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Blog Entries posted by Matt Johnson

  1. Matt Johnson
    Here is the Twins Almanac for the week of February 12-18. Former Twins pitchers Kevin Tapani and Cole De Vries celebrate birthdays this week, as well as a pair of big leaguers who played their high school ball in Minnesota, Don Arlich and Brian Denman. And it was this week in 1973 that the Twins revealed 27-year-old infielder Danny Thompson's leukemia diagnosis.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/denman_zpseevl08jd.jpg

     

    February 12
    Happy 61st Birthday to Brian Denman


     
    It’s the birthday of 1974 Richfield High School graduate and University of Minnesota alumnus Brian Denman, born in Minneapolis in 1956. Denman was drafted by Boston in the first round of the 1978 January secondary phase.
     
    Denman was a hot prospect in the Red Sox organization, winning 30 games in his first two minor league seasons, and 51 between 1978 and ‘82. His numbers, however, were significantly stronger at Double-A than Triple-A. Denman made his major league debut on August 2, 1982. He would make nine starts for the Red Sox during his only big league season, going 3-4 with a 4.78 ERA. The highlight of his call-up was a complete game shutout vs. Dave Righetti at Yankee Stadium.
     
    In addition to being one heckuva baseball player at Richfield, Denman was a standout member of the Spartans’ 1972 state champion and '73 and '74 state runner-up basketball teams. These days Denman makes his home in Buffalo, NY.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/devries_zps6amzpj56.jpg

     

    February 12
    Happy 32nd Birthday to Cole De Vries


     
    It’s the birthday of 2003 Eden Prairie graduate, University of Minnesota alumnus and former Twins pitcher Cole De Vries, born in St. Louis Park in 1985. De Vries played three seasons for the Gophers before signing with the Twins as an amateur free agent in 2006. He made his major league debut starting against the White Sox in Chicago on May 24, 2012, allowing six runs on six hits and a walk over five innings, earning the loss. It was a rude welcome to the show as A.J. Pierzynski, Paul Konerko and Alex Rios each took him deep. Mauer and Morneau homered for the Twins in the 11-8 loss.
     
    De Vries pitched in 17 games for the Twins in 2012, starting 16 of them, compiling a 5-5 record with a 4.11 ERA. He earned his first and second major league wins in his third and fourth starts, but would not win again until reeling off three consecutive victories in his final three starts of the season.
     
    De Vries struggled in four September appearances in 2013. He was granted free agency following the season and did not sign with another team. De Vries still lives in Eden Prairie.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/Arlich_Don_zpsb9ehudvq.jpg

     

    February 15
    Happy 74th Birthday to St. Paul North Grad Don Arlich


     
    It’s the birthday of 1961 St. Paul North High School graduate and former Houston Astros pitcher Don Arlich, born in Wayne, Michigan in 1943.
     
    Arlich went 15-0 for the State Champion North High Polars as a senior in 1961. One of his teammates at St. Paul North was Twins curator Clyde Doepner.
     
    Arlich signed with Houston out of high school. He made one start for the Astros on October 2, 1965, the second to last game of the season. He made seven relief appearances in 1966. He stuck it out in the minors until 1969, playing his final two and a half seasons in the Braves’ organization.
     
    Arlich had lived in Cottage Grove for quite a few years, but I believe he may now live in St. Paul. Perhaps you know?
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20170204_130339_zpsv9clndgk.jpg

     

    February 16, 1973
    Twins Announce Danny Thompson’s Leukemia Diagnosis


     
    The Twins announce that 27-year-old infielder Danny Thompson has been diagnosed with chronic granulocytic leukemia. Doctors say that the disease is in an early stage, and should not affect Thompson for about five years.
    The Twins drafted Thompson out of Oklahoma State in 1968 in the first round of the June Secondary Phase. He made his MLB debut on June 25, 1970 and never went back down to the farm.
     
    Thompson was involved in contentious contract negotiations with old man Griffith in ‘76. Calvin Griffith refused to give the infielder a fair price, insisting that no other team would even offer someone with cancer a contract at all. So on June 1, 1976 he was packaged with Bert Blyleven and shipped to Texas in exchange for Roy Smalley, Mike Cubbage, and pitchers Bill Singer and Jim Gideon. Thompson struggled in Texas.
     
    He passed away at the Mayo Clinic on December 10, 1976, just 69 games after playing his final major league game. He was 29 years old.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/tapani.91t_zpsht4opcbb.jpg

     

    February 18
    Happy 53rd Birthday to Kevin Tapani


     
    It’s the birthday of Kevin Tapani, born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1964.
     
    Tapani won 75 games for the Twins between 1989 and 1995. He had double digit wins of each of his five full seasons in Minnesota. To put that in perspective, Tyler Duffey led the 2016 Twins with 9 wins.
     
    Tapani had his best season in 1991, going 16-9 with a 2.99 ERA. He actually led the World Series Champion Twins in WAR with 6.8 (as calculated by Baseball Reference). May 15, 1991 was not one of his best games as the Brewers’ Paul Molitor went 5-for-5 off of Tapani at the Dome, hitting for the cycle.
     
    Tapani was involved in two July 31st trades. He originally came to the Twins on July 31, 1989 with Rick Aguilera, David West, Tim Drummond and Jack Savage in exchange for ‘87 World Series MVP Frank Viola. On July 31, 1995, Tapani and Mark Guthrie were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for four players including Ron Coomer.
     
    Kevin Tapani makes his home in Wayzata, MN. Wish him a happy birthday if you see him.
     
    1991 WAR (as calculated by Baseball Reference)
    Kevin Tapani 6.8
    Shane Mack 5.0
    Scott Erickson 4.5
    Jack Morris 4.3
    Kirby Puckett 4.3
    Chili Davis 3.3
    Chuck Knoblauch 2.8
    Kent Hrbek 2.7
    Mike Pagliarulo 2.7
    Greg Gagne 2.5
     
    Keep in touch with @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter and Facebook.
  2. Matt Johnson
    And here is the Labor Day weekend edition of the Twins Almanac. While you're reading this I'll be attending my first State Fair of the millennium. Expect the next Almanac to read like it was written by someone five pounds fatter.
     

    September 3, 1971



    Eric Soderholm’s Eventful MLB Debut


     
    Making his major league debut versus Oakland at home at Met Stadium in Bloomington, Eric Soderholm homered off of Diego Segui in just his second big league at-bat. A closer look at the game, though, reveals that Soderholm’s debut was even more eventful that it appears at first-glance.
     
    He reached on a fielder’s choice ground-out in his very first major league at-bat. He moved up to second on a Phil Roof single. Pitcher Jim Perry then singled to right and Soderholm was thrown out at the plate by Reggie Jackson for the second out of the inning.
     
    With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth, Soderholm came up with runners on second and third and one out. In just his third major league at-bat, Soderholm was intentionally walked to load the bases. Oakland brought Mudcat Grant in from the bullpen to pitch to Phil Roof with the bases loaded. The Twins, however, called upon Harmon Killebrew who hit a pinch-hit grand slam driving in Steve Brye, Steve Braun and Soderholm.
     
    In his fourth and final at-bat, Soderholm was hit-by-pitch to load the bases, but George Mitterwald struck-out to end the threat.
     
    The Twins beat the first-place Athletics 9-4. Soderholm had been on base in each of his first four major league at-bats. In addition to homering in his first major league game, he was thrown out at home by one Hall of Famer and scored on another Hall of Famer’s grand slam. What a memorable debut.
     

    September 3, 1990



    Mark Guthrie Complete Game Shutout


     
    In the first game of a doubleheader in Milwaukee, Mark Guthrie pitched a complete game 4-hit shutout. The Twins won 6-0. It was the major league debut of Brewers catcher Tim McIntosh, a Hopkins High School and University of Minnesota alumnus. He went 0-for-3. Fellow Golden Gopher Paul Molitor went 0-for-4 against Guthrie. Kirby Puckett went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and 2 runs scored. Pedro Munoz, who had made his major league debut two days earlier, went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
     
    Check out the first six Brewers batters in game two, with a combined 31 All-Star selections between them: Paul Molitor (7), Robin Yount (3), Gary Sheffield (9), Dave Parker (7), B.J. Surhoff (1) and Greg Vaughn (4).
     
    The fact that Robin Yount was only selected to three All-Star teams is always a little startling. He wasn’t even an All-Star in 1989 when he was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player. The only other American Leaguer to win MVP without being named an All-Star that season was Hank Greenberg in 1935.
     

    September 3, 2006



    Bert Blyleven Said a Naughty Word on Television


     
    Bert Blyleven had a tough time with a pre-game segment that he thought was being taped. “We’re gonna do this f*cking thing over again,” Bert said, “‘cause I just f*cked it up,” to which Anthony LaPanta said “well we’re live.”
     
    Bert would enjoy a five-game vacation.
     


    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/Gagne.Score91WS_zpsk4x8yotk.jpg

     

    September 4, 2010



    Greg Gagne Inducted into Twins Hall of Fame


     
    The Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame inducted its 22nd member, Greg Gagne, who played shortstop for the Twins from 1983-’92 before spending his final five seasons with the Royals and Dodgers.
     
    Gagne originally came to the Twins from the Yankees in the Ron Davis/Roy Smalley trade. On October 4, 1986 Gagne hit two inside-the-park home runs against the White Sox at the Metrodome. As a personal aside, I think an error should have been charged on 99% of inside-the-park home runs.
     
    Gagne, never a power hitter, hit 4 postseason home runs between 1987 and ‘91. He hit two in the ‘87 ALCS vs. Detroit and one in each World Series. Probably his most memorable was a game-winning three-run home run in Game One of the 1991 World Series off of Charlie Liebrandt. It was Leibrandt who also gave up Kirby’s Game Six walk-off home run.
     
    After the induction ceremony, the first-place Twins hosted the first-place Rangers, with the Twins winning 12-4. Carl Pavano picked the the 16th of his 17 wins on the season. Matt Tolbert had 2 triples and drove in 5 runs. And Jim Thome hit a pair of home runs, passing Mark McGwire for ninth most all-time.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/discodan_zpsoiuveo4r.jpg

     

    September 5, 1978



    "Disco" Dan Earns His Nickname


     
    In a 4-3 home loss to the Larry Doby-managed White Sox, "Disco" Dan Ford earned his nickname. Ask @RoySmalley5 how.
     
    And keep in touch with @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  3. Matt Johnson
    And here is the Twins Almanac for Monday, August 29 to Friday, September 2, 2016. Mrs. Johnson broke the internet at my folks' place where we're staying, so I'm posting this from across the pasture at my sister's house. I kind of forgot about this whole humidity thing here in Minnesota. It's alright, though, I'm just pretending I'm on safari.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/killebrewallison_zpsq2qqq1gi.jpg

     

    August 29, 1963
    Twins Hit 12 Home Runs


     
    The Twins hit a team record 8 home runs in the first game of a doubleheader in Washington, DC. Vic Power and Harmon Killebrew each hit a pair, with Bob Allison, Jimmie Hall, Bernie Allen, and Rich Rollins connecting for the other four. First baseman Power went 4-for-6 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored. Killebrew, playing left field, was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs in the 14-2 Twins win. The Twins would hit another 4 home runs in the second game.
     

    August 29, 1987



    Kirby Puckett Has Himself a Day


     
    Kirby Puckett goes 4-for-5 with 2 HRs in Milwaukee. The best is yet to come.
     

    August 29, 1990



    Greg Gagne Has Himself a Day


     
    Greg Gagne went 2-for-4 with a HR and 3 stolen bases including home plate in a 6-1 Twins win over the White Sox at home in the Dome. Gagne only had 5 steals coming into the game. Gene Larkin, playing right field, went 3-for-4 with a run scored.
     
    Mark Guthrie, meanwhile, pitched the complete game allowing just the 1 run on 5 hits and a walk.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/ortiztimberrattlers_zpsb9rc0abc.jpg

     

    August 29, 1996



    Twins Trade Dave Hollins for David Ortiz


     
    The Twins traded veteran third baseman Dave Hollins to the Mariners in exchange for hot prospect David Ortiz who was hitting .322 with 18 HR and 93 RBI in 129 games with the Class A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at the time of the trade.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/koosman_zpstztj0och.jpg

     

    August 30, 1981



    Twins Trade Jerry Koosman


     
    The Twins trade Appleton, MN-native Jerry Koosman to the White Sox for outfielder Randy Johnson and two others.
     

    August 30, 1987
    Kirby’s 10-for-11 Weekend


     
    Kirby Puckett collects a team-record 6 hits in 6 at-bats including 2 HRs and 2 doubles in a 10-6 win in Milwaukee. Puckett had gone 4-for-5 with 2 HRs the day before, making him 10-for-11 with 6 RBI and 7 runs scored on the weekend. He had gone 0-for-4 on Friday in the first game of the series, a 1-0 Twins loss. 10 hits in two games tied a major league record.
     
    Kirby also had 6 hits in an extra-inning game in 1991. No other Twin has ever had a 6-hit game.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/baylor_zpsse3vlmci.jpg

     

    August 31, 1987
    Pennant-Chasing Twins Acquire Big Bat


     
    The Twins acquired veteran slugger Don Baylor from the Red Sox in exchange for minor league pitcher Enrique Rios. It was the Twins seventh trade of the season. They had acquired Tom Nieto, Jeff Reardon, Al Newman and Dan Gladden in pre-season trades, Joe Niekro and Dan Schatzeder in June, and Steve Carlton in July.
     

    August 31, 1993
    Munoz HR Ends Record-Length Game


     
    The Twins trailed Cleveland 4-2 with two out in the bottom of the ninth when Terry Jorgenson hit a double, driving in David McCarty. Thirteen innings later, in the bottom of the 22nd, Pedro Munoz ended the longest game in Twins history with a walk-off home run. Munoz crossed the plate at 1:22 AM. The game lasted 6 hours and 17 minutes. Brian Harper went 4-for-8.
     

