Game 151: Home runs a plenty in 8-6 Twins win
September 22, 2009
Minnesota @ Chicago (Game 2 of 3)
The game went back and forth between the two divison rivals, but in the end it was the Twins who outpowered the White Sox in a 8-6 win. The Twins also outpowered the Sox in home runs with the Twins knocking out four compared to the three the Sox hit out.
Orlando Cabrera started the night of home runs with a 2-run shot to left field in the first inning. Delmon Young would knock in Jason Kubel on a sacrifice fly to give the Twins a 3-0 lead before they got a chance to play defense.
The White Sox would score a run in the bottom half of the inning when the Twins would concede a run on a ground out from A.J. Pierzynski to make it 3-1. The Sox weren’t giving up though as they would tee-off on rookie, Jeff Manship, in the third.
Alex Rios would put the Sox within one with a solo shot to left field in the third inning. Scott Podsednik would follow with a single and Gordon Beckham homered to left to take the 4-3 lead. Manship would give up two more singles before being replaced by Francisco Liriano, who ended the inning with a ground out double play.
Michael Cuddyer would tie the game in the fourth on a ground out double play and take the lead in the fifth on a RBI double from Joe Mauer. Paul Konerko would hit a RBI double of his own in the bottom half of the fifth to tie the game at five.
The home run derby would start in the sixth with Michael Cuddyer putting the Twins ahead with a lead off solo home run. Matt Tolbert would extend the lead with a solo home run of his own in the same inning.
Not to be outdone, Jason Kubel hit a solo shot in the eighth to give the Twins a three run lead. Paul Konerko also got in on the action and hit a solo home run to make it a 8-6 ballgame in the bottom of the eighth.
Joe Nathan would come in to close out the game in the ninth and retired all three batters he faced while striking out one to earn his 43rd save of the season.
Attendance: 25,290 (U.S. Cellular Field)
Twins still trying to close the gap
September 21, 2009
Twins vs A's 2009-09-11
Having lost 2 of 3 to the lowly A’s, the Twins turned around and took 2 of 3 from Detroit moving them them to just 3 games behind the Tigers. Just when you thought they were out of the hunt, dropping the two games to the A’s, Detroit stutters and allows the Twins to stay in the chase.
Now the Twins hit the road until October and the schedule is deceivingly easy. The Twins start the road trip with three against the third place and struggling White Sox. The Twins then head down to Kauffman Stadium to play three games against a struggling Royals team. The Royals could end up playing spoilers for the Twins as the season winds to an end.
The Twins then finish the long road trip with three games against Detroit. It will be interesting to see what the pitching rotation might end up being about this time as the Twins have struggled against Detroit’s pitching (like most other teams this year).
The Twins will then finish the year with three games at the Dome against the Royals. The Royals are 4 for 6 at the Dome this year and although the pitching at this point is a little better then it was at the beginning of the year, the Twins are going to need to bring their best game against the Royals and hope that they Detroit gives them an opportunity to get into the post season.
Game 150: Twins shout out White Sox
September 21, 2009
Minnesota @ Chicago (Game 1 of 3)
The Twins need to keep winning games in order to stay in the pennant race and their biggest test will be the upcoming 10-game road trip. They got the road trip off to a good start in Chicago as Orlando Cabrera lead them to an 8-0 shut out over the White Sox on their home field.
The Twins scored early in the first inning as Orlando Cabrera hit a triple against his former team and scored shortly after on a passed ball to give the Twins a 1-0 lead before the Sox got a chance to bat.
Rookie Daniel Hudson had problems on the mound in his first start and loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second and gave a free pass to Denard Span, which allowed Delmon Young to score to extend the Twins’ lead to two.
Hudson calmed down on the mound but had a throwing error on a ground ball by Cabrera, which allowed him to reach second base. Cabrera then scored on a RBI single from Michael Cuddyer to make it 3-0.
The Twins faced two new pitchers in the sixth and Nick Punto would hit an RBI single off D.J. Carrasco. Punto would score on a sacrifice fly from Cabrera but a scary moment occurred when Denard Span was beaned in the back of the helmet on a pitch that got away from Randy Williams. Span would be replaced by Carlos Gomez.
Nick Blackburn would run with the 6-0 lead and strike out six while giving up eight hits with no runs scoring through seven innings. Meanwhile, the Twins would continue to extend their lead in the eighth with RBI singles from Orlando Cabrera and Joe Mauer to give the Twins an 8-0 lead.
The Twins would hand the game over the Matt Guerrier in the eighth and Bobby Keppel in the ninth as they would both retire the three batters they faced to complete the shut out.
Attendance: 26,541 (U.S. Cellular Field)
Cuddyer named AL Player of the Week
September 21, 2009
With the Twins in the thick of a playoff race, Michael Cuddyer has brought his playing up to another level. In doing so, it has earned the right fielder-tuned-first baseman the honors of being named the American League Player of the Week after cranking out four home runs and 11 RBIs over the course of six games.
