with an infield single against Jordan Webb. Victor Caratini singled to put two on with nobody out. Brooks Lee then doubled into the gap, but an inexplicably horrible base-running decision from Bell led to two subsequent pickles, with Bell and Lee both getting tagged out on the bases. A possible bases-loaded, no-outs situation turned into one on, two outs, and that was that. The Twins are now back to one game back under .500 after spending a glorious 12 hours there. What’s Next? The Twins finish the series against the Cubs Sunday at 1:20 pm CST. The Twins will send Zebby Mathews to the mound (4-6, 4.57 ERA) facing Shota Imanaga (LHP)(5-8, 4.17 ERA). Postgame Interviews Bullpen Availability Chart View full article
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Box Score SP: Taj Bradley - 5 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (94 pitches, 59 strikes (72% strikes) Home Runs: Kody Clemens 2 (17, 18) Bottom 3 WPA: Taj Bradley (-0.31); Brooks Lee (-0.10); Austin Martin (-0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): The Twins headed into game two of their post-game schedule with Taj Bradley on the bump to hopefully continue a positive trend. The Twins would go without Royce Lewis who sat out today with a tight hamstring. The team didn't express a ton of concern on Lewis and he's considered day to day, The Cubs got on the board first with a scripted solo home run to Michael Busch on a fly ball off Bradley, putting them up 1-0. Need a clutch swing? Kody Clemens answered with his 17th bomb of the season, off the lefty Boyd no less, and tied it up like it was just another day at the office, leveling the score 1-1. Clemens has spent much of the season in the No. 3 spot, where his power and contribution is the largest impact. His ability to contribute home runs and drive in runs has helped strengthen the middle of the lineup, giving opposing pitchers another dangerous left-handed bat to navigate. In the second, third and fourth innings, Bradley’s command was patchy against the Cubs. Bradley would get to the second out and then labor. A two-out, two-run double in the second followed by back-to-back RBI singles with two outs in the third put the Twins in a 5-1 hole. Bradley was able to get through the fourth and fifth without much incident but by then the damage was done. While Bradley ran into trouble, Cubs starter Matt Boyd mostly cruised, holding the Twins to three hits and a walk through six innings. Minnesota's lineup could get nothing going outside of Clemens' lefty-on-lefty homer. Clemens added another homer, also against a lefty (old friend Caleb Thielbar) in the sixth, but that would be it for offensive output from the Twins. Mike Paredes and Kendry Rojas held things down in relief following Bradley's exit, combining to allow one run in three innings. This set up a potential comeback effort in the ninth, but the Twins botched their opportunity with some brutal base-running. Josh Bell led off with an infield single against Jordan Webb. Victor Caratini singled to put two on with nobody out. Brooks Lee then doubled into the gap, but an inexplicably horrible base-running decision from Bell led to two subsequent pickles, with Bell and Lee both getting tagged out on the bases. A possible bases-loaded, no-outs situation turned into one on, two outs, and that was that. The Twins are now back to one game back under .500 after spending a glorious 12 hours there. What’s Next? The Twins finish the series against the Cubs Sunday at 1:20 pm CST. The Twins will send Zebby Mathews to the mound (4-6, 4.57 ERA) facing Shota Imanaga (LHP)(5-8, 4.17 ERA). Postgame Interviews Bullpen Availability Chart
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Box Score SP: Connor Prielipp - 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K (83 pitches, 49 strikes (72% strikes) Home Runs: -0- Top 3 WPA: Kody Clemens (0.38), Alan Roden (0.32), Luke Keaschall (0.27) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Twins and Guardians got off to a slow start on Wednesday, with both pitchers looking locked-in early. It was a much-needed outing for rookie Connor Prielipp. Prielipp has been adjusting to the big leagues well, but he's taken his lumps, too. In June, he logged 28 1/3 innings and completed six frames in four of his five starts, but he still had a 4.76 ERA. Wednesday's outing was a huge test for the rookie. It would also prove to be an important night for Alan Roden, who appeared in the