    August 31, 1994
    Twins Deal Dave Winfield


     
    In the midst of the ‘94 strike the Twins sent future-Hall of Famer, St. Paul-native Dave Winfield to the Cleveland club for straight cash, homey.
     

    August 31, 2003



    Twins Acquire 46-Year-Old Jesse Orosco


     
    The Twins acquired 46-year-old pitcher Jesse Orosco from the Yankees. He would pitch 4.2 over 8 games for the Twins, the ninth and final team he would pitch for in his 24-year career. Orosco made his major league debut in 1979, meaning he pitched in four decades.
     
    Nobody in major league history has pitched in more games than Jesse Orosco (1,252).
     

    August 31, 2005



    Twins Get 13 Hits, Do Not Score


     
    The Twins collected 13 hits, 2 walks and a reached-on-error for a grand total of 16 base runners and still managed to lose to the Royals 1-0 at Kaufman Stadium.
     
    Starting pitcher Kyle Lohse pitched 7 innings of shutout ball, allowing only 3 hits. The game was still scoreless entering the bottom of the ninth when former Twin Denny Hocking hit a lead-off single off reliever Matt Guerrier. Facing Terry Mulholland, Emil Brown drove-in Hocking for a walk-off Royals win.
     

    August 31, 2007



    Scott Baker Flirts with Perfect Game


     
    Scott Baker had a perfect game going against the Royals at home in the Dome when he walked catcher John Buck leading off the ninth. Two batters later he allowed a one-out single to pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney. That was all the offense the Royals would muster, though, as Baker completed the 1-hit shutout for a 5-0 Twins win.
     

    September 1, 1972



    Rod Carew Steals Home for the Win


     
    With the Twins and Cleveland tied 4-4 with two out in the bottom of the tenth, Rod Carew stole home for the walk-off (or run-off) win. Rod Carew would steal home 17 times in his career.
     
    Right fielder Bobby Darwin drove in the Twins’ first 4 runs. He was 4-for-4 with a HR and double when he struck out with the bases loaded and one out in the tenth.
     

    September 1, 1992
    Rick Aguilera Becomes Twins All-Time Saves Leader


     
    Rick Aguilera pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve a 5-4 Twins win at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. It was Aggie’s 35th save of the season and 109th of his Twins career, surpassing Ron Davis as the Twins’ all-time leader.
     
    Aguilera would go on to save 254 games in a Twins uniform. He saved 42 games for the Twins’ 1991 World Series champion team.
    In total, Aguilera earned 318 major league saves. He saved 7 games for the ‘89 Mets, 20 during his brief stint with Boston in 1995, and 37 for the Chicago Cubs between 1999 and 2000, his final season.
    Joe Nathan surpassed Aguilera as the Twins’ all-time saves leader in 2011. Nathan finished his Twins career with 260 saves before signing with the Rangers following the 2011 season. He was an All-Star with Texas in 2012 and ‘13, saving a combined 80 games those two seasons and another 35 for Detroit in 2014.
     

    September 2, 1965



    Bob Allison Strikes Out 5 Times in 5 At-Bats


     
    The Twins 5-hitter, left fielder Bob Allison, went 0-for-5 with 5 strikeouts in a 5-4 home loss to the Tigers. Tigers leadoff hitter, Bloomington High School and University of Minnesota alumnus George Thomas, went 4-for-5 with 3 runs scored. Thomas doubled off of Nimrod, MN-native Dick Stigman leading off the top of the ninth.
     
    The major league record for strikeouts in a game is six. Six players have done so. Only Alex Gonzalez (2009) did it in just 6 plate appearances. The most recent to do so, Geoff Jenkins in 2008, had 7 plate appearances. The other four came to the plate eight times in their respective games.
     
    Sammy Sosa had four 5-K games in his steroid-addled career. Ray Lankford had three such games, and Jim Thome had two.
     
    Ryan Howard is the all-time leader with 27 4-strikeout games, followed by Reggie Jackson (23) and Jim Thome (20).
  4. Matt Johnson
    And here is the Twins Almanac for the weekend of August 27-28, 2016. Mrs. Johnson and I have been busy getting settled here in Minnesota. It's good to be back after a decade out west. Look for a fresh batch of Twins trivia by open of business Monday.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160810_105324_zpsinrwxudh.jpg
     

    August 27



    Happy 46th Birthday, Jim Thome


     
    It’s the birthday of Jim Thome, born in 1970 in Peoria, IL. He had already hit 564 home runs when he signed with the Minnesota Twins prior to the 2010 season. He hit a dramatic walk-off home run on August 17, 2010, the first Twins walk-off hit at Target Field. On August 15, 2011 Thome hit two opposite field home runs in Detroit, the 599th and 600th of his career. The Twins sold him to Cleveland 10 days later. In total he hit 40 home runs as a Twin.
     
    Thome, whose final season was 2012, officially retired on August 2, 2014 with 612 home runs. He hit 61 home runs against the Twins. The only team he more against was Detroit, 66.
     
    Jim Thome is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2018.
     

    August 27, 1975



    Kusick Ties Record, Blyleven Hurls Gem


     
    Craig Kusick tied a major league record by being beaned three times in the Twins’ game versus the Brewers in Milwaukee. That record stands to this day. Bert Blyleven, meanwhile, pitched an 11-inning shutout as the Twins won 1-0.
     
    Don Baylor, incidentally, owns the American League record for times hit-by-pitch in a career. He was beaned 267 times in his career played entirely in the AL. He was beaned four times while played for the 1987 World Series-champion Twins.
     

    August 27, 2012



    Mauer Passes Battey for Most Games Caught


     
    Joe Mauer caught his 832nd game, surpassing Earl Battey for most games caught in Twins history. Battey played for Minnesota from 1961-’67.
     
    The game versus Seattle at Target Field was a pitchers duel between Felix Hernandez and rookie Liam Hendricks who would go the distance allowing only 3 hits. The Twins could only muster 5 hits off of Herndandez, with Mauer hitting a two-out single to center in the fourth. With the game still scoreless, Justin Morneau led-off the bottom of the seventh with a triple but was stranded there as three straight Twins batters grounded out.
     
    With Hendricks pitching a 2-hit shutout into the eighth, Seattle’s Eric Thames hit a leadoff home run and Seattle went on to win 1-0, with both Hendricks and Hernandez pitching complete games.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/Laudner.82D.89DAS_zpsl4ir6evw.jpg
     

    August 28, 1981



    Tim Laudner Homers in MLB Debut


     
    1976 Park Center High School graduate Tim Laudner homered in his major league debut, a 6-0 Twins win versus the Tigers in Bloomington.
     
    Laudner singled in his first MLB at-bat leading off the third and worked a walk in his second at-bat. In the seventh inning, in his third big league at-bat, Laudner hit a home run driving in Gary Ward. He popped out to the catcher in his final at-bat.
     
    Minnesota-native Jerry Koosman entered the game in the seventh inning, earning a seven-out save.
     
    Laudner hit his second major league home run the following day against Tigers pitcher Dan Schatzeder who would later win game 6 of the 1987 World Series for the Twins. Laudner had hit a whopping 42 home runs at AA Orlando in ‘81. The 44 he hit in total between the minors and majors led all of professional baseball.
     
    Laudner was one of three Twins to homer in his major league debut in 1981. Just four days earlier Kent Hrbek -- who, like Laudner, had also played his high school ball in the Twin Cities area -- hit a twelfth-inning home run in his major league debut off of George Frazier at Yankee Stadium. Frazier, like Schatzeder, would also go on to pitch for the ‘87 Twins.
     
    On September 20th, Gary Gaetti homered in his first major league at-bat.
     
    Keep in touch with @@TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  5. Matt Johnson
    August 20, 1961
    Two Twins Pitchers Homer in Same Game


     
    Twins starting pitcher Jack Kralick and reliever Al Schroll both hit solo home runs vs. the Angels at Los Angeles’s Wrigley Field. The Twins, incidentally, won by 2 runs, 9-7.
    Twins center fielder Lenny Green homered to lead-off the game. Bloomington High School graduate George Thomas tied the game for the Angels with an RBI single in the second. The Angels went on to build a 3-1 lead in the inning. Then, leading off the third inning, Twins pitcher Jack Kralick pulled a home run to right. Lenny Green then made it back-to-back to tie the game at 3-3.
     
    The Twins scored 3 to take a 6-3 lead in the fourth. Kralick, however, gave all 3 runs back in the bottom of the inning, including back-to-back home runs by Earl Averill and future-Golden Gophers head coach George Thomas to lead-off the inning. Kralick was out after 3 ⅔ innings having allowed 6 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks.
     
    Twins reliever Al Schroll was solid in relief, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits in 4 ⅓ innings. He also pulled a home run to left to lead-off the eighth inning.
     
    Ray Moore came in in the ninth to convert his 11th save of the season.
     

     
     

    August 21, 1965
    Nothing Happened Today…


     
    …unless you count the Beatles concert at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.
     

     
     

    August 22
    Happy 60th Birthday, Paul Molitor


     
    It’s the birthday of Paul Molitor, born in 1956 in St. Paul, MN. Molitor graduated from Cretin High School in 1974 and attended the University of Minnesota from 1975-’77 where he was an All-American his final two seasons. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the third overall pick in the 1977 draft behind Harold Baines and Bill Gullickson, who was born in Marshall, MN but attended high school in Joliet, IL. In 1978 Molitor was runner-up to Detroit’s Lou Whitaker for American League Rookie of the Year.
     
    Molitor set a World Series record with 5 hits in game 1 of the ‘82 Series which the St. Louis Cardinals won in seven games. He played 15 seasons for Milwaukee before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays following the 1992 season. In ‘93, at age 37, Molitor had his first 100-RBI season, collecting 111. He was the 1993 World Series MVP, hitting .500 (12-for-24) with 2 HRs and 10 runs scored, tying the record set by Reggie Jackson in 1977.
     
    Molitor signed with the Twins for the 1996 season, when, at age 40, he hit .341, collected 113 RBI and led the American League with 225 hits.
     
    Molitor retired following the 1998 season with 3,319 hits and 504 stolen bases. He was only the sixth player in major league history with at least 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases following Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Eddie Collins, Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson. Ichiro has since joined the club.
     
    Paul Molitor was inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Dennis Eckersley on July 25, 2004. It was Molitor’s first year of eligibility. 85.2% of Hall of Fame voters voted for Molitor, meaning a staggering 75 members of the BBWAA were complete ignoramuses.
     
    Molitor was named Twins manager prior to the 2015 season.
     
     

    August 22, 1975
    Dave McKay Homers in First MLB At-Bat


     
    With the Twins and Tigers tied 1-1 at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Dave McKay, in his first major league at-bat, led-off the bottom of the third with a home run off the Tigers’ Vern Ruhle. Ruhle’s rookie card is 1975 Topps #614, which he shares with Edina High School and University of Minnesota alumnus Paul Siebert. It is the only major league baseball card on which Siebert appears.
     
    The Twins won 8-4 with 1967 Rothsay High School graduate Dave Goltz earning an ugly win, giving up 4 runs on 9 hits in just 5 innings pitched.
     
    McKay was the second of six Twins to homer in their first major league at-bat: Rick Renick, McKay, Gary Gaetti, Luke Hughes and Eddie Rosario.
     
     

    August 22, 2014
    Twins Win 20-6 at Target Field


     
    The Twins beat the Tigers 20-6, the first time the Twins had scored 20+ runs at Target Field. Center fielder Danny Santana, batting leadoff, went 3-for-6 with a walk, 4 RBI and 2 runs scored. Trevor Plouffe also went 3-for-6 with 3 RBI and 4 runs scored. Santana and Plouffe homered, as did Eduardo Escobar.
     
    Despite the lopsided victory, the Twins used six pitchers, with Tommy Milone being knocked out in the fifth after giving up 5 runs on 10 hits, including a home run to Ian Kinsler leading off the game.
     

     
     

    August 23, 1977
    Dave Goltz Pitches 1-Hit Shutout


     
    Rothsay, MN-native Dave Goltz pitched a 1-hit shutout versus Boston at home in Bloomington. The only hit Goltz allowed was a Jim Rice single over a leaping Roy Smalley leading off the fourth. Goltz also walked 3 while striking out 10.
     
    The Twins won the game 7-0, scoring 5 runs against 1991 Hall of Fame-inductee Fergie Jenkins who lasted only 4 ⅓ innings. Rod Carew, also elected to the Hall in ‘91, homered off Jenkins in the first inning. All nine Twins batters had at least one hit.
     
     

    August 23, 2005
    Twins Win on One Hit


     
    The White Sox’s Freddy Garcia had a no-hitter going into the eighth inning at the Metrodome when Jacque Jones hit a leadoff home run. It was the only hit that Garcia would allow. Johan Santana, meanwhile, allowed just 3 hits over 8 innings, and, more importantly, did not allow a run. Joe Nathan held the pale hose hitless in the ninth for a 1-0, 1-hit Twins win. It was the second time the Twins have won on 1 hit.
     
    This has happened at least 65 times since 1914. The Yankees won on 1 hit on May 29, 2016. David Schoenfield wrote an interesting Sweet Spot blog post on 1-hit wins.
     

     
     

    August 23, 2009
    Michael Cuddyer Hits 2 HRs in Same Inning


     
    The Twins and Royals were tied 1-1 entering the top of the seventh at Kauffman Stadium when Michael Cuddyer hit a leadoff home run off Kansas City starter Brian Bannister. Delmon Young, Denard Span and Orlando Cabrera combined to drive in 5 more runs before Cuddyer came up again, this time with Joe Mauer on first, and homered for the second time in the inning. The third place Twins would go on to win 10-3. They, of course, would finish the 162-game schedule in a tie with Detroit before winning the division in game 163.
     
