Duenslinger Gunned Down, Twins Lose 8-2

by RandBall's Stu on Jul 23, 2011 1:02 AM EDT in Game Recaps

"Dude, we've been teammates for awhile now, so I just gotta know: 'Jhonny?' The hospital messed up the birth certificate, right? There's no other way." (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Brian Duensing struck out seven Tigers on Friday night. There, I've given you about the only good Twins statistic of the night, as Minnesota took another beating from Detroit by a score of 8-2. The Twins have now lost 11 in a row to the other Motor City Kitties, and trail them by seven games in the AL Central. Their 0-7 record this year versus the Tigers has a little to do with that.

Duensing's non-strikeout ABs were troublesome all night, as he was throwing multiple pitches right down the heart of the plate, and the Tigers were hitting them with a fierceness. Ryan Raburn and Jhonny Peralta delivered solo home runs in the first and second to give the Tigers an early lead. With the score 2-1, Peralta continued pounding Duensing, knocking in two more runs on a third-inning single and contributing an RBi double in the fifth. Duensing's final numbers: 4 2/3 IP, 7 ER, 9 hits. But hey, 7 Ks!

Max Scherzer overcame his previous bad outings against the Twins and his sketchy 2011 road record, allowing just one run and four hits in seven innings of work.

After the game, the Twins activated Scott Baker for Saturday's start. Luke Hughes was sent down, giving the Twins 13 pitchers at this time. Have to figure that this is because that they don't know what they'll be getting from Baker tomorrow.

Making a move on Detroit/Cleveland in this homestand has now given way to just keeping pace. Disappointing, but not doomed. A return to form from Baker on Saturday would be most welcome.

Studs: Peralta, Scherzer

Duds: pretty much the whole home team. Two stinkers in a row. Three would turn this from a minor setback to a potential disaster.

Enjoy your weekend, everybody.

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:(

Sad Face

by PURPpplEATER on Jul 23, 2011 1:13 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

x

Being from Minnesota, it would be rude to put something clever here.

by redheadzeb on Jul 23, 2011 1:18 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

This entire season has been a disaster

For example Fischean jinxed us again

Yeah, we should be able to score some runs tonight.
by fischean on Jul 22, 2011 7:16 PM CDT

Seriously, I am blaming it on our horrible start in April and May where we only won 17 games. I know we can blame it on anything we want including injuries, but most of the players we had active should have stepped up. Plus we have had a horrible offense in most games, but where we were able to produce, our bullpen somehow managed to blow the game. Let’s face it, the Twins aren’t going to win the division. The best we can hope for right now is to make life miserable for both the White Sox and Indians in September. This season is over.

I'm a proud fan of the Minnesota Twins and Dallas Cowboys!
"Life is precious and time is a key element. Let’s make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own." – Harmon Killebrew

by Jessy S on Jul 23, 2011 1:23 AM EDT reply actions

Remember being 16.5 GB?

Yeah, this sucks, and I am disappointed, and we REALLY REALLY should win home series against division rivals if we want to make the playoffs, and the road is now much harder than it looked a week ago.

But it is also much, much easier than it looked six weeks ago.

Go Twins!

by jake k on Jul 23, 2011 2:51 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes I know we were 16.5 out six weeks ago

But the truth is that we have a hard month of August to come, and if we can’t beat up on two key division rivals at home, how are we going to do in three games vs Boston and four each vs Baltimore and New York. By the time Detroit returns on August 26th, they will likely be in cruise control, and getting ready to wrap up the division. We had our chance and we blew it.

by Jessy S on Jul 23, 2011 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks,

//Sad trombone

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"God grab your neck but never choke" -Ozzie Guillen

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jul 23, 2011 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah, total downer

we win today and tomorrow and we’re 5 back again

however, if we lose of of the next two then I agree it is slipping away. but it’s not over.

2009 – 7 games back in Sept!

The beard abides.

by Jason Kubel's Beard on Jul 23, 2011 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm going by current trends

And current trends tell me that the Minnesota Vikings have a better shot at beating San Diego on the road on 9/11 than the Twins have of winning the division. Yes this team can be compared to the 2009 team, but I see a better comparison with the 2007 team and that team struggled on offense just like this current team.

by Jessy S on Jul 23, 2011 3:44 PM EDT up reply actions

A/C the bathrooms already

It is no fun trying to help disabled adults use the facilities when it’s 130 flipping degrees in those ovens.

Plus the game sucked.

Steve Goodman lives.

by twinsbrewer on Jul 23, 2011 2:53 AM EDT reply actions

If you have the means...

…look for Legends Club tickets. Bout $50 apiece on stubhub in a down year for all but the most in demand games. AC on the whole level.

by archie2227 on Jul 23, 2011 3:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Bathrooms

Whomever designed the bathrooms at target field needs to be shot.

by Emma2011 on Jul 23, 2011 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions

-1

They are much, MUCH better than peeing in a trough.

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"God grab your neck but never choke" -Ozzie Guillen

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jul 23, 2011 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Oakland!

(Or so I’ve heard… I’ve yet to see a women’s bathroom with a trough.)

by ColossusOfRhode on Jul 23, 2011 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions

That is one of the perks of being a lady

However a trough does have its advantages simply because they use less water than an urinal and an urinal uses about a gallon of water. Troughs don’t have to be flushed all the time and they likely use about 20 gallons of water per hour. Your average urinal uses about 50 gallons per hour depending on frequency of use which makes troughs the preferred choice of places such as the Metrodome. Of course, the decided disadvantage is lack of privacy.

by Jessy S on Jul 23, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought

This line up would have shown a better effort.

by clutterheart on Jul 23, 2011 5:19 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Soft sell may turn into a fire sale

At this point I would expect them to trade some excess to help for next year. That may turn into a fire sale if we see a tail spin in the next 6 games.

I agree with the sentiment that if they can’t beat Cleveland and Detroit at home (the weakest division leaders) then they’re not a contender.

by DJL44 on Jul 23, 2011 8:55 AM EDT reply actions