I was worried this might happen.
The rain was slow, steady and stifling. Brad Bergesen, whose merits for being a Major League pitcher I questioned in the pre-game scouting report, was just like the rain. You knew he was there and you could see the effect he was having, but if you tried to grab hold of him it was impossible. The Twins managed to put runners in scoring position against him on a number of occasions, including one of the two bases-loaded situations Minnesota managed in the game, but each time he escaped.
Looking at the box scored it'd be easy to wonder what the hell happened. Bergesen didn't record a single strikeout, but allowed six hits and a pair of walks. None of it matters, of course, except the big goose egg he included under the runs category.
On the night the Twins were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, including the two aforementioned bases loaded situations. Commence gnashing of teeth and shredding of garments.
The one bright spot: Carl Pavano. For the second game in a row, Pavano went eight strong innings only to get slammed with the loss. He retired eight on strikes (including Adam Jones twice), walking three and scattering eight hits. He made one mistake all night, which was a hanging slider to the streaking (not naked streaking thank gawd) Ty Wigginton. Ty got Wiggy with it (leave me alone, don't judge my puns), smashing the 1-1 slider over the fence in left for his tenth (yes, TENTH) home run of the year; a two-run shot. It was the difference in the game.
Pavano faced the minimum five times, and was able to induce a trio of double plays.
Studs and duds after the jump. I'm ready for Joe to come back now.
Studs
Pavano: How can you not simutaneously love and feel bad for this guy right now? Eight innings, two runs, .154 WPA in a defeat.
Morneau: Justin was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. .082 WPA.
Span: Another multi-hit game for D-Span, whose average is slowely climbing.
Duds
Cuddyer: He's pressing, you can see it. He flew out to end the inning the first time the bases were loaded.
Thome: Same as Cuddyer, he didn't quite look himself at times. Struck out to end the inning the second time the bases were loaded.
Casilla: Twins had a chance to answer Baltimore's two runs in the top of the second with their own in the bottom, but Alexi grounded out to end the two-out threat. Could have been big.
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