The #MNTwins were going for the series sweep today in Cleveland and it looked to be a pitcher’s duel with Jose Berrios facing Shane Bieber, 2 All-Stars with one ending up the game’s MVP.
The Twins got a 2-out hit in the first from Nelson Cruz but nothing came from it. Berrios got the 1st 2 batters on a pop out and a line out but then walked the next 2 batters which brought 3B Jose Ramirez up to the plate and he hit his 16th double of the season to score Santana from 2nd but Berrios got Jake Bauers to fly out to left field to end the inning. 1-0 Indians.
It was a pitchers duel for most of the game but the Indians got to Berrios for 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th on a Jake Bauers double (12), a Greg Allen RBI-single, a groundout (Allen advanced to 2nd) and a Tyler Naquin RBI-single.
The Twins were getting almost nothing off Shane Bieber (6IP 3H 0R/ER 0BB 8K) until the 7th inning which started with a Luis Arraez walk and Mitch Garver being hit by a pitch. The Indians challenged that the ball hit Garver’s bat but the call stood. Marwin then hit an RBI-single (his 3rd hit of the day) and Miguel Sano followed with a single to left field to load the bases. Jake Cave was then hit by a pitch, although it took a Twins challenge to reverse the call. Garver scored and the bases were still loaded. Schoop struck out and the Indians went to LHP Oliver Perez to once again face Max Kepler and Max hit a soft fly ball to short center field to tie the game at 3-3. Unfortunately, Jorge Polanco and Nelson Cruz struck to end the half-inning but they turned a 3-0 deficit into a new ballgame.
Trever May was brought in to replace Zack Littell who had replaced Jose Berrios to pitch a perfect 6th. May got Lindor to ground out, Kipnis to strike out but he hung an 0-2 curveball after getting to 0-2 on Carlos Santana on a 98mph inside fastball and a 97.5mph high & inside fastball! Jack Morris had said he’d be doing the hitter a favor if he throws anything except another fastball. Well, that hanging curveball also hung in the air for a while until it landed in the seats for a 4-3 Indians lead! Ouch! That hurts.
Luis Arraez led off the top of the 8th with his 6th double of the season and he ended up advancing to 3rd on the 2nd out but Miguel Sano struck out swinging on a low 78mph slider on the outer half of the plate.
The Twins then got a baserunner to lead off the top of the 9th when Jason Kipnis committed an error to allow Ehire Adrianza to reach but then Indians Closer Brad Hand closed it by striking out the next 3 batters to end the game, all swinging strikeouts!
It was a disappointing loss but winning the series is good and the Twins tied the game late and then had their chances to tie it again but just didn’t get the hits when they needed them.
They’ll get Monday off then start a 9-game homestand beginning with a 2-game series against the Mets starting on Tuesday (RHP Michael Pineda (6-4, 4.56 ERA) vs RHP Zack Wheeler (6-6, 4.69 ERA) then they’ll play 4 against the Athletics and finish the homestand with 3 against the Yankees. It should be a fun homestand against some good teams.
