Twins 5, Orioles 4: The Ballad Of Bobby Wilson

The Twins survived a shaky first inning from Kyle Gibson and scored the next five runs against a struggling Baltimore team.

(But enough of that, it’s time for “The Ballad Of Bobby Wilson.” The tune is one you won’t know, by a guy you don’t know. Here it is.)

The hopes started out high for a playoff season

But things didn’t work out, for various reasons

And frustrated fans started looking for where to cast blame.

Gibson gave up a leadoff Tim Beckham double, Mark Trumbo walk, and Chris Davis dong (perhaps getting revenge for all the picking we’ve done on his contract). Gibson ended that rough inning via a Danny Valencia strikeout, and this would become a theme. With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, Danny V. went down again, and Gibby ended up with nine Ks on the day.

Calls came from the comments, fire Falvine, fire Molly

Please trade all the players, they’re lazy, by golly

But all could agree that ineptitude had one foul name.

Minnesota’s hitters were shut down by Kevin Gausman at the start, with their first baserunner coming on a Davis error. It didn’t hurt Gausman, as Wilson promptly grounded into an inning-ending DP.

You can gaze out the window, get mad and get madder

Throw your hands in the air, say “what does it matter?”

But it don’t do no good to get angry, so help me – I know.

For assembling a ballclub ain’t exactly simple

Like movies where the Team Boss is a kid with pimples

Mistakes they can come from the people both up high and low.

The Twins finally scored on Max Kepler’s fifth-inning solo dong, his second long stroke in two days. (Perhaps coincidentally, his mom was in attendance at both.) Robbie Grossman and Jake Cave both singled, providing Wilson with another GIDP opportunity. Wilson made RBI goodness instead, and Cave would later tie it up scoring on a wild pitch.

With everyone seemingly injured or strugglin’

The Twins had to call up a guy who liked tusslin’

He couldn’t hit much in the big leagues, but he had a good glove.

Minnesota walked into one of their patented 2018 traps one inning later. With the bases loaded and nobody out, first Grossman then Cave grounded into a 3-1. That left it up to Wilson. Guess what happened? Twins lead!

Whenever he started, the fans they exploded

“All Wilson can do is strike out with them loaded”

But for one July afternoon, Bobby, he earned him some love.

Gibby would stay in to finish the seventh on his 109th pitch, inducing a two-guys-on double play. Fernando Rodney gave up one half of the two-run lead (pitching after being used yesterday with a four-run lead), but fanned Tim Beckham with the tying run on second to end it. Arrows!

There’ll be lots of time later for pointing a finger

But for just right now, let summer’s smells linger

To enjoy baseball’s weirdness and fun, however it go.

For a heart stained in anger grows weak and grows bitter

You become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there

Wrapped up in a trap of your very own chain of sorrow.

Oh, and you wanted more of Jake from the Jake Cave? You got it!

Robot Roll Call:

Comment of the Gamethread goes to Stressful_Acorn for “Bobby Wilson must be reading the comments today.”

Well, I’m out for a few weeks (little issue I have to “take care of” at one of my many factories in faraway places), so remember to be good to each other, folks!