Game 1: Twins lose opener to Angels
Minnesota @ Los Angeles (Game 1 of 4)
Summary
The Twins tried to play catch up the entire night but couldn’t quite make it over the hump. A pair of back-to-back homers in the eighth sealed the deal and the Angels went on to win 6-3.
Pitching
After having a pretty decent spring, Scott Baker labored on the mound throwing 92 pitches in 4.2 innings and giving up four runs off five hits with three walks and three strike outs. Baker also gave up a home run to Jeff Mathis in the bottom of the second to give the Angels a 3-2 lead.
The bullpen seemed to pick up the slack for Baker until the bottom of the eighth when Jose Mijares gave up back-to-back solo home runs to Hideki Matsui and Kendry Morales. Jesse Crain pitched a flawless 1.2 innings with a strike out and Pat Neshek gave up one hit with a strike out in 1 inning of work.
Batting
Delmon Young was the star at the plate for the Twins who hit a shot over the left field wall in the top of the second to tie the game at two. Young also legged out an infield hit, stole a base and scored another run off a sacrifice fly from Nick Punto. Aside from that performance, the Twins didn’t do much at the plate.
Down by one run, the Twins loaded the bases in the sixth and seventh innings but failed to score either time. Both Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau got infield hits that could have easily been outs and Denard Span went 0-for-5 with three strike outs. The Twins struck out a total of eight times during the game.
Notes
Kevin Jepsen hit Orlando Hudson with a pitch in the kneecap and Hudson collapsed on the way to first base. Trainers came out to check on him and he was able to get back to his feet and finish the game.
Attendance
43,504 (Angel Stadium)
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