1 GB. No, Really.

by RandBall's Stu on Oct 3, 2009 8:48 AM EDT in Game Recaps

No team in baseball history has come from three games back with four games to play. The Minnesota Twins like those odds.

Thanks to an early beatdown of the Royals' Lenny DiNardo and a serviceable start from Jeff Manship, the Twins tallied a 10-7 victory over Kansas City. Meanwhile, Jake Peavy and our new best friends in Chicago shut the Tigers out again. The lead in the AL Central is one measly game. Cool, huh?

Delmon Young started the festivities in the bottom of the first, pretending a DiNardo fastball was Jose Mijares and launching a grand slam into the left-center seats. In one inning of official work, DiNardo gave up 7 runs, 5 earned. As it turned out, the Twins would need every one of those and a few more.

The blame for that cannot be laid at Jeff Manship's feet. He pitched into the 6th and posted his first major league win, giving up 3 earned on 8 hits. The same cannot be said of Jesse Crain or Mijares, who both had trouble getting batters out, forcing Ron Gardenhire to go deep into the bullpen in a game the Twins led 10-0. Ron Mahay put out Crain's fire, Matt Guerrier did likewise for Mijares (who was shown on SportsCenter attacking the dugout wall with his foot after leaving the game), and Joe Nathan pitched a drama-free 9th to post his Twins-record 46th save.

Beyond that: Jason Kubel hit his 25th home run, Orlando Cabrera committed two errors, Joe Mauer is at .366 after 1-for-4 night, and Jon Rauch was the only reliable bullpen arm that went unused.

Enjoy the pennant race, everybody.

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Delmon is the hero

It is pretty sweet that two of the hottest players down the stretch have been Delmon Young and Nick Punto

by DJL44 on Oct 3, 2009 8:57 AM EDT reply actions

I read on Wiki a long time ago

Delmon’s nickname was “Four-run Delmon”. Let’s all start calling him that.

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is!" -John "Bluto" Blutarsky

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Oct 3, 2009 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

heh heh heh

You want me to stop with the “TOD” then?

by Neil on Oct 3, 2009 2:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I think the CarX guy came up with that

Do what you want. He earned some respect from me after that anyway, standing ovation when he came back out into left field too.

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is!" -John "Bluto" Blutarsky

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Oct 3, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Rauch

Almost certainly, if the Twins are in the game today, Rauch will have to pitch more than an inning. For all the Billy Smith haters, the acquisitions of Mahay and especially Rauch have really stabilized the bullpen. Cabrera has done the same thing for the infield, although his defensive deficiencies drive me crazy.

by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Oct 3, 2009 9:25 AM EDT reply actions

wasn't pretty

but it’s only one now. It’s going to be really tough to beat Greinke today. How did we avoid him all season unit the biggest games of the year? Good news is the White Sox look like their playing with a purpose and the Tigers are going with some guy named Figaro tonight. Interesting that last year at this time we were cheering for a bad Tigers team to beat the SOX and this year it’s the other way around.

by STLVikesFAN on Oct 3, 2009 10:13 AM EDT reply actions

I like the angry Delmon Young

So many fun subplots: How the Pavano/Washburn/Peavy acquisitions have worked out respectively; they’ve all benefitted the Twins. Blackburn’s chance to establish himself firmly as a big game pitcher. Other oft-hated on Twins with the chance to follow Delmon’s lead and make a lot of blog-seat drivers eat their words. Pavano’s looming return to Yankee stadium. Redmond’s last days. A semi-slumbering MVP. A spent bullpen—is it too late to call up Delaney and Slama?

by Han Joelo on Oct 3, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

Ahhhh! I'm so excited to go to the game today!

And somehow I ended up going last night…it was pretty fantastic. Delmon Young, new hero? For the night, anyway. The Dome was packed, and it was LOUD. Even more people will be there today, it’s going to be awesome. :)

I think I owe Peavy $10 for shutting out the Tigers, too…

"Baseball doesn't owe me a thing. I owe my whole life to baseball." -Kirby Puckett

by fischean on Oct 3, 2009 10:40 AM EDT reply actions

Lucky!

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is!" -John "Bluto" Blutarsky

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Oct 3, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Can Peavy pitch today and tomorrow too?

by Hjorvarthr on Oct 3, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

These bums can't win squat!

Shh! I am desperately trying to damp down my enthusiasm because whenever I give up on the boys they play like they were possessed and when I get my hopes up they crumble. I hope I can keep this charade up for another two days.

The only stat that counts is W

by wayback on Oct 3, 2009 12:53 PM EDT reply actions

Are We Having Fun Yet!

Whew!

Scoreboard watching, and yet a 10-0 nothing game can still put fans on the edge of the seats.

Delmon Young is playing like he wants a raise in 2010.

Can we nickname Mijares “Hitman!”

Will Gardy ever stop asking his pitchers to get that extra guy or go that extra inning?

Wish the Twins had a bench.

Who got the game ball: Manship or Nathan!

Visit www.TwinsCards.com and check out "rosters" to see my collection!

by rosterman on Oct 3, 2009 1:02 PM EDT reply actions

Or Young?

I always loved that one.

by FoulJack on Oct 3, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I was there! My recap

Innings 1-4
Delmon Young proves fangraphs right by barely hitting a ball into the tenth row near centerfield (assisted greatly by the winds from the A/C system), coincidently bases were loaded 1 to 0 +4=5 to 0, at that point, math. After a few more runs 10-0. They couldn’t possibly blow a lead like this, again, could they?

Innings 5-8
Yes, yes they could. ~~Thanks to~~ No thanks to Crainwreck and Jose “The Beanin’ Machine” Mijares. 10-7.

Ninth inning
Nathan save #46. Twins win, Tigers lose, 1 GB!!!

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is!" -John "Bluto" Blutarsky

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Oct 3, 2009 1:32 PM EDT reply actions