Cuddyer has filled in quite nicely at first base for Justin Morneau, who has been shut down for the season due to a stress fracture in his back, and in the line up as Cuddyer’s power has helped the Twins to a 5-1 record over the past week against divisional rivals.
After a disappointing, injury-plagued season last year, Cuddyer has shined in 2009 and put up career numbers in home runs, triples and slugging percentage. During Monday’s game against the Indians, Cuddyer hit his 25th home run of the season, which was also his 100th home run of his career.
Along with his career numbers, in August Cuddyer became the 53rd player to ever hit two home runs in one inning and in May became the tenth Twin to ever hit for the cycle.
Crede to have third back surgery
September 21, 2009
Joe Crede’s season is officially over as he has opted to have surgery next week to removed fluid from a herniated disk in his back.
Crede’s history of back problems was a cause for concern throughout the season, however, it wasn’t until recently that any issues with his back had come up. Crede had seen time on the bench due to countless other problems with his shoulder, hands, knees and hamstring, but his back was virtually pain-free until soreness put him on the DL on August 22nd.
Crede was brought back to the active roster in early September but only played in a pair of games where he went 0-for-5 with four strike outs. He batted .225 in 90 games with the Twins, which is .029 points lower than his career average, but hit 15 homers and knocked in 48 RBIs while playing at the hot corner.
Although Crede has recently squashed any rumors of retiring from the game of baseball, it could be very likely that Twins fans have seen him for the last time in a Twins uniform.
Game 149: Twins fail to sweep Tigers
September 20, 2009
Detroit @ Minnesota (Game 3 of 3)
The Twins let a one run lead pass them by in the fifth inning and were unable to get the bats going as the dropped the third game of the series to the Tigers. The loss put the Twins three games behind the Tigers in the AL Central with 13 games to go.
The Twins put a run on the board in the bottom of the first when Orlando Cabrera scored on a ground ball from Jason Kubel. Meanwhile, Scott Baker was able to work with the one run lead and cut through the Tigers lineup by striking out five batters before giving up an RBI triple to Carlos Guillen to tie the game in the fourth inning.
Minnesota was able to break the tie game in the bottom half of the fourth after Delmon Young hit a leadoff double and scored on a single from Nick Punto. Unfortunately the two run lead wouldn’t last long as Scott Baker would run into trouble in the fifth inning.
Baker gave up a walk and a single to start the inning and the Tigers scored two runs on a fly ball single from Placido Polanco to take the lead. Baker would give up two more singles to knock in another run before being taken out of the game and replaced by Ron Mahay, who would strike out the first batter he faced.
Detroit would work with the 4-2 lead and put a stop to the Twins offense by only allowing base runners to reach on a pair of singles and a pair of walks in the final five innings. Detroit would add a pair of runs in the eighth on a solo home run from Ryan Raburn and a sacrifice fly from Placido Polanco to put the game out of reach.
Attendance: 36,335
Game 148: Twins rally past Tigers
September 19, 2009
Detroit @ Minnesota (Game 2 of 3)
A late inning 5-run rally put the Twins ahead of the Tigers as the Twins went on to win their season high sixth game in a row in a 6-2 victory. The win also put the Twins within two games of the league leading Tigers in the AL Central standings.
The Tigers got out to an early lead in the first when a wild pitch from Carl Pavano and a single from Miguel Cabrera allowed Placido Polanco to score from second. The 1-0 lead wouldn’t last long, though, as Joe Mauer would tie the game with a solo shot to right field in the bottom half of the inning.
The Tigers would take the lead in the third off an RBI single from Aubrey Huff to make it 2-1. Pavano, though, would keep the Twins in the game by going seven innings and giving up only two runs off 11 hits with four strike outs.
Justin Verlander was on the mound for the Tigers and was cruising along through the first seven innings giving up just a single run off six hits with five strike outs before running into problems in the eighth inning. Verlander would start the inning by striking out Nick Punto, but it would fall apart shortly thereafter.
Verlander gave up a single to Denard Span and a double to Orlando Cabrera to put the go ahead run on second. Verlander would give a free pass to Mauer to load the bases before giving up a base hit to Jason Kubel that left fielder, Don Kelly, lost in the roof. Two runs would score on the hit to give the Twins a 3-2 lead.
Brandon Lyon was sent out to stop the bleeding with runner at the corners with one out and instead allowed Michael Cuddyer to clear the bases by sending a fastball over the wall in left center field for a 3-run home run.
With the 6-2 lead, the Twins sent Jose Mijares to the mound to finish the job but ended up giving Placido Polanco and two out double instead. Matt Guerrier was sent to the mound and retired the next batter on two pitches as Ryan Raburn hit a ground ball right to the mound.
Attendance: 43,338
Game 147: Twins gain ground on Tigers
September 18, 2009
Detroit @ Minnesota (Game 1 of 3)
The Twins began a critical three game series against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night and came out with a huge 3-0 shut out to gain a game on the AL Central leading Tigers and roll on to a 5-game win streak.
