Game 52: Twins win on road, beat Rays 3-2
May 31, 2009
Minnesota @ Tampa Bay (Game 3 of 3)
It took the Twins 11 tries but the team has finally beaten an AL East team on the road in a 3-2 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field. The victory came against the former Twin Matt Garza.
Brendan Harris got the game rolling with a solo shot to left field at his former team’s ballpark to make it 1-0. Carlos Pena tied the game at one with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth off of Nick Blackburn. Matt Joyce hit a lead-off home run in the fifth to give the Rays a 2-1 lead over the Twins.
The Twins weren’t dead yet, though, as Justin Morneau answered back with an RBI single in the top of the sixth to tie the game at two. Carlos Gomez then hit a blooper to shallow right field that scored Brian Buscher to give the Twins a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh.
The Twins bullpen then took over with the lead and held the Rays to only one hit over the next three innings. Sean Henn got a batter out to start the seventh and Matt Guerrier struck out two in 2/3 inning of work. Jose Mijares struck out one and gave up the lone hit to B.J. Upton in the eighth. Joe Nathan worked in the ninth and faced three batters and got two strike outs to close out the game and earn his ninth save of the season.
Michael Cuddyer was taken out of the game in the bottom of the second and replaced by Delmon Young. Cuddyer injured his right index finger and was taken in for X-rays.
Attendance: 26,579 (Tropicana Field)
Game 51: Price strikes out 11 in 5-2 win over Twins
May 30, 2009
Minnesota @ Tampa Bay (Game 2 of 3)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price was dominate in his start against the Minnesota Twins by striking out 11 and earning his first career win by a score of 5-2.
The Twins picked up the lead in the top of the third on a ground out from Justin Morneau that scored Denard Span. Francisco Liriano quickly gave up the 1-0 lead to the first batter in the bottom half of the inning as Joe Dillon tied it up with a solo home run to left field. The Rays would go on to blow the doors open in the third.
The Rays would single their way to more runs with four singles in a row from Michael Hernandez, B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria to make it a 3-1 ballgame. Liriano walked the next two batters to load the bases and give up an RBI single to Ben Zobrist before getting Dillon to strike out swinging who started the four run inning with a home run.
Liriano would pitch the fourth inning before being taken out of the game. Liriano gave up four runs off seven hits and got three strike outs and three walks.
R.A. Dickey relived Liriano in the fifth and held the Rays to only two hits, however, one of them was a home run to Carl Crawford in the seventh to make a 5-1 game. Dickey picked up three strike outs and two walks in four innings of relief.
The Twins tried for a late rally in the ninth and scored one run off a grounder by Alexi Casilla that scored Brendan Harris. That was all the Twins offense could muster, though, as the Rays held them a total of six hits throughout the nine innings.
Attendance: 36,052 (Tropicana Field)
Punto to DL, Casilla recalled to Majors
May 30, 2009
Nick Punto, who missed a second game in a row, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday night with a right groin strain. Ron Gardenhire wanted to try to wait it out but didn’t want to go any longer without any backup middle infielders. Punto’s move to the DL is retroactive to Thursday.
Alexi Casilla was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take the open spot on the roster. Casilla started the club in April but was stuck in a offensive slump that started to carry over into his defensive plays. Casilla had been hitting .167 and committed three fielding errors in 22 games.
Since being demoted to Rochester, Casilla has hit .316 with three triples, eight RBIs and six stolen bases in 20 games with the Red Wings.
Game 50: Road struggles continue in 5-3 loss over Rays
May 29, 2009
Minnesota @ Tampa (Game 1 of 3)
The Twins have the worst road record in the American League and are still adding to that record with a 5-3 loss at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Rays jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a two-out solo home run from Carl Crawford off of Scott Baker in the third inning. Michael Cuddyer would tie the game in the sixth with a solo home run to left center field, his ninth home run of the season.
The Rays would break the tie in the bottom half of the inning with a 3-run home run by Evan Longoria. Baker would retire the next two batters before giving up a double to Ben Zobrist and being pulled out of the game. Baker gave up four runs off of seven hits and picked up four strike outs in 5 2/3 innings of work.
Joe Mauer hit a lead off triple to start the eighth inning and was knocked in on a double from Justin Morneau. A throwing error would allow Morneau to score two batters later as the Twins came within a run with the score at 4-3. A Willy Aybar double in the bottom half, though, would give the Rays a two run lead.
The Twins tried to make a comeback in the ninth when Joe Mauer stepped up to the plate with two out and Brian Buscher at first. Mauer, who hit a single in the first, a double in the third and a triple in the eighth, was one home run away from hitting a natural cycle. Randy Choate came in to face Mauer, however, and struck him out with a slider.
