<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Vance Worley had tee-dubya-tee-dubya working tonight</p>— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brandon_Warne/status/333414718490415104">May 12, 2013</a></blockquote>
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According to Hawk Harrelson, Harold Reynolds, and former Twinkie Town writer Brandon Warne, Vance Worley had TWTW ("the will to win") tonight. He left the game after 5 innings with the lead, and the bullpen preserved that lead in getting him his first victory as a Minnesota Twin in tonight's 8-5 win against the Orioles.
Once again, Worley had trouble getting out of the gate in the 1st inning. He was able to retire leadoff hitter Nate McLouth on a grounder back to the mound, but then alternated two doubles with two singles in giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead. He did get a little luck with Matt Wieters batting, as he hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead, but that fly out turned into a double play when Chris Davis was thrown out at 2nd base trying to tag up.
The Twins did answer back in the bottom of the 3rd. Eduardo Escobar led off with a double to right-center off Orioles starter Steve Johnson, and after a Brian Dozier pop-out, Joe Mauer brought home Escobar with a double of his own. Two batters later, Justin Morneau singled to center field, and the Twins had cut the Orioles lead to one.
Worley would then give up another run to the O's on an opposite field homer by Matt Wieters in the top of the 4th, but the Twins responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning. With two on and two out, Brian Dozier lined a two-run double into the left field corner to tie the game at 4. Pitcher Steve Johnson intentionally walked Mauer to face Ryan Doumit, but that plan backfired as Johnson then walked Doumit as well. This brought up Justin Morneau, who was able to wait back on a 66 MPH curveball from Johnson and lined it into left-center field for a 2-run single, giving the Twins their first lead at 6-4.
That lead appeared to be in jeopardy in the top of the 6th as Vance Worley hit Ryan Flaherty with a pitch, and then allowed singles to Nolan Reimold and Manny Machado to cut the lead to one at 6-5. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire chose to bring in lefthander Brian Duensing to face Nick Markakis, and the move paid off as Duensing was able to induce a double play to end the threat.
The Twins weren't content with that one run lead, however. After a Dozier double play erased a leadoff walk by Escobar against reliever Troy Patton, Mauer singled to left field. This brought up Doumit, who took a Patton fastball and drove it into the first row of the second deck for a home run, giving the Twins some insurance by making the score 8-5. That would be all the bullpen needed, as Brian Duensing, Casey Fien, and Jared Burton (subbing as closer for the injured Glen Perkins) were able to keep the Orioles scoreless for the last 3 2/3 innings to nail down the victory.
Studs
Joe Mauer (3 for 4, BB, 2B, RBI, 3 R), Justin Morneau (3 for 4, 3 RBI), Ryan Doumit (1 for 3, HR, 2 RBI), Brian Duensing (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R)
Duds
Vance Worley (5 1/3 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 1 K), Trevor Plouffe (0 for 4), Oswaldo Arcia (0 for 4, 2 K), Wilkin Ramirez (0 for 4)
Player of the Game
Justin Morneau for going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI, including a 2-run single in the 4th inning that gave the Twins a 6-4 lead that they would never lose.
Roll Call
- Sportsavenue, 52
- MNWildcat, 36
- kenzertz, 34
- montanatwinsfan, 28
- twinsbrewer, 13
- DavidRF, 10
- Embee, 9
- smookaj, 8
- Gunnathor, 4
- mgraves, 2
Win Expectancy
<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2013-05-11&team=Twins&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width = "450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2013-05-11&team=Twins&dh=0&season=2013">FanGraphs</a></span>