The #MNTwins had to go with another bullpen game tonight but, that bullpen has been pretty good in these games. Those 2 bullpen game wins in Cleveland were HUGE.
Can they do it again?
RHP Randy Dobnak got the start and he’s been pretty good in whatever role the Minnesota Twins have asked him to pitch in. You could probably expect Rocco Baldelli & the Twins to ask him to pitch as long as possible after they had to use the bullpen for 7.1 innings last night.
Dobnak started the game with a perfect inning that included 2 swinging strikeouts of Kansas City Royals SS Adalberto Mondesi & slugger Jorge Soler. He began the 2nd inning with a 2-0 lead after Mitch Garver led off the game with a walk then Jorge Polanco doubled (39) and Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to score Garver and advances Polanco to 3rd. Rosie popped out to 3rd for the 2nd out but Miguel Sano picked him up by hitting his 2nd triple of the season off the left-center field wall. Dobnak’s 2nd inning wasn’t perfect with a hit batter and batter with a hit but he got out of the jam with a groundball & a flyout to center.
Dobnak started the 3rd inning by hitting another batter as he lost control on a pitch that hit right-handed hitter Nick Dini high on the left arm. He then struck out Whit Merrifield and got Mondesi to ground into a force out at 2nd base. Mondesi then stole 2nd. Soler walked then the Royals executed a double steal, Mondesit to 3rd & Soler to 2nd but Dobnak got Hunter Dozier to pop up to 2nd to end the inning, escaping another jam.
Nelson Cruz hit a 2-out double (24) in the bottom of the 3rd but was left stranded then Randy Dobnak allowed a 1-out single but got Erick Mejia to ground into a 3-6-3 double play, 1B C.J. Cron to SS Polanco & back to 1st base to keep the Twins up 2-0.
Dobnak walked the leadoff hitter in the 4th but got a lineout and then struck out both Merrifield & Mondesi looking to end the inning. #DobnaKKKKK!
The Twins went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning and Jorge Soler led off the 5th with a single then Dobnak got Dozier to ground out to the catcher. Soler advanced to 2nd on the play. Rocco decided to make a Pitching Change to RHP Cody Stashak and he allowed an RBI-double to Andrew Gordon that cut the lead in half at 2-1 but followed that hit with 2 strikeouts to end the inning with the lead still intact.
Polanco walked to lead off the bottom of the 6th but Cruz flew out and Rosario grounded into a force out with Polanco out at 2nd & Rosie safe at 1st. Sano walked and, after a Pitching Change, Marwin Gonzalez hit a 2-run double (19) to put the Twins up 4-1.
LHP Devin Smeltzer pitched the 7th and into the 8th but Mondesi reached on a throwing error from Miguel Sano and he walked Soler so RHP Brusdar Graterol was summoned from the bullpen. He allowed 3 hits that scored 2 runs but he got Lopez to ground out to end the inning with the Twins still ahead 4-3.
With Taylor Rogers pitching last night, Rocco went to RHP Trevor May for the 9th inning. Trevor gave up 2 HRs on Tuesday night and he allowed a hit and a walk last night so, maybe (or Maybe?) he was a little amped up to come in for the save. He needed just 13 pitches to strike out the side to earn his 2nd save of the season & the 5th save of his career and each strikeout ended with his upper 90s fastball. Say what you want about Trevor May but I think he’s got the makings to be a real effective late-inning reliever and…well…
He May Strike You Out, too!!!
The bigger story is the Win went to RHP Randy Dobnak for his 1st Career Win. What a story this kid has been this season. If you haven’t heard about it, yet, we’ll post about it tomorrow.
HEY! The Magic Number is down to FIVE, now!!!
The Twins will try to lower that number again tomorrow night and go for the series win with RHP Jose Berrios (13-8, 3.58 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) on the mound against RHP Glenn Sparkman (4-11, 6.02 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) at 6:10pm on Fox Sports North.
