Twins 10, Royals 3
by RandBall's Stu on Apr 16, 2010 11:53 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
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Zach Greinke didn't have his best stuff. The Royals bullpen was called upon to hold the line. This is not a recipe for success in KC, and it wasn't, as the Twins ended up winning comfortably, 10-3. Scott Baker threw a very effective and efficient 92 pitches over 7 innings to notch his second win.
MInnesota managed to get Greinke's pitch count up early, but Greinke battled out of a couple jams before the Twins finally capitalized in the 4th on a 2-run double by Michael Cuddyer. Greinke had control issues all night, and despite the best efforts of Scott Podsednik and the Royals outfield, who robbed Twins hitters of multiple hits, those troubles caught up with him in the 5th. A bases-loaded walk to Jason Kubel's Beard and a sac fly from Delmon Young gave the Twins a 4-1 lead and ended the Cy Young winner's night.
As mentioned, Scott Baker (or Butters, or the Babyface Killer, or whatever nickname you prefer) was able to dispatch the Royals with relative ease. A home run to the immortal Yuniesky Betancourt was the biggest bump in the road.
Once the Twins got past Greinke, the s---show that is the KC bullpen took over. Kyle Farnsworth loaded the bases without getting an out. Dusty Hughes and his porn name actually made a couple nice pitches to limit the damage, before Robinson Tejeda and Juan Cruz combined to pound nail after ineffective nail in the Royals coffin.
Studs:
Bakes: 7 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, 0 BB
Matt Guerrier (still a 3-run game at the time): 1 IP, 9 pitches, 7 strikes, zeroes everywhere else.
Denard Span: 2-for-3 with a walk, 2 runs scored. LaVelle says he's reached base 11 of his last 15 plate appearances. That's good for a leadoff hitter.
Orlando Hudson: 2-for-3 with a double, 2 RBI. Really should have tagged Alberto Callaspo out on that steal attempt, though. Mauer had him nailed by 3 steps.
Cuddles: 2-for-5, 3 RBI.
Delmon Young: yes, he went 0-for-4. But he was flat-out robbed by Podsednik once, he scored a run on a sac fly, and he bailed out Hudson by gunning down Callaspo at the plate in the 2nd.
Duds:
I declare NO DUDS tonight.
Odds & Sods:
When Dick Bremer said that someone "fisted" a ball foul in the second, I had a horrifying flashback to Chip Carey. I can't believe that I'm the only one.
Mariners leading the Tigers late, hopefully we'll wake up to an expanded lead and afternoon, outdoor baseball in Minneapolis. Enjoy your weekend, kids.
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Fisted
That wasn’t the first time I have heard Dick use the phrase this year; I’ve had flashbacks each and every time. I heard it during the Cubs game on MLB network (Cubs announcers) this afternoon, too.
Chip may have started something last year… /shudder
Let's Go Twins!
Minnesota Wild Off-season: In Fletch We Trust.
Yep, I was listening to the KC and Detroit feeds earlier this week
and on both stations, the broadcasters said balls were fisted all over the place. This trend sucks.
Bingo bango.
What the hell
They must not know the, uh, other context if they keep saying it.
by MarshalltheIrish on Apr 17, 2010 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Seriously
what’s next? “Kubel tea bags a ball down the right field line”
by Adam Peterson on Apr 17, 2010 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Best up and down offensive performance so far
Everyone made a difference, and Span and Hudson are finally hitting their stride the way they’re expected. 10 runs seems like the least this lineup can amass when they’re all in the zone.
Also, I select “Babyface Killer” for Baker’s official nickname.
by MarshalltheIrish on Apr 17, 2010 12:05 AM EDT reply actions
I guess that's better than "Baby Killer"
Not as short though
by montanatwinsfan on Apr 17, 2010 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions
No way
It MUST be Butters. I demand an Official Twinkietown poll.
I always loved that one.
by FoulJack on Apr 17, 2010 12:50 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I dont see Butters. At all.
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Do you watch South Park?
I always loved that one.
by FoulJack on Apr 17, 2010 1:21 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Have you ever seen Scott Baker?
I always loved that one.
by FoulJack on Apr 17, 2010 2:20 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm very partial to Butters
But im biased casue i love south park :P
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. ~ Terence Mann
by John Veldhuis on Apr 17, 2010 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Very good offensive day
It’s nice to see that we can put runs on the board without the home runs. And it could have been much worse without the solid play by the KC outfielders.
by Adam Peterson on Apr 17, 2010 7:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Baker had a pretty good game tonight. Glad to see him get the win. Great throw by Delmon to get Callaspo at home plate on a tag by Baby Jesus in order to bail out O-Dog for not tagging the runner at second. Nice effort from all the guys tonight.
I know it's not a comparison
but contrast the way Mauer dealt with the Hudson phantom tag versus the way someone like Pierzynski would have handled it. Stoic, go out there and make the next play versus throwing a tantrum.
by Adam Peterson on Apr 17, 2010 7:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Just wait until things start REALLY clicking, eh? :-P
Let's Go Twins!
Minnesota Wild Off-season: In Fletch We Trust.
I was thinking the same thing
Baseball reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.-Terence Mann/James Earl Jones in FoD
About that expanded lead for the Mariners...
It’s 11-2 in the bottom of the 8th, about an hour after you posted that.
Baseball reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.-Terence Mann/James Earl Jones in FoD
Look That Run Differential!
Twins are currently leading the AL in runs scored (4th in MLB) and have allowed the fewest runs in the Majors. They’re second only to the Phillies in Run Differential.
And that’s with only one game against the Royals!
Great start
and better that we’ve played only the one game against the Royals and the other 10 have been against playoff contenders (though the Angels are not the same team we’ve seen the past few years).
by Adam Peterson on Apr 17, 2010 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I was at the game tonight.
My first @ Target Field. It was everything I had heard and more. My wife and I went about an hour and a half early to go on our own self directed tour which was just fantastic. One bummer was that-because we entered near the light rail, we were not allowed to check out all of the Target Plaza statues and the Golden Glove. So if you want to see that stuff (which you do), walk around the outside first before entering.
Views are just astounding. The can lights were very cool to see, the lit up sky scrapers in the distance, and the Minny and Paul logo-it was just unreal.
I always loved that one.
by FoulJack on Apr 17, 2010 2:26 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
One other observation from last night
it seemed the umpire had a very small strike zone. Baker adjusted, but Greinke did not. It’s a totally different game with a different ump, IMO.
Great game...one note for the Twins staff...
STOP throwing strikes to Yuniesky Betancourt. He will swing at ANYTHING. Three hits is like a week’s worth for that donkey…
"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"
Hard habit to break
When they tell you to throw strikes, pound the strikezone it is hard to turn it off. That’s partly up to Mauer to put the glove off the zone.
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