Brian Duensing went toe-to-toe against Rick Porcello and proved to be his usual calm and stable self as Duensing held the Tigers to a pair of hits and a walk over the first six innings of work.
With things going well on the mound, the Twins got on the board in the fourth inning as Michael Cuddyer brought out his hot bat and hit a 2-run shot to left field to give the Twins a 2-0 lead. Delmon Young would add to the lead in the sixth with a double to left field to score Jason Kubel.
The bullpen would come out in the seventh inning as Jose Mijares and Jon Rauch would hold the Tigers to no hits before turning it over to Joe Nathan in the ninth. Nathan would give up a two out walk and a double to give the Tigers a threat to score but would get Aubrey Huff to line out to end the game.
Attendance: 32,693
Moment of Truth: Tigers vs. Twins
September 18, 2009
This is what baseball in September is all about.
The Twins have been written off several times already this season but have clung on mostly due to a weak AL Central Division and the fact that the Tigers can’t seem to put a streak together long enough to pull far enough ahead.
The Twins are just four games behind the Tigers in the standings, which makes the weekend series between the two divisional rivals a make-or-break series for the Twins. After Sunday’s game the Twins could pull within a game behind or a far out as seven games in the standings. Afterwards, the two teams still have another four games to play against each other in Detroit.
In baseball the saying goes “it’s not who you play, it’s when you play them,” and right now the Tigers are on a skid in which they have gone 3-7 in the last ten games. Five of the seven losses where against the Kansas City Royals, who have the worst record in the American League. The Twins, on the other hand, have momentum on their side as they are riding a four game win streak, which includes a sweep of the Cleveland Indians.
If momentum wasn’t enough, the Tigers have had their share of difficulties playing in the Metrodome this season and hold a 1-5 record under the Teflon roof. Their one victory was an 16 inning game where the Tigers pulled together three runs in the 16th and pitched out of a two on, one out jam to hang on to the victory.
The Twins will also be sending a good rotation to the mound with Brian Duensing, Carl Pavano and Scott Baker scheduled to face the Tigers. Out of the five-man rotation, these are the three I’d like to see face the Tigers especially with what these games mean to both clubs.
Not to mention, Pavano is 4-0 against the Tigers this season while holding them to a total of five earned runs. He pitched seven shutout innings the last time he faced the Tigers.
One big problem the Twins will have is that they are without the corners of the infield with Justin Morneau and Joe Crede out for the season. Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, Jose Morales and even Nick Punto have picked up the slack, though, and have gotten hot during the final stretch of the season when the Twins need it the most.
Yes, the Twins play in a weak division and should have been finished off long ago with the mediocre ball they have been playing this season, but they have stuck around and there will be some excitement in the Dome this weekend. If there was ever a time where the Twins needed to start playing a good stretch of baseball, that time is now.
Another Central Division Championship is there for the taking.
Game 146: Twins complete sweep of Indians
September 16, 2009
Cleveland @ Minnesota (Game 3 of 3)
The Twins are riding a wave of momentum as they completed a three game sweep of the Indians and have won four straight after a decisive 7-3 win at the Metrodome on Wednesday afternoon.
Nick Blackburn was on the mound for the Twins and was in complete control of the Tribe. Blackburn retired the first seven batters he faced before finally giving up a single to Kelly Shoppach in the third inning. Blackburn would come out of the inning unscathed, though.
The Twins would put a run on the board in the bottom half of the third as Michael Cuddyer would hit a two out RBI single to left that scored Joe Mauer from second to break the scoreless tie.
The Twins would add to the lead in the fourth an RBI single from Denard Span that scored Jose Morales and an RBI single from Joe Mauer that scored Nick Punto to give the Twins a 3-0 lead. The RBI was number 86 for Mauer, which broke his previous career high mark of 85 in 2005.
Michael Cuddyer would add to the lead in the fifth with a solo homer to left field for his 26th home run of the season and give the Twins a 5-0 lead.
Blackburn would continue to have good fortune on the mound before hitting a wall in the seventh where he would give up a double to Travis Hafner and follow by giving up a home run to Matt LaPorta to put the Indians on the board.
Blackburn would get one out before being pulled from the game after pitching 6 1/3 innings and giving up two runs off eight hits with three strike outs.
The Twins would get the two runs right back in the bottom half of the seventh off an RBI double from Cuddyer that scored the speedy Carlos Gomez from first base. Cuddyer would score two batters later on a sacrifice fly from Jose Morales to make it 7-2.
The Indians would pick up one more run in the eighth on a single from LaPorta but the Twins bullpen would keep the Indians in check before running into some problems in the ninth inning.
Matt Guerrier would start the ninth by giving up back-to-back singles and Jamey Carroll would advance the runners on a soft ground ball before the Twins would turn to Joe Nathan.
Nathan would come to the mound and strike out Shin-Soo Choo and Jhonny Peralta on a dozen pitches to close out the game and earn his 41st save of the season.
Attendance: 16,921