Attendance: 19,358 (Tropicana Field)
Game 49: Four ejections in seventh overshadow final game
May 28, 2009
Boston @ Minnesota (Game 4 of 4)
It was the final game between the Red Sox and Twins of the year and the last time the BoSox will play in the Metrodome and it ended with fireworks in the seventh inning. Both managers and catchers for the Twins and Sox were ejected, two in the top half and two in the bottom half, as the Sox held on to a 3-1 victory.
Anthony Swarzak was on the mound for the Twins and was continuing on from his seven scoreless innings from his first start. Joe Crede, who returned from missing three games after being hit in the wrist, gave Swarzak a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo home run to left field.
Swarzak would finally give up his first Major League run in the fifth inning on a lead-off solo home run from Jason Varitek to tie the game at one. Varitek gave Boston the lead with another lead-off home run in the seventh to make it a 2-1 game. Swarzak would leave the game after facing two batters in the seventh and pitched six complete innings and stuck out three, walked four and gave up two home runs.
Then the fireworks began.
With Sean Henn pitching, Dustin Pedroia would hit a sacrifice fly to Jason Kubel in right field. Jeff Bailey would tag and run home as Kubel threw a perfect relay to Mike Redmond in a close play at the plate. The home plate umpire, Todd Tichenor, called Bailey safe as Redmond got up to argue the call and was immediately ejected. Ron Gardenhire then stormed out of the dugout to defend his player and was also ejected.
More ejections happened in the bottom half of the inning after Josh Beckett thought he threw strike three that was called a ball by Tichenor. After yelling at the umpire, catcher Jason Varitek stepped up and got in Tichenor’s face. Varitek was tossed out of the game and Red Sox manager, Terry Francona, was also tossed after coming to the defense of his player.
The damage was already done and the Twins were unable to comeback from a 2-run deficit and the Reed Sox held on to their 3-1 lead to split the four game series.
Attendance: 23,958
Game 48: Boston wild in 4-2 loss over Twins
May 27, 2009
Boston @ Minnesota (Game 3 of 4)
All three pitchers for the Boston Red Sox threw a wild pitch with starting pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, throwing a total of four, and Denard Span went 4-for-4 with a walk in a 4-2 win for Minnesota.
Matsuzaka threw two wild pitches in the bottom half of the first inning. Denard Span was able to advance to third base due to the throws, however, the rest of the team were unable to knock him in to score.
The Sox would put the first run on the board in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Kevin Youkilis that knocked in Jacoby Ellsbury. The Twins would come back in the bottom half of the inning as Denard Span scored on a sacrifice fly from Joe Mauer to tie the game a one a piece.
Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel would follow with back-to-back doubles to give the Twins a 2-1 lead. Brendan Harris then single on a ball hit to left that would knock in Kubel to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Matsuzaka was wild again in the fourth inning and threw two more wild pitches. Again, Span would be able to advance to third base but the Twins once again were unable to put him across home plate to score.
Jason Bay would put the Red Sox to within a run in the top half of the sixth inning with a solo home run to left center field. Kevin Slowey would come out of the game after the sixth with five strike outs and two runs off of six hits.
The Twins put in an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth that was started with back-to-back singles for Span and Joe Mauer. Jason Kubel was intentionally walked to load the bases with two out, however, Michael Cuddyer would be hit by a pitch in the thigh to put in a run.
The bullpen for the Twins would take over after the sixth and shut down the Red Sox as Jose Mijares, Matt Guerrier and Joe Nathan held the Sox to no hits and Nathan struck out one while picking up his eighth save of the season.
Attendance: 28,221
Game 47: Big fifth puts Twins over BoSox
May 26, 2009
Boston @ Minnesota (Game 2 of 4)
A five-run fifth inning, capped off with a 3-run home run from Justin Morneau, gave the Twins the lead and enough runs in a 5-2 win over the Boston Red Sox. Nick Blackburn also had a career high of seven strike outs as he picked up his fourth win of the season.
Blackburn struck out five batters before giving up a run in the top of the fifth when Dustin Pedroia hit an RBI double to score Jacoby Ellsbury with one out. Blackburn would pitch out of the inning without giving up any more runs by getting J.D. Drew to ground out and Kevin Youkilis to strike out swinging.
The Twins would come back in the bottom half of the inning and put a run on the board on an RBI single from Nick Punto that scored Brendan Harris. Denard Span followed with a ground out that knocked in Matt Tolbert and gave the Twins a 2-1 lead. With two on and two out, Justin Morneau sent a rocket into the seats over the baggie for his 14th home run of the year to give Minnesota a 5-1 lead.
Boston put in another run in the top of the seventh when Punto committed a throwing error on a double play attempt. Blackburn would leave after the seventh after giving up two runs, one earned, off of eight hits with seven strike outs and a pair of walks.
Matt Guerrier pitched in the eighth inning and picked up two strike outs and Joe Nathan pitched in the ninth to close out the game for his seventh save of the year.