    Cuddyer is the only Twin to homer twice in the same inning. There have been 59 occurrences in major league history. The first was the Braves’ Charley Jones in 1880. The most recent was Mark Trumbo on April 15, 2016. Andre Dawson did it twice, first in 1978 and again in 1985. Pittsburgh’s Jeff King did so in ‘95 and ‘96. Two switch-hitters have homered from each side of the plate in the same inning: the Cubs’ Mark Bellhorn in 2002, and Cleveland’s Carlos Baerga in 1993. The Cardinals’ Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in the same inning on April 23, 1999.
     

     
     

    August 24, 1981
    Kent Hrbek Homers in MLB Debut


     
    In his major league debut at Yankee Stadium, 1979 Bloomington Kennedy graduate Kent Hrbek hit a 12th-inning home run off of George Frazier, giving the Twins a 3-2 victory. He also hit an RBI single in the fifth, tying the game at 1-1 at the time.
     
    Hrbek made the jump to Yankee Stadium straight from Class A Visalia (California League) where he was hitting .379 with 27 HRs and 111 RBI.
     
    Hrbek was the first of three Twins to homer in their major league debut in less than a month. Four days later Tim Laudner would do so. And on September 20th Gary Gaetti homered in his first big league at-bat.
     
     

    August 25, 1967
    Dean Chance Pitches No-Hitter


     
    In the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland, Dean Chance pitched the second no-hitter in Twins history.
     
    Interestingly, Cleveland led the game 1-0 with 1 out in the bottom of the first. Chance walked the first two batters of the game before getting a strikeout for the first out. Cleveland’s cleanup hitter reached on an error to load the bases. Chance then unleashed a wild pitch, allowing Cleveland to score without the benefit of a hit. Chance would issue 5 walks in the game but not allow a hit. He struck out 8 as the Twins won 2-1.
     
    Chance had pitched a rain-shortened five-inning perfect game on August 6th. Though Major League Baseball considers a game official after five innings, in 1991 MLB dictated that a pitcher only gets credit for a no-hitter if the game goes the full nine innings. This rule was enacted retroactively, and, therefore, Chance and 35 other pitchers had no-hitters wiped from the record books.
     
    In high school in Ohio, Chance pitched 17 no-hitters (I’ve also read 18), including 8 in one season. He posted a 52-1 high school record.
     
     

    August 25, 2008
    Twins Trade Mark Hamburger for Eddie Guardado


     
    The Twins traded minor league pitcher Mark Hamburger to Texas for veteran reliever Eddie Guardado. Hamburger was born in St. Paul in 1987, graduated from Mounds View High School and attended Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in Virginia, MN before signing with the Twins in 2007. Hamburger made 5 relief appearances for the Rangers in 2011. He currently pitches for the St. Paul Saints.
     
    Guardado made his major league debut with the Twins in 1993. He pitched for the team until 2003, leading the league with 45 saves in 2002 and representing the Twins at the 2002 and ‘03 All-Star Games. He signed with the Mariners after the ‘03 season. Guardado only pitched in 9 games in his 2008 return to the Twins. He re-signed with the Rangers following the season.
     
    Eddie Guardado pitched in more games than any other pitcher in Twins history, and it’s not even close. “Everyday” Eddie appeared in 648 games for Minnesota. Rick Aguilera is second at 490.
     
    Guardado was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2013. He was named Twins bullpen coach prior to the 2015 season.
     
     

    August 26, 1962
    First No-Hitter in Twins History


     
    Jack Kralick pitched the first no-hitter in Twins history versus the Kansas City Athletics at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. The Twins won 1-0. Their only run came in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bernie Allen singled to right leading off the inning. Zoilo Versalles then laid down a sacrifice bunt. Kansas City tried and failed to get the lead runner at second with Versalles reaching on the fielder’s choice. Pitcher Jack Kralick then sacrificed the runners up a base. With a runner on third and one out, Lenny Green hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the Twins’ only run of the game.
     
    Kralick had a perfect game going into the ninth inning when he issued a one-out walk. He completed the no-hitter having thrown 97 pitches, striking out 3. Right fielder Bob Allison robbed Kansas City’s Ed Charles of a home run in the fourth.
     

    The End


     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac on Facebook.
  6. Matt Johnson
    The Twins Almanac for August 13-19


     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160810_105206_zpsixc8dcyp.jpg

     
    And here is the first full-fledged Twins Almanac in awhile. In my absence from Twins Daily, many of you have been keeping in touch on Twitter, with over 1,000 new people following @TwinsAlmanac over the past month. It's good to be back writing posts of greater than 140 characters, though. This was a fun week in Twins history to write about. My childhood hero Kent Hrbek's number 14 was retired this week in 1995, Tom Kelly's 66th birthday is this week, and Jim Thome hit two very memorable home runs.
     
    In other news, after nearly a decade in Seattle (and lately Bellingham...) I'm moving back to Minnesota next week, and I'm bringing Mrs. Almanac with me. We are expecting our rookie to make it's debut in January. I'm sure we'll make it out to Target Field a time or two before winter sets in. Hopefully we'll be seeing you.
     

    August 13
    Happy 81st Birthday, Mudcat Grant


     
    It’s the birthday of Jim “Mudcat” Grant, born in 1935 in Lacoochee, FL. Grant had a 14-year major league career spanning from 1958 to 1971. The Twins acquired Grant in a trade with Cleveland on June 15, 1964. He was an All-Star in ‘65 and finished sixth in American League Most Valuable Player balloting. He led the league with 21 wins and 6 shutouts. He also tied with St. Louis’s Bob Gibson for most home runs allowed with 34.
     
    Grant started three games in the 1965 World Series, winning games one and six before Sandy Koufax outdueled Jim Kaat in game seven. Following the 1967 season, the Twins traded Grant and Zoilo Versalles to the Dodgers for 1969 All-Star catcher John Roseboro, Ron Perranoski, and Bob Miller.
     
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    August 13, 1986
    Twins Swap Ron Davis for George Frazier


     
    The Twins traded pitchers Ron Davis and Dewayne Coleman to the Chicago Cubs for Julius McDougal, Ray Fontenot and George Frazier. Davis, who was the supposed centerpiece of the trade that sent Roy Smalley to the Yankees and brought Greg Gagne to Minnesota in 1982, had a shaky tenure as Twins closer. In 1984 he tied a single season record with 14 blown saves, a dubious feat which no pitcher has since matched. Four pitchers had blown 14 saves in a season prior to Davis, including Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers (1976) and Bruce Sutter (‘78).
     
    George Frazier pitched in 54 games for the Twins’ 1987 World Series champion team. It was his final season.
     
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    August 13, 1995
    Kent Hrbek’s Number Retired


     
    Kent Hrbek grew up in Bloomington, less than a mile from Metropolitan Stadium. He graduated from Kennedy High School in 1978 and was drafted by the Twins that spring in the 17th round. He jumped straight from A ball to make his major league debut on August 24, 1981 at Yankee Stadium. With the game tied at 2-2 in the 12th, Hrbek hit a home run off of future-Twin George Frazier for his first big league hit. Four days later Tim Laudner would also homer in his major league debut, and less than a month later Gary Gaetti would homer in his first at-bat.
     
    In 1982, his first full season in the show, Hrbek batted .301 with 160 hits, 23 HRs and 92 RBI, made his only All-Star appearance, and finished second to Cal Ripken Jr. for American League Rookie of the Year. In 1984 Hrbie was runner-up to Tigers pitcher Willie Hernandez for American League MVP.
     
    Kent Hrbek hit a career-high 34 home runs in 1987. It would be the Twins’ last 30-home run season until Justin Morneau hit 34 in his 2006 MVP season. So much for the Steroid Era in Minnesota.
     
    Only Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett played more games in a Twins uniform than Kent Hrbek. His 293 career HRs, 1,086 RBI and 838 walks are each second in Twins history to only Harmon Killebrew.
     
    In addition to being one of the most prodigious sluggers in Twins history, Hrbek is widely praised for his defense. Many, in fact, go so far as to rank Hrbek among the greatest defensive first basemen in baseball history. And though he was not the fastest man, Tom Kelly regarded Hrbie as an excellent baserunner.
     
    Hrbek’s number 14 was the fourth number retired by the Twins, after Harmon Killebrew in 1974, Rod Carew in 1987 and Tony Oliva in 1991.
     
    Kent Hrbek was inducted along with Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Kirby Puckett and Calvin Griffith as the inaugural class of the Twins’ Hall of Fame on August 12, 2000.
     

    August 14, 2010
    Brian Duensing Pitches 3-Hit Complete-Game Shutout


     
    On a Saturday night at Target Field Brian Duensing pitched the first of two career shutouts as the first-place Twins beat the Athletics 2-0. Duensing gave up a hit in each of the first three innings before holding the A’s hitless the final six innings of the ballgame. He also walked two batters while striking out four. Reigning American League MVP Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Orlando Hudson drove in the Twins’ other run.
     
    The Twins went on to win the Central Division in 2010, their sixth division crown in nine seasons. They were swept out of the playoffs by the New York Yankees.
     
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    August 15
    Happy 66th Birthday, Tom Kelly


     
    It’s the birthday of Tom Kelly, born in 1950 in Graceville, MN, though he grew up in Sayreville, New Jersey and attended Monmouth University also in New Jersey. Graceville, with a population of 565 at last check, is also the birthplace of Bill Davis, who played sparingly for Cleveland and San Diego in the sixties. Davis attended Richfield High School just south of Minneapolis.
     
    Kelly was drafted in the 8th round by the Seattle Pilots in 1968. After three lackluster seasons in the Pilots/Brewers organization, TK was signed by the Minnesota Twins prior to the ‘71 season. He made his major league debut on May 11, 1975 at age 24. He played 49 games in the majors, going 23-for-117 (.181) while playing primarily first base. In his tenth game, May 26th, TK hit his one and only big league home run in Detroit off of Vern Ruhle.
     
    Ruhle makes at least one other appearance in the annals of Twins home run history. On August 22, 1975, Ruhle, who shares a 1975 Topps rookie card with Edina High School and University of Minnesota alumnus Paul Siebert, gave up a home run to the Twins’ Dave McKay in his first big league at-bat.
     
    Kelly spent the 1976 season in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization playing for the Rochester Red Wings, who were Baltimore’s AAA affiliate at the time. Kelly returned to the Twins’ organization in 1977 as a player-manager. Kelly joined the major league club as a coach in 1983 under manager Billy Gardner. Kelly, only 35-years-old, was named Twins manager with 23 games remaining in 1986, replacing Ray Miller. In 1987, with a cast of characters many of whom he played a large role in cultivating down on the farm, Kelly “became the youngest non-playing manager to win the World Series since John McGraw in 1905” (per Baseball Reference). Following back-to-back losing seasons in 1989 and ‘90, TK won his second World Series in 1991 with only seven players and four starters remaining from the ‘87 World Series roster. The only pitcher remaining from 1987 was Allan Anderson who only played in 4 regular season games in ‘87 and did not play in either postseason.
     
    After eight of the most miserable seasons in Twins history, TK piloted the club to second place in the Central in 2001 before handing the helm to Ron Gardenhire who won three consecutive division championships in his first three seasons, a total of five in the decade and another in 2010.
     
    Tom Kelly’s number 10 was retired on September 8, 2012.
     

    August 15, 2011
    Jim Thome Joins the 600-HR Club


     
    The Twins traded outfielder Delmon Young to the Tigers prior to the first game of their series against them in Detroit. Young, batting third in his debut with his new team, hit a 2-out home run off of Francisco Liriano in the first inning.
     
    It would prove to be Jim Thome’s day, though. With the Twins and Tigers tied at 3 in the sixth, Thome hit a 2-run opposite field home run to left-center off of Rick Porcello, driving in Jason Kubel. It was the 599th home run for the 40-year-old Thome, playing in his 21st big league season. Then, just one inning later, the Twins clinging to a 6-5 lead, two on and two out, Thome hit Daniel Schlereth’s 2-1 offering to straightaway left field and into the Tigers’ bullpen, becoming the eighth member of the 600-HR Club.
     
    The Twins went on to beat the first place Tigers 9-6. Thome finished the day 3-for-4 with 5 RBI and the 2 runs scored.
     
    Thome, whose final season was 2012, officially retired on August 2, 2014 with 612 home runs. He hit 66 of those home runs against the Tigers, more than he hit against any other team. The team he hit the second-most against was the Twins, 61.
     
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    August 16, 1975
    All Nine Twins Get 2+ Hits


     
    Twins batters collected 20 hits in a 9-1 victory over Cleveland at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. All nine Twins batters got at least 2 hits. Center fielder “Disco” Dan Ford and catcher Phil Roof each got 3 hits. Of the 20 hits only five went for extra bases, with Roof hitting a home run. The starting lineup that day was Lyman Bostock, Dan Ford, Rod Carew, John Briggs, Tony Oliva, Eric Soderholm, Steve Braun, Jerry Terrell (Waterville High School ‘64; Minnesota State, Mankato ‘68), Phil Roof.
     
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    August 17, 2010
    Jim Thome Walk-Off Home Run


     
    Trailing the Twins by three games in the Central Division standings, the White Sox were in town for the first of a three-game series. The Twins jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first against Chicago pitcher John Danks. Entering the top of the ninth, however, the Twins clung to a 5-4 lead. White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, hitting in the 8-hole, tied the game on closer Matt Capps’ second pitch of the inning. The White Sox threatened to take the lead, but after intentionally walking Alex Rios to load the bases, Capps induced an inning-ending double play from none other than Paul Konerko. Alexei Ramirez came to the plate again in the tenth, this time with big Jon Rauch on the mound, and this time with a runner in scoring position. Ramirez singled to center, driving in the go-ahead run. Delmon Young led off the bottom the tenth with a single against 2010 All-Star Matt Thornton. Jim Thome then hit Thornton’s 1-0 offering, a belt-high fastball, well-over the limestone facade onto the plaza for the first walk-off hit in Target Field history. It was Thome’s 17th home run of the season, and 581st of his career.
     