majors for the first time this year. Roden didn't make the team out of spring training and spent a significant chunk of the early season on the injured list for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. Then, he had to wait for an opportunity in the majors for some time, even as he hit well in St. Paul. When Byron Buxton went down with a hip strain this weekend, the door was finally opened for Roden's return to the team with whom he played briefly before going down for the season last August. Prielipp ran into some trouble in the fourth inning, giving up a leadoff single to Chase DeLauter and two subsequent home runs by Brayan Rocchio and Rhys Hoskins. Thereby, the Guardians jumped out to a 3-0 lead. The rookie threw quite a few pitches in the inning, but after a mound visit, he settled down and retired the next three batters in order to limit the damage. The Twins offense responded aggressively in the bottom of the fourth. Singles from Brooks Lee, Kody Clemens, and Josh Bell loaded the bases with nobody out. Royce Lewis followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1. A deep sacrifice fly to center by Luke Keaschall brought Clemens home, making it 3-2 with one out. Roden lined a single into center field to score Bell and tie the game at 3-3. The Twins still had a chance to take the lead, but Cleveland made a pitching change that shut the door on the rally. Prieplipp kept Cleveland off the board through the fifth. Travis Adams took over in the sixth and delivered a quick, scoreless inning in relief. Not bringing Adams back out was an interesting choice, but with limited options available, Eric Orze entered to pitch the seventh. Orze labored through 16 pitches, only recording one out and leaving two runners on base without finishing the inning. Taylor Rogers came in to get the final two outs. But instead, he surrendered two runs, allowing Cleveland to reclaim the lead, 5-3. Again, though, Minnesota responded, with lots of help from Guardians relievers. Cleveland walked five Twins batters (Keaschall, Ryan Kreidler, pinch-hitter Austin Martin, Lee and Clemens), forcing home the tying runs. It's been an incredibly sloppy series for the usually buttoned-up Guardians. The Twins couldn't blow the game open, but they'd re-tied the game again, thanks to their opponents. Kody Funderburk worked a scoreless eighth. He surrendered two singles, but stayed in the zone and struck out the other three batters he faced, avoiding giving back the favors the visitors had just done for the hosts. In what became an impromptu bullpen game for Cleveland, the Twins found lots of opposing hurlers easy to handle. Victor Caratini and Keaschall started the bottom of the eighth with a single and a double, respectively, and it looked like Minnesota would finally break through. But Cleveland turned to their relief ace, Cade Smith, who slammed the door on the rally: strikeout, strikeout, walk, flyout. The teams went to the final frame on level terms. Yoendrys Gómez worked a relatively stress-free top of the ninth. He did walk a batter, but things didn't get terribly hairy. In the bottom half of the frame, Clemens reached on (officially) a single that was hit right at Rocchio, who inexplicably went to the ground and then threw from the seat of his pants. The result was a throw on an in-between hop to first baseman Rhys Hoskins, who let himself be handcuffed. Josh Bell struck out, though, and Royce Lewis hit what was nearly an inning-ending double play. Happily, he beat it out, setting the stage for Alex Jackson. The team's backup backstop hit a cue shot to the right side, but weird spin off the end of the bat led to a crazy hop that second baseman Travis Bazzana couldn't handle. Keaschall worked a tough at-bat and drew a key walk after that, loading the bases. Up stepped Roden, who'd missed his last chance to win the game in the bottom of the eighth. He worked a full count and fouled off multiple pitches, but then: BANG. He came through with a gapper to right-center, scoring the winning tally and setting off the celebration. How can you not be romantic about baseball? What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series against the Guardians Thursday at 12:40 pm CST. The Twins will send Mike Paredes to the mound (0-2, 4.60 ERA), facing Cleveland ace Gavin Williams (9-4, 3.89 ERA) during a day game. Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart
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