Attendance: 20,019
Game 46: Sox snap streak in 6-5 win
May 25, 2009
Boston @ Minnesota (Game 1 of 4)
The Twins had their four game win streak snapped in a 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Memorial Day.
Francisco Liriano looked sharp in his first two innings of working by picking up five strike outs – four of them were swinging strike outs. Michael Cuddyer gave Liriano a small lead to work with as he hit a solo rocket to left in the bottom of the second inning to give the Twins a 1-0 lead.
Liriano had troubles, however, in the third inning and gave up back-to-back doubles to Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay that put two runs on the board for the Red Sox. Mike Lowell also had an RBI single to make it a 3-1 ballgame. Youkillis would hit another double off of Liriano in the fourth to score two more runs and the Sox had a commanding 5-1 lead.
Liriano would pitch himself out of the fourth inning and would leave the game giving up five runs off of 11 hits and striking out seven.
The Twins would show signs of life in the sixth as Carlos Gomez hit a lead off double to right field and was able to make it to third on a throwing error. Justin Morneau knocked Gomez in on a ground-rule double and Morneau was able to score on a single from Jason Kubel to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
Jeff Bailey would add a run for the Red Sox in the top of the eighth with a home run to left field off of R.A. Dickey. The home run was the only run Dickey would give up in four innings and one of only three hits allowed by the knuckleballer.
With the Twins down to their last out and behind by a score of 6-3, Joe Mauer stepped up to the plate to pinch-hit for Mike Redmond. Mauer would then drive a 1-2 pitch into the seats in right-center field for a 2-run home run and to bring the Twins to within one run to tie. Delmon Young, though, hit a pop fly to J.D. Drew in right field to kill the rally and end the game.
Attendance: 27,636
Game 45: Morneau’s slam gives Twins sweep over Brewers
May 24, 2009
Milwaukee @ Minnesota (Game 3 of 3)
The bats were alive tonight as every run scored came off of a home run by both teams. Justin Morneau’s grand slam, however, proved to be the difference maker in the 6-3 victory that gave the Twins a clean sweep over the Brewers.
Joe Mauer gave the Twins a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a solo home run that landed in the upper deck in right-center field for his tenth home run of the season in a total of 78 at bats.
The Brewers tied the game at 1 each with a solo shot of their own from Mike Cameron off of Scott Baker. The game would be tied for long, though, as Joe Crede hit a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning for his second home run in as many days. Crede, however, would be taken out of the game in the seventh after being hit by a pitch in the hand in the bottom of the sixth.
With two outs in the bottom of the second, Nick Punto would walk and Carlos Gomez would single before Mauer was be hit by a pitch, but the umpire would rule in a foul ball. Ron Gardenhire came out to argue the call and the umpire awarded Mauer first base as his wrist was already bruising.
Justin Morneau then stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and took the first pitch deep into the upper deck for a grand slam, the fifth slam of his career, and gave the Twins a 6-1 lead.
Scott Baker would take the lead into the ninth inning before giving a 2-run home run to Prince Fielder with one out to make it a 6-3 game. Baker would fall 2/3 inning short of a complete game as he was taken out. Baker gave up three runs off of seven hits and struck out six in his 8 1/3 innings of work.
Joe Nathan closed out the game and got both Mike Cameron and Corey Hart to swing on sliders to pick up two strike outs. The game does not count as a save for Nathan as he did not pitch a complete inning of work.
Attendance: 38,959
Game 44: Swarzak impressive in debut
May 23, 2009
Milwaukee @ Minnesota (Game 2 of 3)
Anthony Swarzak was called up from Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday and made his fist Major League start on Saturday and it is one he won’t likely forget in a 6-2 victory over the Brewers.
Swarzak pitched seven shutout innings for the Twins and allowed on five hits. He also struck out Prince Fielder once looking and Mat Gamel twice by looking and swinging. Swarzak also got a little help from the offense in the form of run support.
Joe Mauer would put the Twins on the board in the third inning with a single to left that scored Carlos Gomez from second. As Denard Span was heading to third, Ryan Braun overthrew Bill Hall that would go into the Twins dugout and Span was allowed to score and Mauer was given third. Mauer would go on to score on a sacrifice fly from Justin Morneau to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
Joe Crede started the fourth inning with a solo home run to left field, his seventh home run of the season, and Mauer would add a solo shot to left field in the fifth for his ninth home run of the season, to make it a 5-0 game. The home run for Mauer tied his home run total from last season. Crede would go on to knock in Mauer in the seventh to make it 6-0 in favor of the Twins.
The Brewers would answer back in the eight as Prince Fielder hit a ball to center off of Matt Guerrier to score Casey McGehee for their first run of the game. Jose Mijares pitched in the ninth for the Twins and allowed one run off of a double from Jason Kendall that scored Jody Gerut from second. The next batter, Craig Counsell hit a fly ball to Gomez to end the game.
Attendance: 40,547