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    August 18, 1986
    Tom Seaver Wins 311th and Final Game


     
    Pitching for the Red Sox, 41-year-old Tom Seaver won his 311th and final major league game in a narrow 3-1 Boston victory over the Minnesota Twins in the Metrodome. Seaver pitched 8 ⅔ innings, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 7.
     
    Seaver gave up a single to the first batter he faced, leadoff hitter Kirby Puckett. In the bottom of the third he gave up a solo home run to Roy Smalley, tying the game at 1-1. Seaver, though he would issue 4 walks over the course of the game, would not give up another hit until he had two outs in the ninth.
     
    Frank Viola, too, pitched a strong game. After finding himself in a 1-0 hole two batters into the game, he held the Red Sox scoreless, allowing just 4 hits in the second through eighth innings. Tied 1-1 in the ninth, however, Viola gave up a single to center fielder Tony Armas and 2-run home run to catcher Rich Gedman to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
     
    With two out in the ninth, Seaver gave up a his third and final hit, a double to Randy Bush. With Tom Brunansky pinch-hitting for Billy Beane and representing the tying run, Red Sox manager John McNamara brought in Bob Stanley who got Bruno looking to secure Tom Seaver’s 311th win.
     
    It is also interesting to note that Tom Seaver earned his 300th win the previous August while pitching for the White Sox against the Yankees in the city that he is most associated with, New York, on the same day that Rod Carew got his 3,000th hit off of Frank Viola, pitching, of course, for Carew’s former club.
     

    August 19
    Happy 58th Birthday, Gary Gaetti


     
    It’s the birthday of Gary Gaetti, born in 1958 in Centralia, IL. The 20-year major leaguer played 10 seasons in Minnesota, 1981-1990. On September 20, 1981, Gaetti homered in his first major league at-bat. He was the third Twin that season to homer in his first major league game (Kent Hrbek, August 24, and Tim Laudner, August 28). Six Twins have homered in their first major league at-bat: Rick Renick, Dave McKay, Gaetti, Andre David, Luke Hughes and Eddie Rosario.
     
    Like Eddie Rosario, Andre David's home run was on the first pitch. The pitcher was Jack Morris and it was the only major league home run he would ever hit.
     
    Gaetti won Gold Gloves at third in 1986, ‘87 and ‘88 and represented the Twins in the 1988 and ‘89 All-Star Games. He hit 201 home runs in a Twins uniform, eighth most in team history, one spot behind Kirby Puckett (207).
     

    August 19, 1991
    Randy Bush Hits Record Pinch-Hit Double


     
    In an 8-7 loss to division-rivals Oakland at the Metrodome Randy Bush got his seventh consecutive pinch-hit dating back to July 5, tying an American League record set in 1981 by the Rangers’ Bill Stein. Jose Canseco and Kirby Puckett had traded solo home runs in the first inning. Tied at 7-7 in the ninth, 1980 New Ulm High School graduate Terry Steinbach drove in Dave Henderson with a two-out line drive single to center off of Steve Bedrosian. After Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley struck out Mike Pagliarulo to lead-off the ninth, Bush pinch-hit for Al Newman, hitting a 1-0 double to right. Eckersley, however, retired Knoblauch and Larkin to preserve the victory for the Athletics.
     

    August 19, 2007
    Johan Santana Strikes Out Twins Record 17


     
    In a Sunday afternoon game at the Metrodome versus Texas, reigning Cy Young Award-winner Johan Santana struck out a team record 17 batters in only eight innings. Santana struck out all nine Rangers at least once. The only two hits that Santana allowed were to the designated hitter, known steroid user Sammy Sosa who singled in the fifth and doubled in the seventh. Santana finished strong, striking out the side in his eighth and final inning. He did not issue a walk.
     
    Joe Nathan came in in the ninth to preserve the 1-0 Twins win. Michael Young, who had struck out in all three at-bats against Santana, struck out swinging to end the game.
     
    The only run that the Twins could muster against Rangers starting pitcher Kevin Millwood was a Michael Cuddyer home run leading off the second.
     
     

    The End


     
    Well, that's all. Thanks for reading. And if your townball team is looking for a legitimate 32-year-old base stealing threat for next summer, stop into Johnson's Hardware Hank & Rental in scenic downtown Zimmerman and ask for the prodigal son.
     
    And keep in touch with the Twins Almanac on Facebook.
  7. Matt Johnson
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160525_170738_zpsyytecp4e.jpg

     

    May 26, 2011
    Twins Pay Final Respects to Harmon Killebrew


     
    On an off day, the Twins and about 4,000 of their fans paid their final respects to Harmon Killebrew, who had passed away on May 17, with a beautiful memorial service on the infield at Target Field. In attendance was Commissioner Bud Selig, Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Rod Carew, Paul Molitor and Bert Blyleven, as well as Tony Oliva and an All-Star lineup of Twins old and new.
     

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    May 27, 1961
    First 5-Hit Game in Twins History


     
    Twins leadoff hitter, Zoilo Versalles, went 5-for-5 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. It was the first 5-hit game in Twins history.
     
    The Twins jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Harmon Killebrew drove in Versalles in the top of the first. But Twins starting pitcher, Ed Palmquist, was only able to record one out, giving up 4 runs before being relieved by Winona, MN-native, Paul Giel, who gave up one more, giving the Senators a 5-1 lead after the first inning. They went on to win 14-4.
     

    May 28, 1986
    Five Twins Pitch in Eighth Inning


     
    Five Twins pitched in the eighth inning versus the Blue Jays at the Metrodome, establishing a team record for pitchers used in a single inning. Gary Gaetti had tied the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh. Toronto slugger, George Bell, however, led-off the eighth with a homer off of Twins starter, Bert Blyleven. After Blyleven gave up a single to the next batter, the Twins went to the bullpen. The Blue Jays just kept hitting, however, scoring seven more off of Keith Atherton, Juan Agosto, Ron Davis and Roy Lee Jackson for an 8-run eighth inning. Tom Brunansky hit a 2-run HR in the ninth, but Toronto held on to win 14-8.
     

    May 28, 2011
    Twins Combine For One-Hit Shutout


     
    In his second start and fourth appearance of the season, Anthony Swarzak held the Angels hitless for 7 1/3 innings at Target Field and allowed just one hit and two walks over eight innings before giving way to the bullpen. Meanwhile, the Angels' Jered Weaver pitched a two-hit shutout through nine innings. Matt Capps and Alex Burnett held the Angels hitless in the ninth and tenth. In the bottom of the tenth, Justin Morneau hit a one-hit single off of Angels reliever Hisanori Takahashi. Morneau was replaced by pinch-runner Jason Repko while Takahashi was relieved by Kevin Jepsen, who allowed singles to Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young, and, after just three pitches, the Twins had the bases loaded for Danny Valencia. Valencia delivered a walk-off single to right, driving in Jason Repko. Both teams had combined for just 3 total hits prior to the Twins' 4-hit bottom of the tenth.
     
    Prior to the bottom of the tenth, Denard Span was the only Twins runner to reach second, doing so in the sixth inning. Span was also picked off twice in the inning. He reached on an infield single, and was then picked up off first, but advanced to second on an error. Five pitches later Weaver picked him off of second for the final out of the inning.
     

    May 29, 1982
    Sal Butera Catches Four Stealing


     
    Sal Butera threw out a Twins record four baserunners in a 6-4 loss to the Yankees at home at the Metrodome.
     
    Twins starting pitcher Terry Felton, who retired with an 0-16 Major League record, gave up singles to Bobby Murcer and former-Twin, Graig Nettles, to open the second inning. The Yankees’ Roy Smalley struck out with the runners moving. Sal Butera’s throw to Gary Gaetti at third beat Murcer so badly that he retreated back toward second, which was occupied by Nettles who backtracked toward first. Gaetti threw to Kent Hrbek at first who tagged Nettles out. When Murcer decided to try taking third again, Hrbek threw to the pitcher, Felton, who was covering the bag, completing a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out triple play. Butera was credited with having caught both runners stealing.
     
    Butera had thrown out Ken Griffey as part of a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play to end the first inning. Then, with Griffey batting in the third, Butera threw out Willie Randolph trying to steal second for the third out of the inning.
     
    All three Yankees pitchers that day went on to have brief careers with the Twins. Starting pitcher, Tommy John, worked as a Twins broadcaster from 1994-’96. George Frazier pitched for the 1987 world championship team. And Shane Rawley, who was an ‘86 All-Star with the Phillies, pitched for the Twins in 1989. All three threw to former Twins catcher, Butch Wynegar, who had been traded to the Yankees a little more than two weeks earlier.
     
    Twins rookie, Kent Hrbek, went 3-for-4 with a triple. It was already his third triple of the season.
     
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    May 30, 1980
    Landreaux Hits in Twins Record 31 Straight Games


     
    Tied 2-2 versus Baltimore in the seventh at home in Bloomington, Ken Landreaux hit a one-out double to extend his hitting streak to 31 games. Landreaux would be stranded on third and the Twins went on to lose in ten innings. Baltimore’s Scott McGregor held Landreaux hitless the following day, snapping his Twins-record hitting streak. McGregor would go on to win 20 games in 1980 and be named to the All-Star team the following season.
     
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    May 30, 1986
    Roy Smalley Homers From Both Sides of Plate


     
    Roy Smalley became the first Twin to homer from each side of the plate in the same game in a 13-5 win versus the Red Sox at home in the Dome. He hit a leadoff home run batting left-handed in the bottom of the third, and a 3-run home run batting right-handed in the seventh, driving in Greg Gagne and Kirby Puckett.
     
    All nine Twins in the starting lineup plus pinch-hitter Mickey Hatcher had at least one hit in the game. Starting pitcher, Frank Viola, gave up 5 runs on 10 hits in just 3 ⅔ innings, but Keith Atherton, acquired just nine days earlier, pitches 5 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief.
     
    Two Twins have homered from each side of the plate in the same game since Smalley did it. Chili Davis did it on 10/2/1992, and Ryan Doumit on 7/22/2012.
     
    Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher each homered from both sides of the plate in the same game a Major League record fourteen times. Mickey Mantle did so ten times. The Padres’ Ken Caminiti homered from each side of the plate a record four times during his Most Valuable Player season of 1996. Three players have homered from each side of the plate in the same inning: Cleveland’s Carlos Baerga in 1993, the Cubs’ Mark Bellhorn in 2002, and the Angels’ Kendrys Morales in 2012.
     
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    May 31, 1976
    Bert Blyleven Gives Twins Fans the Middle Finger


     
    With contract negotiations at a standstill and trade rumors swirling, Bert Blyleven walked off the mound after the top of the ninth trailing the Angels 3-1. There were only 8,379 fans at Metropolitan Stadium that day, some of whom were giving the pitcher grief, singing “bye-bye Bertie.” Before he got to the dugout, Blyleven, visibly angry, looked to the stands and gave the hecklers the middle finger. The next day he was traded with Danny Thompson to the Texas Rangers for four players, including Roy Smalley. Thompson, who had been diagnosed with leukemia prior to the 1973 season, died on December 10, 1976 at age 29.
     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac by following @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  8. Matt Johnson
    May 23, 1991
    Kirby Puckett Has Second 6-Hit Game


     
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    Kirby Puckett collected 6 hits for the second time in his career, going 6-for-7, scoring 2 runs in an eleven inning loss to Texas at the Metrodome. Kirby had 5 singles and a triple. His 6th hit, a single, came in the eleventh inning. The game was tied 5-5 entering the eleventh, but the Rangers were able to score 5 runs off of Steve Bedrosian. Kent Hrbek drove in Shane Mack in the bottom of the eleventh, but the Rangers hung on to win 10-6. There have only been two 6-hit games in Twins history, both by Kirby Puckett, one is each of the Twins’ championship seasons of ‘87 and ‘91.
     
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    May 23, 2009
    Anthony Swarzak Pitches 7 Scoreless in MLB Debut


     
    Anthony Swarzak pitched seven scoreless innings in his Major League debut versus the Brewers at the Metrodome. He gave up 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. Swarzak struck out Prince Fielder on three pitches in the first for his first Major League strikeout. The Twins went on to win the game 6-2. Joe Mauer was 3-for-3 with a walk, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored, hitting his 9th home run of the season.
     
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    May 24, 1973
    Bert Blyleven One-Hitter


     
    Bert Blyleven pitched a complete game, one-hit shutout at Metropolitan Stadium as the Twins beat the Royals 2-0. George Mitterwald and Danny Thompson drove in the Twins’ 2 runs. Blyleven pitched three one-hitters in his career, two in 1973 and another in ‘74. Jim Kaat also pitched a one-hitter for the Twins in 1973.
     
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    May 24, 2013
    Joe Mauer Breaks Up No-Hitter


     
    The Twins extended their losing streak to 10 games with a 6-0 loss in Detroit. Tigers pitcher Anibal Sanchez was tossing a no-hitter until Joe Mauer broke it up with a one-out single in the ninth. It was the third time that Joe Mauer had broken up a no-hitter in the ninth inning.

    Cesar Tovar broke up five no-hitters in his career, tied for the Major League record. He broke up four no-hitters as a Twin, and another while playing for the Texas Rangers. He broke up two no-hitters in the ninth inning in 1969. He broke up the other three prior to the ninth inning.

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    May 25, 1977
    Lyman Bostock Ties MLB Record for Outfielder Putouts


     
    Centerfielder Lyman Bostock tied a Major League record with 12 putouts in a 9-4 Twins win to sweep a doubleheader at Fenway. The Twins had beaten the Red Sox 13-5 in the first game. Dave Goltz (Rothsay HS class of ‘67) was the winning pitcher in game 1 with Tom Burgmeier (St. Cloud Cathedral class of ‘61) earning a 3 ⅔ innings save. Paul Thormodsgard earned the win for the Twins in game 2. Though “Thormodsgard” sounds like a good Minnesotan name, but he was actually born in San Francisco. However, Tom Johnson (St. Paul Murray class of ‘69) pitched the final inning of game 2.
     
