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Dodgers Sweep Twins in Double-Header...and the Three-Game Series

Shazbot.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Game One

Mike Pelfrey, you guise. 20 pitches in the first, 27 in the second, 24 in the third, just 14 and three batter in the fourth, and that was the end of the day for the Twins' starter. It was a five-run day, raising his season ERA to 7.99. He had six swinging strikes in 85 pitches, which is an improvement over Kyle Gibson's total from Wednesday, but his stuff isn't as good as Gibson's, either. The Dodgers did all their damage off Pelfrey in the first three innings - essentially scoring just as many base runners (seven hits and two walks) as outs recorded.

It's so surprise, then, that Gardy, Anderson, the front office, and Pelfrey will be sitting down to discuss the plan going forward. Right now, I'm not convinced that the new plan includes Pelfrey at all.

The Twins did earn a quick 2-0 lead thanks to a Jason Kubel liner into left field. A two-run single from Brian Dozier in the fifth would put the home team within scoring distance, at 5-4, but the bullpen wasn't able to hold serve - and it didn't matter anyway because Minnesota didn't score again.

Key Stats: 3 BB, 2-for-7 RISP, 15 hits allowed

Game Two

There was a lot of good in this game. Kris Johnson was surprisingly effective against the Dodgers.

With the Twins leading 1-0 in the top of the sixth, Scott Van Slyke led off with a triple off the center field wall. Aaron Hicks went back to the wall and tried to jump into it backwards, but the ball bounced away and Hicks fell to the turf in a heap. He left the game with concussion-like symptoms, which likely means that Sam Fuld will be the team's center fielder for the next few days at the very least.

The Dodgers came through with a trio of solo home runs to earn the win. After the Twins went back on top 2-1 in the bottom half of the sixth, Adrian Gonzales homered to tie it up, Van Slyke and Drew Butera (WHAT.) homered in the 12th to give LA a 4-2 lead. Chris Colabello had runners on second and third with two out and down by a run in the bottom half, but Gonzales managed to snag a blistering line drive over his head to preserve the victory.

Key Stats: 7 BB, 1-for-10 RISP, 3 of final 5 hits allowed by bullpen were homers

Notes

  • Yasiel Puig was ridiculous this series, reaching base safetly in nine consecutive plate appearances. His line coming into the series versus coming out: .265/.351/.470 vs .309/.396/.495. That's good work.
  • I'd be willing to bet that Samuel Deduno will move into the rotation, and that Pelfrey will be moved, at least temporarily, into the bullpen.
  • Trevor Plouffe, Chris Colabello, and Jason Kubel are cooling off a little bit. But they're all still doing better than I anticipated to start the season.

ROLL CALL!

  1. SooFoo Fan (181)
  2. whiskeyplz (126)
  3. less cowbell, more 'neau (86)
  4. ColossusOfRhode (65)
  5. NoahRJ (63)
  6. SotaFan27 (58)
  7. WestRiver TwinsFan (55)
  8. kenzertz (54)
  9. montanatwinsfan (37)
  10. DavidRF (33)
Studs

Brian Dozier
Joe Mauer
Kris Johnson

Duds

Mike Pelfrey
Sam Deduno