The Twins didn't deserve to win Friday night, and they didn't. After they clawed back to finally tie the score at 6-6 in the top of the 9th, Matt Guerrier continued his summer swoon, serving up a fat pitch that Matt Laporta smacked into the left field seats to end the game. Final: Cleveland 7, Minnesota 6.
Francisco Liriano had bad luck and bad control tonight, walking six and surrendering what I swear was an equal amount of 8-hop grounders that found holes. Throw in Scott Barry's Strike Zone of Mystery and Wonders, and it just wasn't his night. He dug the Twins an early hole, giving up three runs in the 1st and another in the 2nd, and he didn't make it out of the 5th. Bad start after four fantastic ones. I forgive him.
Meanwhile, the Twins again made an unknown starter look like Ron Guidry in 1978. Margene Gomez or whatever his name was held the Twins to one run in 5.1 innings. He was removed in favor of the Legend, Justin Germano, who got Michael Cuddyer to hit into a double play to kill a rally.
With the score 5-1, the Twins finally made it sort of interesting in the 7th on Alexi Casilla's 2-out, 2-run double, narrowing the gap to 5-3. Jason Kubel's Beard cut the lead to 5-4 in the 8th with a non-catwalk-aided home run, but Jose Mijares gave up back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the frame to nudge Cleveland's lead back to two.
The 9th inning started with an infield single from J.J. Hardy, bringing pinch hitter Jim Thome to the plate. THIS IS JI belted a pitch to left-center where it hit the yellow line on the top of the wall and bounced straight in the air. Somehow, the umpires, in real time and after a review, called this home run a double both times. Gardy got tossed tout de suite. Fortunately, Alexi Casilla continued his run of very impressive play and knocked in Hardy and pinch-runner Trevor Plouffe to tie the game. Then Matt Guerrier happened, and that's your ballgame.
The White Sox lost to an even worse team in extra innings, so let's just forget this game even happened. Pavstache tomorrow, onwards to victory.
Studs:
Alexi Casilla: 4 RBI. When he's good, he's really damn good. If he could ever be consistent...
Orlando Hudson and Justin Morneau: pregame reports from multiple sources say that Hudson will be back this weekend and Morneau could meet the Twins in Chicago to take batting practice before going on a rehab stint in the minors. Please let these things happen.
Duds:
Matt Guerrier: I understand W-L records can be misleading, but 1-7 is 1-7.
Enjoy your weekend, everybody.