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    May 25, 1997
    Kirby Puckett’s Number Retired


     
    Culminating a three day celebration of his career, the Twins retired Kirby Puckett's #34 before a dramatic 7-6, 10-inning victory versus the Oakland Athletics. The Twins led 6-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, but Rick Aguilera allowed 2 runs, blowing his 4th save of the season. He held the A's scoreless in the tenth, however, and picked up the win when Rich Becker delivered a two-out, walk-off single, driving in Matt Lawton, pinch-running for Terry Steinbach.
     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac by following @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  9. Matt Johnson
    May 21st



    Happy Birthday, Kent Hrbek


     
    It's the birthday of Kent Hrbek, born on this date in 1960 in Minneapolis. He graduated from Bloomington's Kennedy High School in 1978 and was drafted that June by the Twins in the 17th round. Only Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett have played more games in a Twins uniform.
     
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    The big, 6'4" left-handed first baseman made his Major League debut on August 24, 1981 at Yankee Stadium and hit a game-winning home run off of George Frazier leading off the twelfth inning. Hrbek made his only All-Star team in 1982 and finished second to Cal Ripken, Jr. for American League Rookie of the Year. Hrbek drove in 107 runs in 1984 and finished second to Tigers pitcher Willie Hernandez for American League MVP. He hit 3 grand slams in 1985, tying Bob Allison, Rod Carew, and Kirby Puckett for the Twins' single season record. The 34 home runs Hrbek hit in 1987 are the most ever by a Twins lefty. His grand slam in the sixth game of the 1987 World Series is an iconic moment in Twins history. His reaction after catching Gary Gaetti's throw for the final out of game 7 is immortalized in bronze outside gate 14 at Target Field.
     
    Hrbek retired following the strike-shortened '94 season. His 239 HRs and 1,086 RBI are second in Twins history to only Harmon Killebrew. His 1,749 hits rank fifth behind Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and Tony Oliva. Joe Mauer will pass Hrbie this season. The Twins retired Hrbek's #14 on August 13, 1995.
     

    May 21, 1967



    First 4-Extra-Base Hit Game in Twins History


     
    Cesar Tovar had the Twins' first 4-extra base hit game in a 12-3 win versus the Angels in California. Tovar, the Twins' leadoff hitter, hit 2 doubles and 2 HRs. He went 4-for-6 on the day, improving his batting average to .323. Tony Oliva went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles. Oliva would lead the American League with 34 doubles, with Tovar coming in second with 32.
     
    Kirby Puckett (1987 and '89), Rich Becker (1996), Corey Koskie (2001) and Michael Cuddyer (2005) have since tied Tovar's record of 4 extra-base hits in a single game. Eight players in Major League history have hit 5 extra-base hits in a game.
     

    May 21, 2009



    Twins Snap Losing Streak with Blowout Win


     
    The Twins snapped a 6-game losing streak, beating the White Sox 20-1 in the series finale in Chicago. The Twins collected 20 hits and 5 walks in the game. Bartolo Colon took the loos, giving up 8 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks in just 2 innings. Michael Cuddyer went 4-for-6. Designated Hitter Joe Mauer hit a grand slam in the Twins' 6-run sixth inning. It was already his 8th HR of the season. He would go on to hit 28 in 2009 en route to being voted the American League's Most Valuable Player.
     
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    May 22, 2009



    Michael Cuddyer Hits for the Cycle


     
    The day after snapping a 6-game losing streak with a 20-1 road win versus the White Sox, the Twins returned home to the Dome, beating the Brewers 11-3. The Twins had outscored their opponents by 27 runs over the past two days. Michael Cuddyer, who had 4 hits the previous day in Chicago, hit for the cycle versus the Brewers, going 4-for-5 with 5 RBI and 2 runs scored, making him 8-for-11 with 8 RBI and 6 runs over the past two days. He hit a 3-run HR in the first inning, driving in Mauer and Morneau. Cuddy completed the cycle with an RBI triple to left, driving in Morneau, putting the Twins up 11-1. Cuddyer grounded out in his final at-bat. No Twin has hit for the cycle since.
     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac by following @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  10. Matt Johnson
    May 20th has been such an eventful day in Twins history that it gets its own dedicated edition of the Twins Almanac.
     
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    May 20, 1970
    Rod Carew Hits for Twins’ First Cycle


     
    Rod Carew hit for the first cycle in Twins history in a 10-5 win in Kansas City. He completed the cycle with an eighth inning triple, driving in Cesar Tovar. Carew was 4-for-5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored on the day. After Carew’s triple, St. Cloud Cathedral High School graduate and future-Twin, Tom Burgmeier, came in to finish the game for Kansas City.
     
    Ten Twins have hit for the cycle: Carew (1970), Cesar Tovar (‘72), Larry Hisle (‘76), Lyman Bostock (‘76), Mike Cubbage (‘78), Gary Ward (‘80), Kirby Puckett (‘86), Carlos Gomez (‘08), Jason Kubel (‘09) and Michael Cuddyer (‘09).
     

    May 20, 1984
    Clemens Allows First HR to Brunansky


     
    Roger Clemens earned the first of his 354 career victories, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and a walk over 7 innings in a 5-4 Red Sox win at the Metrodome. With two out in the bottom of the sixth, Tom Brunansky hit the first of the 363 home runs that the Rocket would allow over his 24-year career.
     
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    May 20, 1986
    Keith Atherton Acquired from Oakland


     
    The Twins traded a player to be named later and cash to Oakland for pitcher Keith Atherton. The player to be named wound up being minor league pitcher, Eric Broersma, who never made it to the Majors. Atherton, on the other hand, pitched in 62 games for the 1987 Twins, including games 1 and 5 of the World Series.
     
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    May 20, 1989
    Randy Bush Collects Twins Record 8 RBI


     
    Randy Bush drove in a Twins single game record 8 runs in a 19-3 win in Texas. Six of those RBI came in the final two innings of the game, as Bush hit 3-run home runs in the eighth and ninth. He was 3-for-4 with a walk, 8 RBI (one on a sac fly) and 2 runs scored on the day. Leadoff hitter Dan Gladden tied a Major League record with 7 plate appearances in the game, going 1-for-7 with an RBI and run scored.
     
    Two players have driven in 12 runs in a game, both playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. Hall of Fame first baseman Jim Bottomley did so versus the Dodgers at Ebbets Field in 1924. And, in 1993, Hard Hittin’ Mark Whiten drove in 12 of the Cardinals’ 15 runs with 4 home runs, including a first-inning grand slam, versus the Cincinnati Reds.
     
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    May 20, 1994
    16 Twins Bat in 11-run Inning


     
    Already beating Boston 10-1 at the Metrodome going into the bottom of the fifth, the Twins sent a team record 16 men to the plate, tying team records for runs in an inning (11), hits (10) and consecutive hits (8). The Twins won 21-2, improving to 21-19 on the season. Kirby Puckett had a huge day, going 3-for-3 with a HR in the fifth, 7 RBI and a run scored.
     
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    May 20, 1995
    Marty Cordova Homers in Fifth Consecutive Game


     
    Marty Cordova tied a Twins record, homering in his fifth consecutive game as Scott Erickson and the Twins fell to Lou Piniella’s Seattle Mariners 10-6 at the Metrodome. Cordova would hit a career-high 24 home runs in 1995 en route to being voted the American League’s Rookie of the Year. Harmon Killebrew homered in five consecutive games on two separate occasions during the Twins’ 1970 Division championship season.
     
    Twenty players have homered in at least six consecutive games. Barry Bonds is the only player with two such streaks, homering in six straight in 2001 and seven straight in ‘04. Jim Thome homered in seven straight for Cleveland in 2002. The Major League record for consecutive games with a home run is eight. Pittsburgh’s Dale Long did so in 1956, followed by Don Mattingly in 1987 and Ken Griffey Jr. in 1993.
     

    May 20, 2005
    Silva Needs Only 74 Pitches for Complete Game Win


     
    Carlos Silva allowed just 1 run on 5 hits, no walks and 3 strikeouts in a complete game 7-1 Twins win over Milwaukee at the Metrodome. Silva needed only 74 pitches to complete the game, an average of 8.2 per inning. Second baseman Nick Punto was 4-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. The Twins had 16 hits as a team. The only Twin without a hit was Torii Hunter, though he did drive in Punto with a sac fly.
     
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    May 20, 2011
    Twins Attend Funeral of Harmon Killebrew


     
    Putting a silver lining around an otherwise sad situation, the Twins were in town to play the Arizona Diamondbacks and able to attend the funeral of Harmon Killebrew, who had passed away three days earlier. Bert Blyleven spoke at the funeral, while Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Frank Quilici, Joe Nathan, Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau, Ron Gardenhire and Paul Molitor served as pallbearers.
     
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    May 20, 2012
    Drew Butera Pitches a Scoreless Inning


     
    Trailing 16-4 in Milwaukee, Ron Gardenhire called on Drew Butera to pitch the bottom of the eighth. Butera pitched a scoreless, hitless frame, walking one and striking out Carlos Gomez. Drew threw several pitches in the 90s, topping out at 94 on the radar gun.
    While playing with the Dodgers in 2014, Butera pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning versus the Miami Marlins. He pitched again for Los Angeles just three days later, this time giving up a 2-run HR to Paul Goldschmidt as he recorded the final two outs of the game.
     
    Drew’s dad, fellow catcher Sal Butera, did not allow a hit in his two Major League pitching appearances. He pitched a 1-2-3 inning in his big league pitching debut for Montreal in 1985. In 1986 he pitched a scoreless ninth for the Cincinnati Reds, walking one and striking out one.
     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac by following @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  11. Matt Johnson
    May 15th
    Happy Birthday, Justin Morneau


     
    It’s the birthday of 2006 American League MVP, Justin Morneau, born on this day in 1981 in New Westminster, British Columbia. The Twins drafted the 6’4” Canadian in the 3rd round in 1999, behind B.J. Garbe and Rob Bowen, neither of whom made it to the Majors. Morneau hit cleanup in his Major League debut in June, 2010, hitting a two-strike line drive single to center in his first at-bat and going 2-for-4 on the day. He hit 19 home runs in just 74 Major League games in 2004, and another 22 with Rochester. In 2006, just his second full season in the Majors, Morneau hit .321 with 34 HRs and 130 RBI en route to being voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player. Morneau was hitting .345 midway through 2010 when he suffered a season-ending concussion sliding into second. Though Twins fans saw glimpses over the next three seasons, Morneau never fully returned to all-star form before being traded in August 2013 to Pittsburgh, in the heat of a pennant race.
     

     
    Prior to the 2014 season, Morneau signed with the Colorado Rockies, where he won the National League batting championship with a .319 average. Former Twins teammate, Michael Cuddyer, had won the NL batting crown with the Rockies the previous season, hitting .331. Morneau, currently a free agent, will be out until at least midseason 2016 as he recovers from elbow surgery.
     

    May 15, 1969
    Cesar Tovar Breaks Up No-Hitter


     
    With one out in the bottom of the ninth and Baltimore’s Dave McNally pitching a no-hitter, Cesar Tovar singled to left-center. Rod Carew then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play as McNally completed the one-hit shutout for a 5-0 Orioles win. This was the first of two times that Tovar would break up a no-hitter in the ninth inning in 1969. Tovar is tied with Eddie Milner for the Major League record of breaking up five no-hitters in his career. Tovar broke up four no-hitters as a Twin, and another as a Ranger when he broke up Catfish Hunter’s no-hit bid in 1975.
     




    May 15, 1991
    Paul Molitor Hits for the Cycle vs. the Twins


     
    Paul Molitor led off the game at the Metrodome with a triple on Kevin Tapani’s first pitch. He promptly put the Brewers up 1-0 on a Jim Gantner groundout. Molitor singled in the third, doubled in the fifth, and, leading off the seventh, homered off of Tapani to complete the cycle. Reliever Steve Bedrosian finally retired Molitor in the ninth. He went 4-for-5 in the Brewers’ 4-2 win. The Twins went on to have a good season.
     

    May 16
    It’s the Birthday of Billy Martin


     
    Twins player, coach and manager, Billy Martin, was born on this date in 1928 in Berkeley, California. Martin, who won four World Championships as a member of the 1950s New York Yankees, was traded by the Milwaukee Braves to Minnesota on June 1st, 1961, where he played out his final Major League season. Martin served as a Twins scout from 1962-’64, and rejoined the Major League team as third base coach in 1965. He was sent down to Triple A Denver midway through the 1968 season, where he served as manager. He succeeded Cal Ermer as manager of the Twins in 1969, winning the American League West in his only season as manager. Martin was hugely popular as a Twins coach and manager, and instrumental in the development of Cesar Tovar, and, to a less extent, Rod Carew. Martin went on to manage 16 Major League seasons, including five stints with the Yankees, who he led to a World Series championship in 1977. Martin passed away in 1989 at the age of 61.
     

     

    May 16
    Happy Birthday, Jack Morris


     
    It’s the birthday of Jack Morris, born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1951. Morris attended Highland Park High School in St. Paul and Brigham Young University, and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 5th round in 1976. The Tigers had drafted Alan Trammell in the 2nd round, and Lou Whitaker in the 5th round a year earlier. All three would make their Major League debuts in 1977, with Trammell and Whitaker debuting in the same game. Morris was the Tigers’ opening day starter in 1980, beginning a Major League record streak of 14 consecutive opening day starts (1980-1993). Morris won his first of four World Series in 1984 as the Tigers beat the Padres in 5 games. Morris pitched complete game victories in games one and four. Morris won more games in the 1980s (162) than any other pitcher.
     
