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Top o' the mornin', Twins fans. Hopefully you all had an explosion-ful, safe July 4th. Here are the nominees for yesterday afternoon's Player of the Game!
Brian Duensing: The Duenslinger went the distance, blanking the Rays with nine solid innings. He walked four but struck out seven, and picked up all 27 outs on 119 pitches. With the Minnesota bullpen unavailable (see: Glen Perkins was unavailable due to pitching in four of the last five games), keeping the relievers in the 'pen was huge. Not allowing a single run to a talented Rays squad was huger. Yes, huger.
Tsuyoshi Nishioka: A bases-loaded double in the second inning scored two runs, and gave Duensing all the support he would need. Great to see Nishioka coming through in a big situation.
Danny Valencia: His three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth put the proverbial nail in the game's proverbial coffin, pushing the Twins' lead to 7-0. Danny now has 9 RBI in the last four games, and three homers in the last ten games.