Twins 4, Tigers 2: Weird pitching duel leads to crooked number in seventh inning

Comerica Park. American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins. American League Central cellar-dwellar Detroit Tigers. All-Star Jake Odorizzi. A.L.-loss-leading Spencer Turnbull. Pitching duel.

Yes, you read that right. Pitching duel. Odorizzi went for Minnesota tonight and the only run allowed came right away in the bottom of the first. After striking out Victor Reyes to start his night, a Dawel Lugo double and a bunt single from Harold Castro would mean runners on the corners for Jeimer Candelario, who hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Lugo. A fly-out would end the inning and zeroes would be traded back and forth throughout the game.

That’s not to say the “high octane” (Danny Gladden’s words, not mine) offense of the Twins had their chances. They left a runner on in the first and second innings as well as two runners on in the fourth, Turnbull, starting for the Tigers, was 0-10 at home before tonight, and had the Bomba Squad held back. Odorizzi would notch seven strikeouts through six innings tonight.

Finally, after I ate two red velvet cupcakes out of nervousness, the Twins got on the board in the seventh inning. Jake Cave got a single and LaMonte Wade Jr doubled to make it runners at second and third bases. Ron Gardenhire saw enough and probably thought, “Shit, I have to go to the bullpen now,” so he did. David McKay would be the one getting the call and Willians Astudillo - who wasn’t even in the original lineup - would get a grounder through to center field and plate both Cave and Wade Jr to give the Twins the lead. Jason Castro would get plunked and take his base and Gardy had enough of that.

McKay would get the hook and Nick Ramirez would be summoned. After a weird groundout by Luis Arraez where third base wasn’t covered, Jorge Polanco lined out. Yet the Piranhas would strike again. Not wanting to face Nelson Cruz, the Twins did the old intentional walk routine, and the old saying goes, “Walks will haunt,” which happened as Eddie Rosario doubled to left field, scoring La Tortuga and Wet Blanket. 4-1 Twins, and Miguel Sano struck out to end the inning.

Odorizzi was going to start the seventh, but Rocco Baldelli saw something wrong and pulled him from the game in favor of Kyle Gibson. A single sandwiched between two strikeouts was followed by another single, leading to runners on the corners with two outs. Gibby would be good Gibby and strike out Jake Rogers to end the inning and the Tigers’ threat. He’d come back to get through the eighth inning and would allow an RBI-double to Lugo, but still came out with the lead after striking out Candelario. Taylor Rogers would come in and pitch a clean ninth to close the door for a t W I M s.

These two teams meet tomorrow night for another glorious 5:40p Central start and a chance to win the A.L. Central title. I really like that start time. Okay, I also like it if the Twins won the crown tomorrow night. Lefty Daniel Norris, no known relation to Chuck Norris, will take the mound for the Tigers. The Bullpen Dimension (TBD) edit: ft. Randy “Dobstache” Dobnak is slated to take the hill for Minnesota.

Twins 4, Tigers 2
W: Odorizzi (15-7)
L: Turnbull (3-16)
S: Rogers (29)

Notes

• The Twins tied their franchise-best in road wins with 51 total road wins, tying them with the 1965 team.
• Jake Odorizzi was pulled from the game before starting the seventh because of a tight left hamstring and is considered day-to-day.
• Marwin Gonzalez was in the original lineup for tonight’s game but was scratched for precautionary reasons as his oblique was bothering him again.
• The Cleveland Jose Ramirezes are way up on the Chicago White Sox, so we’ll wake up tomorrow with a magic number of two. (Please let this jinx the Spiders.)
• Spencer Turnbull is now 0-11 at home. Sorry, Spence.
• Oh, and the Twins got him tagged with his MLB-leading 16th loss. Really, I’m sorry, S.T.

STUDS

• Willians Astudillo: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB
• Eddie Rosario: 1-3, 2 RBI, BB
• Odorizzi-Gibson-Rogers: 9 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 12 K

duds

• Miguel Sano: 0-4, 3 K
• Jason Castro: 0-3, R, 3 K, HBP

COMMENT OF THE GAME THREAD

It’s a TIE!! gintzer and ... Joel Hernandez?!?!?!?!?! are the co-winners tonight. Be nice and share the prize.

COUNTERS OF THE MAGIC NUMBER

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