    On February 5th, 1991, Jack Morris signed a one-year, $3.7 million contract with the Twins, making him the highest paid pitcher in the American League, a distinction which he previously held and 1987 and ‘88, and would hold again in 1993. Morris won 18 games during the regular season and another four in the postseason, including the legendary 10-inning shutout of the Atlanta Braves in game 7 of the World Series. 1991 would be Morris’s only season with the Minnesota Twins.
     
    On December 18, 1991, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, against whom he had just won two games in the American League Championship Series. Morris led the league with 21 wins in 1992 and the Blue Jays went on to win the World Series, beating the Braves in six games. The Blue Jays won the Series again in 1993, though Morris pitched poorly, accumulating a 7-12 record with a 6.19 ERA before he season was cut a month short by injury. Fellow St. Paul-native, Paul Molitor, would be the 1993 World Series MVP.
     
    Morris pitched for Cleveland in 1994 but was released in August just prior to the strike. The following spring he unsuccessfully attempted a comeback with Cincinnati. In 1996, the 41-year-old Morris went 5-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 10 starts with the St. Paul Saints before retiring for good.
     

     

    May 16, 2010
    Jason Kubel Hits Grand Slam Off Mariano Rivera


     
    The Twins had not beat the Yankees since August 13, 2008. They had been swept by the Yankees in both the 2009 regular and postseason. Now, trailing 3-1 in the third game of a series at Yankee Stadium, the Twins loaded the bases against Joba Chamberlain in the eighth. With two out and the bases full of Twins, manager Joe Girardi brought in Mariano Rivera to face Jim Thome. Rivera had converted his last 51 home save opportunities, tying the Dodgers’ Eric Gagne’s all-time record. Rivera walked Thome, forcing in Orlando Hudson. Trailing now by just 1 run, Jason Kubel hit Rivera’s 1-0 pitch into the right field seats for a grand slam. The Twins went on to an improbably 6-3 victory, with Jon Rauch converting his 10th save of the season.
     

     

    May 17, 1963
    Bob Allison Hits 3 Home Runs


     
    Bob Allison became the first Minnesota Twin to hit 3 home runs in a game in an 11-4 Twins win in Cleveland. He was 3-for-5 on the day with 6 RBI. His batting average at the end of the day was .330. He would finish his all-star ‘63 season with a .271 average, 35 HRs and 91 RBI.
     
    Harmon Killebrew and Zoilo Versalles also hit home runs in the game. Pitcher Jim Perry, who had played for Cleveland the previous season, was 2-for-3 with a walk and scored on Allison’s first home run.
     

    May 17, 1998
    David Wells Pitches a Perfect Game


     
    50,000 fans, including Billy Crystal, came out to Yankee Stadium for Beanie Baby Day, and what turned out to be the fifteenth perfect game in major league history. David Wells threw 120 pitches, striking out 11. The last perfect game at Yankee Stadium was pitched in game 5 of the 1956 World Series by Don Larsen, who attended the same high school as Wells, Point Loma High in San Diego. Don Larsen actually threw out the first pitch before baseball’s next perfect game, pitched by David Cone in 1999 on Yogi Berra Day at Yankee Stadium. Cone threw only 88 pitches in his perfect game.
     
    The major leagues’ first two perfect games were pitched in 1880, just five days apart. The next perfect game wasn’t pitched until 1904 by the Boston Americans’ Cy Young. The most recent perfect game was pitched by the Mariners’ Felix Hernandez on August 15th, 2012.
     

    May 17, 2011
    Harmon Killebrew Passes Away


     
    On May 17th, 2011, the greatest Minnesota Twin passed away at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 74.
     

     

    May 18, 1969
    Rod Carew Steals Second, Third and Home


     
    With the Billy Martin-managed Twins trailing 2-0 in Detroit, Cesar Tovar led off the bottom of third with a single off of Mickey Lolich. Then, with Rod Carew at the plate, Tovar was balked to second and stole third. Perhaps distracted by Tovar, Lolich walked Carew. Then, with Harmon Killebrew at the plate, the Twins executed a double steal, with Carew swiping second as Tovar stole home. With Killebrew still at bat, Carew stole third and home to tie the game. Killebrew ultimately struck out, and the Twins went on to lose the game 8-2. They would, however, go on to win the division but were beat in the League Championship Series by Baltimore.
     
    Forty players have stolen second, third and home consecutively a total of 50 times in MLB history, 11 since 1940. The feet was accomplished four times in the '80s, twice in the '90s, once in the '00s, and, most recently, by Dee Gordon in 2011. Paul Molitor pulled it off in the 1st inning versus Oakland on July 26, 1987.
     




    May 19, 1990
    Tom Brunansky’s Big Day


     
    The Twins had an ugly day at Fenway. The Red Sox’s Tom Brunansky drew first blood, driving in Wade Boggs with a one-out double in the first. The Red Sox went on to score five runs on five hits in the first off of Twins starter, Allan Anderson, who only lasted ⅔ of an inning. Brunansky went 5-for-5 with 2 HRs, 7 RBI and 3 runs scored as the Red Sox pummelled the Twins 13-1. Tom Kelly called upon outfielder John Moses to pitch the bottom of the eighth. He gave up just 1 run on 2 hits in his second pitching appearance for the Twins. His previous appearance had also come at Fenway, in 1989, as he pitched a scoreless eighth inning, not allowing a hit but walking one. He would pitch a third time for the Twins in July, 1990.
     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac by following @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  12. Matt Johnson
    May 3, 1986
    Puckett Leads-Off Consecutive Games with First-Pitch Home Runs


     
    Facing Walt Terrell on the road in Detroit, leadoff hitter Kirby Puckett homered on the first pitch of the game for the second game in a row. It was already his 11th home run of the young season. The previous night Kirby hammered St. Paul-native Jack Morris’s first pitch for a home run. Morris struggled mightily as the Twins collected 4 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks in just 1 ⅓ innings. Even Steve Lombardozzi got in on the act, leading off the second inning with a home run. Kirby was 3-for-6 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored in the Twins 10-1 win. 23 games into the ‘86 season, Kirby was hitting .396.
     
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    Tigers pitching fared better on May 3rd, however. In addition to Kirby’s first-pitch home run, Gary Gaetti also homered in the first, driving in Tom Brunansky. Walt Terrell recovered, though, and kept the Twins off the board until, leading 7-3 with two out in the ninth, he gave up a solo home run to Gaetti. He then struck out pinch-hitter Billy Beane to complete the 7-4 Tigers victory.
     

    May 3, 2011
    Francisco Liriano Pitches a No-Hitter


     
    Francisco Liriano pitched the fifth no-hitter in Twins history on a chilly, 42 degree night in Chicago, beating the White Sox 1-0. Liriano entered the game with a 1-4 record and 9.13 ERA.
     
    The Twins’ only run came on a Jason Kubel home run in the fourth. Liriano was far from perfect, giving up six walks, although he did induce three ground ball double plays. Despite averaging 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings on the season, and 9.3 per nine over the course of his career, Liriano only struck out two batters in his no-hit performance. He threw 123 pitches, only 66 of which were strikes. Liriano would finish the season with a 9-10 record and 5.09 ERA. The no-hitter was Liriano’s only complete game as a Twin. He pitched 2 complete games for the Pirates in 2013.
     
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    This was the second Twins no-hitter in which six runners reached base. The first was the Twins’ first no-hitter, thrown by Dean Chance on August 25, 1967 in the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland. Chance completed the no-hitter despite giving up an earned run. He walked the first two batters of the game and then the bases were loaded on an error by third baseman, Cesar Tovar. Chance then threw a wild pitch, giving Cleveland an early 1-0 lead. The Twins would go on to win 2-1 as Chance walked 5 and struck out 8. Cleveland hit into two double plays.
     

    May 4, 1975
    The Twins Retire Their First Number


     
    Harmon Killebrew signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals in January, 1975. The Twins retired his number in a ceremony before the Sunday series finale against Kansas City. Killebrew’s #3 was the first number retired by the Twins. The Killer went 1-for-3 with 2 RBI and a run scored that day but the Twins won 6-3, completing the series sweep.
     
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    Minnesota natives Dave Goltz and Tom Burgmeier picked up the win and the save in the first game of the series as the Twins won 4-1. Killebrew sat out game 2 in which Bert Blyleven pitched the complete 14-5 Twins win.
     
    Keep in touch with the Twins Almanac on Facebook, and by following @Twins Almanac on Twitter.
  13. Matt Johnson
    May 2, 1963
    Twins Trade Jack Kralick for Jim Perry


     
    The Twins traded pitcher Jack Kralick, who had come with the team from Washington, to the Cleveland Indians for Jim Perry. Kralick pitched the Twins’ first no-hitter the previous season, on August 26, 1962, as the Twins beat the Kansas City Athletics at home 1-0. Kralick lost the perfect game by giving up a walk with one out in the ninth. The final two outs were recorded on foul pop flies. Though the Twins’ first season in Minnesota, 1961, was probably Kralick’ best, he did garner his lone all-star selection with Cleveland in 1964.
     
    Perry’s career got off to a hot start in Cleveland. In 1959 he was runner-up to the Senators’ Bob Allison for American League Rookie of the Year. He tied with Baltimore’s Chuck Estrada for the American League lead with 18 wins in 1960, and made his first all-star team in 1961.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160430_194048_zpsqon7m9qi.jpg
     
    During Perry’s first five seasons with the Twins he was used both as a starter and relief pitcher, including the ninth inning of game 7 of the 1965 World Series. In 1969 he started 36 of the 46 games he appeared in, winning 20 as the Twins won the American League West pennant. Perry won the Cy Young award in 1970, his first season in Minnesota in which he was used exclusively as a starter, and tied for the league lead with 24 wins as the Twins again won the West.
     
    Perry played ten seasons in Minnesota. He is fifth in Twins history in both wins (128) and innings pitched. In 2011, Perry became the sixteenth player inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame.
     

    May 2, 1964
    Twins Hit Four Consecutive Home Runs


     
    Tony Oliva gave the Twins a 2-0 lead vs. the Athletics in Kansas City with a third inning home run. The teams were tied 2-2 entering the top of the ninth when Harmon Killebrew hit a solo home run to put the Twins in front. Rocky Colavito, however, tied it up in the bottom of the inning, singling in Ed Charles. The A’s came perilously close to the walk-off win. After Colavito advanced to second on a passed ball, the Twins filled first with an intentional walk. Both runners moved up on a ground out to the pitcher, the second out of the inning. The Twins then issued a second intentional walk, loading the bases. Manager Sam Mele then brought Bill Pleis in from the bullpen. With zero margin for error, Pleis struck out his man, forcing extra innings.
     
    Neither team threatened to score in the tenth. Then Tony Oliva led off the top of the eleventh with a home run, followed by Bob Allison and Jimmie Hall. Kansas City then went to the bullpen, but to no avail, as Harmon Killebrew made in four in a row and the Twins beat Kansas City 7-3.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160430_104505_zpslpeqgcvm.jpg
     
    Seven teams in the history of Major League baseball have hit four consecutive home runs, most recently the Diamondbacks in 2010. The last American League team to do so was the White Sox in 2008 when Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexei Ramirez and Juan Uribe went back-to-back-to-back-to-back.
     
    This wasn’t the only time the Twins made home run history against the Kansas City Athletics. The Twins set an American League record by hitting five home runs in a single inning on June 9, 1966 against KC at the Met in Bloomington. The Athletics erupted for four runs in the first off Camilo Pascual, who only lasted ⅔ of an inning. Facing 1987 Hall of Fame inductee, Catfish Hunter, the Twins pulled within 4-3 on a Bob Allison RBI double in the fifth and a two-run Killebrew homer in the sixth. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Rich Rollins and Zoilo Versalles connected for back-to-back home runs off of Hunter to take the lead. Reliever Paul Lindblad retired Sandy Valdespino before allowing back-to-back homers to Tony Oliva and Don Mincher. The Athletics then turned to John Wyatt who allowed the Twins’ third consecutive home run, and the fifth of the inning, to Harmon Killebrew, his second of the game.
     
    Four National League teams have hit five home runs in an inning. The first time was in 1939 and the most recent in 2006. All four were against the Cincinnati Reds.
     

    May 2, 2010
    Wilson Ramos Debuts with 4-Hit Game


     
    22-year-old Venezuelan catcher, Wilson Ramos, made his Major League debut going 4-for-5 with a double and run scored in Cleveland. The following night, at home versus Detroit, Ramos went 3-for-4 with a double, becoming the third player in Major League history with 7 hits in his first two games, and the first since the Chicago Cubs’ Coaker Triplett in 1938.
     
    Ramos played 7 games for the Twins before being traded to the Washington Nationals for closer, Matt Capps. The Twins would go on to win the American League Central with a 94-68 record. They were swept out of the playoffs by the New York Yankees.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160501_110914_zpsrrdo52fb.jpg
     
    Ramos was the second Twin to debut with a 4-hit game. 24-year-old Kirby Puckett went 4-for-5 with a run scored in his Major League debut on May 8, 1984 in Anaheim as the Twins won 5-0. Hitting leadoff, Kirby grounded out in his first at-bat before collecting four straight singles. Kirby would finish third in American League Rookie of the Year balloting behind Seattle’s Alvin Davis and Mark Langston. The Twins’ Tim Teufel finished right behind Kirby in fourth place. Roger Clemens came in sixth. In the National League, future-World Series Hero Dan Gladden finished fourth behind Doc Gooden, Juan Samuel, and Orel Hershiser.
     
    Keep in touch by following @Twins Almanac on Twitter.
     
