MIN 3, SEA 2: Ugly Wins Still Count

HAHAHAHAHA

Most of this game was a "pitcher's duel," as in an exhibition game where both squads batted an all-pitcher lineup. Through eight innings and two outs, the two teams combined were 1-14 with RISP. (That Twins hit loaded the bases, and they did not score.) The lone Twins run came on a wild pitch. The Mariners pulled ahead.

Mike Montgomery, the 90-MPH-throwing rookie with a 5.88 ERA in July, stymied Twins hitters, who were stymied bbbbbyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

There's flies in the kitchen. I can hear 'em, they're buzzin'. And I ain't done nothin' since I woke up today.

Fast-forward to the ninth, Our Boys down 1-2. Sano leadoff doubled, Plouffe couldn't get him over. (Well, not "him." Shane Robinson. The pinch-runner. Because Sano is an enormous person.) A wild pitch advanced Robinson. Seattle brought the infield in. Torii Hunter hit a ball to them. Seattle gave Eddie Rosario a free pass, meaning Kurt Suzuki needed a hit to tie the game. Doomed, right?

ANOTHER wild pitch tied the game and moved Rosario to second. He stole third without a throw. Kurt dribbled a grounder through the defense. Twins win! Twins win!

Your Wild Thing, Carson Smith, had three WPs in 41 innings before today. Oopsies.

In the postgame presser, Paul Molitor said "it was a good game." Paul Moiltor lied.

In the pregame radio show, Molitor talked about sitting with other Hall Of Famers at functions, and how guys tend to group with similar-style players. Deveraux provided this nice link, the bit starts at 19:33.

So I neglected to mention in the preview that Brad Miller has historically owned Kyle Gibson, because these "history versus" things never play out when I include them. Miller today against Gibson? HBP, BB, 2B. Gibson knows. Oh, how he knows.

less cowbell called for more coverage of the 1965 Twins, honored at Target Field today. I couldn't find a good short 1965 Twins clip, but here's a gem about the Beatles in Minneapolis that August. Apparently, the Fab Four enjoyed occasionally adding a fifth, sixth, etc, in their hotel rooms. If you know what I mean and I think you do.

Let's all be happy for WestRiverTwinsFan, who shared this horrid nightmare tale after Friday's game:

Robot Roll Call (thanks, everyone!):