It’s Game 2 today and it’s going to be a pitching duel with #MNTwins RHP Jake Odorizzi pitching against Cleveland Indians ace RHP Trevor Bauer.
First, the Minnesota Twins had to make a #Twinsaction to make room for Odo and they decided to Designate LHP Adalberto Mejia for Assignment (DFA) to free up a spot on the 25-man roster. I find this move disappointing because Mejia is a starting pitcher that they tried to move to the bullpen and never really gave him a fair shot at starting. He struggled to make it as a reliever for whatever reason. He has good stuff but had problems staying healthy and then struggled with his long relief role. Why? Who knows?
The Twins just didn’t have the time to figure out if Adalberto could be a starter mainly because of the injuries. They couldn’t count on him being in the lineup so they had to go out and get a pitcher they thought they could work with by signing LHP Martin Perez and, give them credit because it has worked so far.
Well, the Twins got on the board right away in the first inning again tonight when Max Kepler hit a leadoff HR (22) to put the Twins up 1-0 after the 1st batter. Polanco followed with a single. Cruz walked. Marwin struck out. Luis Arraez singled to load the bases for Jonathan Schoop but they left the bases full after Schoop struck out and Castro grounded out to end the threat. Will we look back at this at the end of this game as a big missed opportunity?
Francisco Lindor singled to lead off the bottom of the 1st but Jake Odorizzi got a double-play ball then a groundout to pitch around the leadoff single and get out of the inning.
Jake Cave then led off the top of the 2nd inning by hitting his 2nd HR of the season to the opposite field and doubling the Twins lead. 2-0. Buxton flew out to center field and that brought Max Kepler back up to the plate facing Trevor Bauer who he had homered in 4 consecutive at-bats, although there is a walk in there, too. He then homers for the 5th straight at-bat for his 2nd HR of the game and his 23rd HR of the season. 3-0 Twins! WOW!*
*After the game, it was revealed that Max Kepler hitting 5 HRs in 6 plate appearances is the first time ever any player has done that against one pitcher in a single season! #MaxRecords
Polanco struck out. Cruz walked and Marwin struck out for the 2nd time to end the top of the 2nd.
Indians 3B Jose Ramirez got a run back on his 8th HR of the season that went out to right field.
Jake Odorizzi was also starting to groove a bit, giving up just a hit and a walk until he got to the bottom of the 6th. He began that inning by hitting Greg Allen with a pitch then getting Lindor to line out to left before walking Oscar Mercado and Rocco decided to go to the bullpen after that, bringing in RHP Ryne Harper and he got Carlos Santana to fly out to CF and then struck out Jason Kipnis to end the 6th inning.
Trevor Bauer then started to get into a bit of a groove as, after giving up Kepler’s 2nd HR in the top of the 2nd, he allowed just a single and 2 walks while striking out 9 over the next 4.2 innings before being removed after getting through 6 innings. He ended with 117 pitches.
The Indians pulled within one run when DH Bobby Bradley hit the 1st HR of his young career off RHP Tyler Duffey in the bottom of the 7th and it was crushed. It came off the bat at 113mph and traveled 457 feet at a 25-degree launch angle. WOW! That made it 3-2. Kepler’s HRs had an exit velocity of 101mph & 98mph and traveled 413 & 396 feet. Jake Cave’s HR came out at 99mph and traveled 373 feet.
But, in the top of the 8th, like they have done a lot this season, the Twins responded. Luis Arraez & Jonathan Schoop hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Jason Castro sacrifice bunted to advance them to 2nd & 3rd then Jake Cave doubled down the first baseline to score both of them and increase the lead to 5-2. They added another run in the top of the 9th on a Marwin Gonzalez sacrifice fly to left field that scored Jorge Polanco. He led off the inning with his 3rd single of the game.
Taylor Rogers still came into the game since he was warmed up but he needed just 8 pitches, all of them strikes, to get through the 9th inning, striking out Bobby Bradley to end the game.
The American League Central lead has increased to 7.5 games.
GOT HEEEM!!!
Bradley strikes out Bradley on a low 96mph fastball and that’s Game!!!
#MNTwins 6, #RallyTogether 2 | Final
W-Odorizzi (11-4)
HR-Kepler (22,23) Cave (2)
2B-Cave (3)
Pitching Stats?
Odo: 5.1IP 3H 1R/ER 2BB 2K 1HR 1 WIN
#MNBP: 3.2IP 2H 1R/ER 0BB 4K 1HR
Harper: 0.2IP 0H 0R/ER 0BB 1K
Duffey: 0.2IP 2H 1R/ER 0BB 0K
Parker: 1.1IP 0H 0R/ER 0BB 2K
Rogers: 1IP 0H 0R/ER 0BB 1K
Hitting Stats:
#Keps-2 HR (22,23)
#JoPo-3-5-R
#BoomStick-2 BB
#SwissG-H, RBI, SF
#Arise-2 H, R
Schoop-H, R
Castro-Sac Bunt
#CaveMan-HR (2), 2B (3), 3 RBI, BB
#Bux-Great Catch in B8, removed from game (precautionary?)
Same teams, different time tomorrow (12:10pm) as they’ll go for the sweep with Twins RHP Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.00 ERA) set to start against Indians RHP Shane Bieber (8-3, 3.45 ERA) for an American League All-Star pitcher’s duel.