    And, in case you missed it, here is the Twins Almanac for May 1:
     

    May 1, 1996



    Twins Win on Paul Molitor Walk-Off Hit-By-Pitch


     
    The Twins held a 5-3 lead vs. Kansas City heading into the top of the ninth when 1994 AL Rookie of the Year, Bob Hamelin, hit a two-run home run off of Dave Stevens with Jose Offerman aboard to tie the game. Hamelin had also homered with Offerman aboard in the second. Royals all-time saves leader, Jeff Montgomery, set the Twins down in order in the bottom of the ninth. His second inning of relief did not go so smoothly. After popping Pat Meares up for the first out, Montgomery walked Rich Becker and Chuck Knoblauch. A single by Chip Hale loaded the bases for the future-Hall of Famer, Paul Molitor, who Montgomery beaned, forcing in the winning run.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_080543_zpsyfgsqcho.jpg
     

    May 1, 2005
    Johan Santana Loses for First Time in 20 Starts


     
    Johan Santana pitched 8 strong innings versus the Angels at the Metrodome, allowing only 2 runs on 2 hits, solo home runs by Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Molina. Bartolo Colon, however, held the Twins scoreless, allowing only 2 hits through 7 ⅓ innings. Shannon Stewart drove in the Twins only run with a solo home run off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth.
     
    Santana had gone 17-0 in his last 20 starts going back to his 2004 Cy Young-winning season. He would go 16-7 in 2005 and finish 3rd in Cy Young balloting. He won the award again in 2006 when he and the Yankees’ Chien-Ming Wang tied for the Major League lead with 19 wins.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160430_104141_zpsogidtzul.jpg
     

    May 1, 2009
    Joe Mauer Homers in First At-Bat Back from Disabled List


     
    After missing the first 22 games of the season with a lower back injury, Joe Mauer homered in his first at-bat back from the disabled list. Playing Kansas City at the Metrodome, Mauer came up with two down in the first. After taking Sidney Ponson’s first two pitches, Mauer deposited his 2-0 pitch in the left-center field seats.
    Mauer led-off the fourth inning with an opposite field double and scored on a Justin Morneau single up the middle. Mauer walked in the fifth and scored on Morneau’s sixth home run of the season. Mauer finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk and 3 runs scored as the Twins beat the Royals 7-5.
     
    Mauer went on to hit 11 home runs and drive in 32 runs in the month of May en route to his third batting title and being named the 2009 American League MVP. The Twins won the Central Division in ‘09 with a dramatic 12th inning walk-off win in Game 163 vs. Detroit, but were swept by the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160430_100755_zpspkq3dnwz.jpg
     
    Keep in touch by liking Facebook.com/TwinsAlmanac.
  14. Matt Johnson
    And here is the Twins Almanac for the week of April 24th through April 30th. This week in Twins history Paul Molitor and Greg Myers each collected 5 RBI as the Twins scored a team record 24 runs. Scott Erickson pitched the third no-hitter in Twins history. Camilo Pascual hit his 2nd career grand slam. Harmon Killebrew hit both his first home run as a Twin and his 400th career home run this week in history. Mickey Hatcher tied Tony Oliva’s club record for consecutive hits. And Luke Hughes became the fifth Twin to homer in his first career at-bat.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_083303_zps6wofircu.jpg
     

    April 24, 1996
    5 RBI Game for Both Molitor and Myers


     
    Paul Molitor was responsible for 10 of the record 24 runs the Twins scored in a 24-11 win at Tiger Stadium. Molitor went 2-for-5 with a walk, 5 RBI and 5 runs scored (he reached on two fielder’s choices). Catcher Greg Myers went 5-for-6 with 5 RBI and 3 runs scored.
     
    The Twins jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings, but had used three pitchers by the end of the third and trailed 10-7 at the end of four innings. But the Twins kept adding on, outscoring the Tigers 17-1 over the final five innings. They scored in every inning but the fourth, never scoring more than 5 runs in an inning, which they did in the eighth.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_080543_zpsyfgsqcho.jpg
     

    April 25, 1961



    Fred Bruckbauer Has Career ERA of Infinity


     
    With the Twins already trailing 7-2 in Kansas City after three innings, Fred Bruckbauer, a 22 year old New Ulm-native and alumnus of St. Mary’s High School (Sleepy Eye, MN) and the U of M, made his Major League debut coming in to pitch to the Athletics in the bottom of the fourth. Bruckbauer gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk before being pulled without recording an out. Unfortunately, this was Bruckbauer’s one and only big league appearance. Since he never recorded an out, his ERA is infinity. The Twins went on to lose the game 20-2.
     

    April 26, 1986
    Dome Roof Deflates, Twins Lead Collapses


     
    The Twins led the California Angels 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth on a stormy night in Minneapolis when a tear caused the Metrodome roof to deflate. The L.A. Times described the scene, with “80-m.p.h. winds tearing holes in the fiberglass dome and whipping through the stadium, sending speakers and light standards swaying on their cables like yo-yos in a wind tunnel… Above the third base line, a geyser of water shot through a drainage hole in the roof, dousing a handful of spectators.” The roof was re-inflated and, remarkably, the game was only delayed nine minutes. The Twins went on to score once more in the eighth, with Mickey Hatcher driving in Steve Lombardozzi with a sacrifice fly.
     
    With a 6-1 lead in the ninth, starting pitcher Frank Viola gave up a leadoff double to Brian Downing and a two-run home run to George Hendrick before being relieved by closer Ron Davis with the Twins still up 6-3. Davis gave up a single and two-run home run to the first two men he faced. With one out he walked pinch-hitter Reggie Jackson, representing the tying run. After striking out Bobby Grich for the second out, Ron Davis gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Wally Joyner, who had made his Major League debut less than three weeks earlier. Tom Brunansky, Roy Smalley and Gary Gaetti went down in order in the bottom of the ninth and the Twins lost 7-6.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082732_zpsxvhqgjiz.jpg
     

    April 27, 1965



    Camilo Pascual Hits Second Career Grand Slam


     
    Camilo Pascual allowed just 1 run on 2 hits in an 11-1 Twins win on the road in Cleveland. With the Twins already leading 3-0 with two out in the first inning, Pascual hit his second career grand slam, and the only grand slam by a pitcher in Twins history.
     
    Pascual hit his first grand slam in the Senators’ final season in Washington, on August 14, 1960 in a 5-4 win in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. The Senators won the second game 6-3 in 15 innings.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_081710_zpshkyemg6k.jpg
     

    April 27, 1969



    Killebrew’s 400th Home Run


     
    Harmon Killebrew hit his 400th career home run with two out in the top of the first inning of an afternoon game in Chicago. Down a run in the seventh, Rod Carew hit a two-run homer and pitcher Dave Boswell and the Twins went on to win 4-3. The top of the Twins lineup that day went Tovar, Carew, Killebrew, Oliva, Alison.
     
    All told, Killebrew hit 573 home runs, 5th most in baseball history at the time he retired, and still 11th all-time in 2016. He hit 84 home runs as a member of the Washington Senators, 14 as a Kansas City Royal in 1975, and 475 in a Twins uniform.
     

    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082301_zpsolrsofse.jpg


    April 27, 1994



    Scott Erickson No-Hitter


     
    Scott Erickson pitched the first no-hitter at the Metrodome, the third no-hitter in Twins history, and the first since Dean Chance threw one in the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland in 1967. Erickson, who had led the American League with 20 wins and finished second in Cy Young voting in 1991, was coming off of a ‘93 season in which he led the league with 19 losses and 266 hits allowed.
     
    The Twins scored in each of the first four innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0. Milwaukee’s first baserunner, John Jaha, reached on a hit-by-pitch leading off the 6th. With two out in the ninth, Erickson walked two batters before getting the dangerous Greg Vaughn to fly out to Alex Cole in left. Erickson struck out five Brewers, including the DH Greg Vaughn twice and former Twins catcher, Brian Harper. Kirby Puckett went 4-for-5 with an RBI.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_081915_zpsfqfpv7mp.jpg
     

    April 28, 1985



    Mickey Hatcher Ties Tony O.’s Consecutive Hit Record


     
    Mickey Hatcher went 4-for-5 in a 10-1 Twins win over Oakland at the Metrodome. Having gone 5-for-5 the previous day, Hatcher’s 4 hits tied Tony Oliva’s 1967 team record of 9 consecutive hits. Todd Walker matched the feat in 1998.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082146_zpsd7b72pmf.jpg
     

    April 28, 2010
    Hughes Homers in First MLB At-Bat


     
    Leading off the top of the 3rd with the Twins already up 2-1 on a Thome home run, Luke Hughes lifted Max Scherzer’s 2-2 pitch to right for an opposite field home run in his first Major League at-bat.
     
    Hughes originally came up to bat in the second when Delmon Young was thrown out trying to steal third for the third out of the inning. The Tigers would come back and win the game 11-6.
     
    Six Twins have homered in their first Major League at-bat: Rick Renick, Dave McKay, Gary Gaetti, Andre David, Hughes and Eddie Rosario. Between August 26th and September 20th, 1981, Kent Hrbek, Tim Laudner and Gary Gaetti each homered in their first Major League game.
     

    April 29, 1962
    Twins Hit Six Solo Home Runs


     
    In the 2nd game of a doubleheader in Cleveland, the Twins hit six solo home runs, one each by Lenny Green, Don Mincher, Zoilo Versalles and Bill Tuttle, and two by Johnny Goryl. The Twins scored in each inning but the third and ninth and won the game 7-3. The Twins did not hit a home run in game one, winning 8-4.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160423_082822_zpsjbtlx94n.jpg
     

    April 30, 1961
    Killebrew’s First HR as a Twin


     
    Trailing the White Sox 5-2 in the bottom of the 11th in Bloomington, Harmon Killebrew hit his first home run in a Twins uniform after having hit 84 as a Washington Senator. The White Sox held on to win 5-3 with Bob Shaw pitching all eleven innings.
     
    For the history of the Minnesota Twins, told one day at a time, follow @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter, and like The Twins Almanac on Facebook.
     
    For the stories of the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, follow @MajorMinnesota.
  15. Matt Johnson
    April 21, 1961
    Inaugural Home Opener


     
    The 5-1 Twins played their first ever home game, taking on the expansion Washington Senators at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. The teams were tied 3-3 when the Senators scored 2 off of Ray Moore in the top of the 9th to win 5-3. Only 24,606 fans attended the game, 6,000 short of a sell-out despite a gametime temperature of 63 degrees.
     

    April 21, 1985
    John Butcher 1hr 55min Complete Game Shutout


     
    The Twins had lost 9 in a row, falling to 2-9 on the season, entering the Sunday series finale in Oakland when Twins pitcher John Butcher hurled a remarkable complete game shutout. Butcher allowed 3 hits, but faced just 28 batters, one over the minimum. He threw just 81 pitches and the game was over in 1 hour and 55 minutes. Leadoff hitter Kirby Puckett went 3-for-5, driving in both Twins runs in the 2-0 victory. It was the beginning of a 10-game Twins winning streak.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160417_192941%201_zpsqyt6tfrd.jpg
     

    April 21, 2007
    Twins Start Season with 19 Consecutive Stolen Bases


     
    In the 17th game of the season, Alexi Casilla stole second base for the Twins' 19th consecutive successful steal attempt to start the season. Torii Hunter was caught stealing in the 8th to end the streak. With a 7-5 lead in Kansas City, Joe Nathan pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the 9th, with all three outs coming on called third strikes.
     

    April 21, 2012
    Willingham Begins Twins Career with 15-Game Hit Streak


     
    First-year Twin, Josh Willingham, led off the top of the 9th in Tampa Bay with a line drive single to center, extending his season-opening hit streak to 15 games. Willingham would score on a Ryan Doumit sac fly, but the Twins lost 4-1. Willingham’s streak was the longest to begin a Twins career, and tied Kirby Puckett’s 1994 streak for the longest by a Twin to begin a season.
     
    For more Minnesota Twins history, like the Twins Almanac on Facebook, and follow @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
  16. Matt Johnson
    April 17, 2014
    The Twins 8-Walk 8th Inning
    (aka, Minnesota’s 6-Run, 1-Hit Inning)


     
    The Twins and the Blue Jays played two cold ones on April 17th after having been snowed out the previous night. The Twins won game 1 by a score of 7-0. The game time temperature of 31 degrees was a record for a Twins home game. The temperature was up to 42 for the start of game 2. The Twins trailed 3-5 going into the bottom of the 8th when they would score 4 runs before their first hit, and ultimately score 6 runs on just 1 hit. Blue Jays pitcher, Steve Delebar, walked Josmil Pinto and Chris Hermann to start the inning. Eduardo Nunez then dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt. In retrospect the sacrifice was completely unnecessary, as Sergio Santos (replacing Delebar) and J.A. Happ combined to walk the next five Twins batters. Three runs scored on Santos wild pitches, and a fourth run scored when Happ walked Chris Colabello with the bases loaded. Finally, after having already scored 4 runs, the Twins got their first hit of the inning, a 2-run Jason Kubel single to right. Josmil Pinto then walked for the second time in the inning before the Blue Jays finally recorded the final two outs of the inning. Glen Perkins sat down the Jays in order in the 9th, securing a 9-5 Twins victory.
  17. Matt Johnson
    April 16, 1961



    Twins 1st Grand Slam


     
    In the top of the 1st in game 1 of a doubleheader in Baltimore, Bob Allison hit the first grand slam in Twins history. Baltimore’s Chuck Estrada, who had tied for the league lead with 18 wins the previous season and who would win 15 in 1961, walked three straight to start the game before giving up a home run to the cleanup hitter, Allison. After giving up a double to Jim Lemon, Estrada was pulled, having pitched to just five batters. Relief pitcher John Papa didn’t fare much better, walking home two more Twins runs before Dick Hall, the third pitcher used by Baltimore in the 6-run 1st, came on to get the final out.
     
