In the movie version of this game, the home team is inspired by the plight of an ailing legend and captures a thrilling victory thanks to a power display reminiscent of the slugger's glory days. This isn't the movies, and the Twins offense is neither healthy nor competent enough to provide a Hollywood ending, as the Twins fell 2-0 to Toronto.
Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero kept the Twins at bay all night, holding them hitless until the 6th inning, when Denard Span reached on a multi-hop single. Trevor Plouffe followed that up with an infield single, and a passed ball put Span and Plouffe in scoring position with Jason Kubel at the dish. Would the Twins only professional hitter of 2011 come through again?
Kubel grounded out to short, ending the inning and the best Twins threat of the night. Romero left the game with two outs and two runners on in the ninth, but Frank Francisco Kris Kristofferson'd Micheal Cuddyer to seal the shutout. It was the fourth shutout for the Twins this season.
Carl Pavano struggled again, but like last year, he did so effectively, throwing 115 pitches in a scoreless 5.1 IP. Alex Burnett let the first two runners in the 7th reach and gave way to Jim Hoey, who surrendered a bloop single to Juan Rivera that plated Corey Patterson and broke the scoreless tie. The Blue Jays extended the lead to 2-0 in the 9th when Jose Bautista creamed a Joe Nathan fastball.
Studs: Romero, Bautista
Duds: both offenses. Toronto had runners on base all night, and made the game much more interesting than it otherwise should have been.