    Bob Allison added a 3-run home run in the 6th, giving him 7 RBI for the game. The Twins won 10-5.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160407_110823_zpsjtwaa2qr.jpg
     
    In game 2, the Twins held a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the 9th. With 1 out and the bases loaded, Baltimore crept within 1 on an RBI groundout. Then, with 2 down, runners on second and third and future-Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog pinch-hitting for future-Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, Twins pitcher Ray Moore unleashed a wild pitch, allowing Baltimore to tie the game 4-4.
     
    In the top of the 11th, Zoilo Versalles hit a 2-run home run and Chuck Stobbs slammed the door in the bottom of the inning.
     
    For the history of the Minnesota Twins, told one day at a time, like The Twins Almanac on Facebook and follow @TwinsAlmanac on Twitter.
     
    For the stories of the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, like Major Minnesotans on Facebook and follow @MajorMinnesota on Twitter.
  18. Matt Johnson
    April 11, 1961


     
    The Twins played their first ever regular season game at Yankee Stadium. Harmon Killebrew collected the first hit in Twins history, leading off the 4th with a single to center. Twins pitcher Pedro Ramos and Whitey Ford were locked in a scoreless duel until Bob Allison led off the 7th with a home run, the first in Twins history. The Twins went on to win their first game 6-0 as Ramos pitched a complete game, 3-hit shutout versus the eventual 1961 World Series champs. Ramos held Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris to a combined 1-for-11, with Berra singling in the 1st. Ramos did not allow a baserunner after the 5th inning. Roger Maris would establish a new single season home run record with 61 that year.
     
    The Twins would go on to a 5-1 record before playing their first home game in front of a crowd already deep in the throes of pennant fever. They would lose their first game in Bloomington, however, 3-5 to the new Senators, and finish their inaugural season 70-90, 7th place in the America League.
  19. Matt Johnson
    3/21: It’s the birthday of 1983 Hopkins High School graduate and former Major Leaguer, Tim McIntosh. McIntosh played three seasons at the University of Minnesota before being selected in the 3rd round of the ‘86 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.
     
    McIntosh played in five games with the Brewers in 1990, making his Major League debut on September 3rd in Milwaukee vs. the Minnesota Twins. He went 0-3 as the Twins’ Mark Guthrie hurled a complete game shutout. Paul Molitor (Cretin High School class of ‘74) went 0-4.
     
    On September 28th, with the Yankees leading the Brewers 6-1, McIntosh entered the game in the 7th as a defensive replacement for catcher B.J. Surhoff. McIntosh led off the bottom of the 8th, hitting a home run for his first Major League hit and his only hit of the 1990 season.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/McIntosh_zpso0a5yh9r.jpg
     
    McIntosh was a September call-up in 1991, going 4-9 with a HR in his first 2 games. He played only as a defensive replacement, however, in 5 subsequent games, making only 2 plate appearances. McIntosh, in fact, only started 25 of the 71 Major League games that he played in, and 20 of those starts came in 1992 when he played in a total of 35 games, collecting 14 of his 21 career hits while batting .182.
     
    McIntosh appeared in 1 game as a late-inning defensive replacement for Milwaukee in ‘93 before being claimed off waivers by the Montreal Expos on April 14th. He played in 20 games for the Expos, collecting 2 hits and 0 walks in 21 plate appearances for an .095 batting average. He became a free agent after the season and was signed by the Minnesota Twins. He spent the 1994 season with AAA Salt Lake, hitting .338 with 18 HRs. After the ‘94 season, his contract was purchased by the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan where he hit only .220.
     
    In February of ‘96, McIntosh signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees. He played in 3 games for the big league club that season. Tim McIntosh appeared in his last Major League game on June 12th, 1996, playing the final inning as a defensive replacement at third in a 7-4 Yankee loss in Toronto.
     
    For more stories about the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, like Major Minnesotans on Facebook and follow @MajorMinnesota on Twitter.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160316_173242_zpsw33tqxhy.jpg
  20. Matt Johnson
    Miami Marlins pitcher, Brad Hand, was born on March 20th, 1990. The Marlins drafted Hand in 2008 in the 2nd round (52nd overall) out of Chaska High School. In his senior season at Chaska, the lefty went 8-2 with 2 saves, allowing only 6 earned runs in 68 innings for an 0.61 ERA. At the plate, Hand hit .352 with 8 HRs and 24 RBI.
     
    Brad Hand made his Major League debut on June 27th, 2011 in Miami vs. the Atlanta Braves. He walked the first big league batter he faced, Jordan Schafer, who would play for the Minnesota Twins in 2014 and ‘15. The second batter he faced was Adrian Gonzalez, who struck out swinging. Hand would allow only 1 hit over 6 innings. That one hit, however, was a solo home run by Adrian Gonzalez to lead off the fourth in a 1-0 Braves win.
     

    http://stmedia.startribune.com/images/two0604hand.jpg

     
    Hand's first Major League win came in his 5th start, on July 7th at home vs. Houston as he held the Astros scoreless, giving up 2 hits and 3 walks over 7 innings in a 5-0 Marlins victory.
     
    Hand only pitched in 1 game in 2012, starting the first game of a doubleheader in Washington on August 3rd. He allowed 7 runs on 6 hits and 6 walks over 3 ⅔ innings in a 7-4 loss.
     
    He appeared in only 7 games in 2013. Between 2014 and ‘15, Hand pitched in a combined 70 Major League games, starting 28, compiling a 7-15 record. He is 9-25 over parts of five big league seasons. As a batter, Hand has 5 Major League hits, one each off of Johnny Cueto and Stephen Strasburg. He hit 3 HRs as a minor leaguer. Brad Hand, who is out of options, is fighting to earn a spot on the Marlins’ 2016 roster.
     
    For more stories about the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, like Major Minnesotans on Facebook and follow @MajorMinnesota on Twitter.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160316_173242_zpsw33tqxhy.jpg
  21. Matt Johnson
    March 17th is the birthday of Washburn High School (Mpls) alumnus and Major League pitcher, Harold "Hy" Vandenberg, born in 1906. He made his Major League debut with the Boston Red Sox in 1935 at age 29, though he wouldn't win his first game until 1940 with the New York Giants, and his 2nd not until 1944 with the Chicago Cubs. The 6'4" right-hander, who got his professional start with the Minneapolis Millers, appeared in 90 Major League games, going 15-10 with 5 saves during seven seasons over an eleven year period. Additionally, he pitched in at least 435 minor league games, compiling a record of 139-128.
     
    Hy Vandenberg was born in Abilene, Kansas. When Vandenberg was 4 years old his father died from tuberculosis and his mother moved the surviving members of the family to Minneapolis. Vandenberg began playing professional baseball with the Minneapolis Millers right out of high school, though he does not appear in the statistical record until age 24, when, in 1930, he pitched for the Bloomington, Illinois Cubs. He bounced around minor league baseball, going back and forth between Bloomington, Minneapolis and elsewhere before finally ending up in Syracuse in 1935 where he caught the attention of the Boston Red Sox. Vandenberg, however, didn't exactly think he was given a fair trial with Boston. He made only three relief appearances over a six week period, giving up 12 runs in 5 1/3 innings before heading back to Syracuse.
     
    Vandeberg next appeared in the Major Leagues in 1937, getting one start for the New York Giants versus the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. He allowed 7 runs over 8 innings in a 7-4 loss. He appeared in 6 games for Giants in '38, and 2 in '39, spending most of his time with the Jersey City farm club. He finally got his first Major League win in 1940 in a 5-2 Giants win against the Phillies in Philadelphia. The New York Times described the 5 hit, complete game victory as an "elegant mound triumph."
     
    After 1940, Vandenberg would not pitch in the Majors again until 1944 when he re-emerged with the Chicago Cubs, appearing in 35 games, more than the 25 appearances he had accumulated in his previous 5 stints in the Majors combined. He finished 1944 with a 7-4 record, 2 saves and a 3.63 ERA.
     
    Vandenberg held out into the 1945 season, training at the University of Minnesota. Once he did report to the Cubs, however, he matched his success from the year before, compiling a 7-3 record and 3.49 ERA in 30 games. The Cubs played the Detroit Tigers in the 1945 World Series. Though the Cubs lost in 7 games, Vandenberg provided solid relief pitching in games 4, 5 and 7.
     
    Despite coming off of his two most successful seasons, the Cubs released Vandenberg during spring training in 1946. Possibly dispirited, he performed poorly in the minors with Oakland and Milwaukee. In 1947 his contract was purchased by Oklahoma City, but he chose instead to leave professional baseball and pitched for the Springfield, Minnesota team in the amateur Western Minor League.
     
    Following his playing career, Vandenberg worked as an engineering technician for the Hennepin County Highway Administration. Hy Vandenberg died from cancer at his home in Bloomington, Minnesota in 1994. He was 88 years old.
    http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/hy_vandenberg_autograph.jpg
     
    For more stories of the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, like Major Minnesotans on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter @MajorMinnesota.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160316_173242_zpsw33tqxhy.jpg
  22. Matt Johnson
    I am a 32 year old student of the game and aspiring baseball writer, born and raised in Zimmerman, MN. I am a ‘02 graduate of the Elk River Area High School. Yes, I was there in 2000 -- albeit as the backup catcher -- when Paul Feiner dealt Joe Mauer the one and only strikeout of his high school career.
     
    I recently began a project called Major Minnesotans, telling the stories of the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota. From the time I was a kindergartener learning to read by studying the backs of 1990 Topps cards, I have been fascinated by the few Minnesotans who have made it to the Majors. The genesis of this project, I suppose, is an album of baseball cards of Major League Minnesotans that I began putting together about a year ago. As I researched the cards that I would need to assemble to make this album as comprehensive as possible, I stumbled upon one fascinating story after another. Furthermore, I realized that these are stories that haven’t already been rehashed every which way. I don’t have many original insights to offer by way of prognostication or parsing sabermetrics. These stories, though, they are that elusive niche I’d been looking for since giving up my Reader Weekly column years ago.
     
    The details available in 2016 are mindboggling. For instance, you can look up Dan Smith (Apple Valley class of ‘87) on Baseball Reference, click “Debut,” scroll down to play by play and see that the first Big League batter he faced, Devon White, dropped down a bunt single, promptly stole second, was moved to third by a Roberto Alomar sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Joe Carter sac fly. Welcome to the Big Leagues, am I right? Incidentally, you will also notice that Smith was opposed in his MLB debut by St. Paul-native, Jack Morris. Does anyone else remember digging through the library basement to do the kind of research you can now do on your phone from anywhere?
     
    Another fun fact gleaned from the play by play on Baseball Reference is that Greg Olson (Edina East class of ‘79) made his Major League debut with Minnesota in 1989, pinch-hitting for Kent Hrbek (Bloomington Kennedy class of ‘78) and replacing Tim Laudner (Park Center class of ‘76) behind the plate. Laudner took over at first. The fact that Greg Olson was playing catcher in the first place is another interesting story. Olson was a third baseman in high school. The Gophers converted him to catcher to make room for third baseman, Terry Steinbach (New Ulm class of 1980). Steinbach was in turn converted to catcher while in the Oakland organization to make room for up-and-coming third baseman, Mark McGwire. Olson went on to become an NL All-Star catcher in 1990, while Terry Steinbach was a 3x All-Star catcher in the American League. McGwire, of course, moved across the diamond and became a 12x All-Star first baseman.
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160131_092041_zpswgeabeti.jpg
     
    Briefly a resident of Duluth, myself, Jerry Ujdur is another Major League Minnesotan who caught my attention. 2nd in career wins at the University of Minnesota, Ujdur went on to a brief, wholly unremarkable Major League career. A deeper look at his Baseball Reference page, though, shows that he was peculiarly successful against several Hall of Famers:
     

     
    Major Minnesotans will publish its first article on March 17th, the birthday of Washburn High School graduate, Hy Vandenberg, who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1935 to 1945. For a more succinct look at the Major Leaguers who grew up in Minnesota, like Major Minnesotans on Facebook (Facebook.com/MajorMinnesotans), and follow me on Twitter @MajorMinnesota.
     
    In addition to Major Minnesotans, I have also started The Twins Almanac, telling the story of the Minnesota Twins one day at a time. The Twins Almanac will revolve around a weekly compendium of Twins history, and also include occasional pieces on specific items of Twins history.
     
    Here is a foretaste of The Twins Almanac for the week of April 3rd-9th:
     
    4/3/82: The Twins beat the Phillies 5-0 in an exhibition game, the first Major League game played at the Metrodome. Pete Rose collects the first hit, and Bloomington-native Kent Hrbek hits the Dome’s first two homers. 4/4/90: The Twins trade future-KARE 11 anchor, Mike Pomeranz, to Pittsburgh in exchange for Junior Ortiz and a minor league pitcher. Ortiz, who wore #0, is best-remembered as Scott Erickson’s personal catcher during the Twins’ 1991 World Championship season. 4/5/14: The Twins beat Cleveland 7-3 for Ron Gardenhire’s 1,000th managerial win. 4/6 is the birthday of Rik Aalbert “Bert” Blyleven...
     
    A little more about myself: my baseball career peaked in 1998 when, at age 15, I threw 18 strikeouts over 10 innings in an 11 inning loss. I majored in English at Gustavus Adolphus College where I took all the classes I could from Minnesota’s current Poet Laureate, Joyce Sutphen. The first piece I ever wrote outside of school, an interview with and profile of the poet Louis Jenkins, made the cover of Duluth's Reader Weekly. My second piece, on the musician Charlie Parr, was also the cover. Nearly a decade later I started Major Minnesotans and The Twins Almanac.
     
    For two sample Major Minnesotans articles and The Twins Almanac for the week of April 3rd to the 9th, visit my WordPress site at MajorMinnesotans.WordPress.com.
     
    Thank you,
    Matt
     
     
    http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w413/mjohnso9/20160316_173242_zpsw33tqxhy.jpg
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