Worst All-Time Twins Tournament, Park Round, Day 2: No mess, no stress

Gamble Regional

(9) 1956 Senators 2
(1) 1909 Senators 6
‘56 trails 2-0

Despite only tallying seven hits, ‘09 turned an additional six walks into a solid lead they would not surrender.

A four-run fourth inning keyed a 6-2 victory that put ‘09 one game away from a tournament departure.

Bob Unglaub’s first-inning homer gave his team a 1-0 lead, but the fourth inning saw the lead escape ‘56’s reach. With one out, a double and two walks loaded the bases. George McBride took another walk to bring a runner home before Jack Lelivelt singled home a pair. After a strikeout, Unglaub singled in the final run of the inning.

‘56 netted a pair in the seventh on four singles and a sacrifice fly but came no closer.

Austin Regional

(13) 1958 Senators 6
(5) 1981 Twins 1
‘81 trails 2-0

Two three-run innings and a three-homer game helped bring an easy victory.

Ken Aspromonte, Eddie Yost, and Jim Lemon all went yard to lead the ‘58 offense to a 6-1 win.

After two scoreless innings, Ed FitzGerald singled before Aspromonte sent a Brad Havens offering over the wall. Norm Zauchin added an RBI single to give ‘58 a comfortable lead.

Though ‘81 cut into the lead in the bottom of the third after Gary Ward tripled and scored on a groundout, ‘58 put the final runs on the board in the seventh on Yost’s and Lemon’s long balls.

Hayden Regional

(14) 1951 Senators 4
(6) 1948 Senators 1
Series tied 1-1

A 7.1-inning, five-hit performance from Connie Marrero kept ‘48 off the scoreboard long enough for ‘51 to develop a comfortable lead, and the bullpen held up.

Despite ‘48 putting a run up in the bottom of the eighth, the home squad was not able to catch up as ‘51 tied the series with a 4-1 win.

Sam Mele led ‘51’s offense with a pair of doubles to drive in three runs, while a Pete Runnels brought in the other run for the visitors.

Two hits and a sacrifice fly off the ‘51 bullpen were not enough for ‘48 to come from behind.

Zach Regional (played)

(15) 2013 Twins 9
(10) 1982 Twins 3
‘82 trails 2-0

What initially looked like a back-and-forth battle turned, in the middle innings, into a blowout.

‘13 put up nine hits off starter Brad Havens to take a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning, adding three more runs off Pete Redfern to extend their series lead by winning 9-3.

‘82 took the first lead of the game on a Kent Hrbek homer in the bottom of the opening frame, but three consecutive doubles in the top of the second swung the pendulum to ‘13 2-1. However, in the bottom of the inning, Ron Washington sent a two-run shot into the left field bullpen to take the lead back 3-2.

But ‘13 starter Mike Pelfrey settled down after the second, allowing only two more hits and no runs over the following five innings, while their offense began to ignite.

‘13 started the fourth by loading the bases on two singles and a walk. Pedro Florimón and Joe Mauer singled in runs before Redfern relieved Havens; Redfern walked in another run and allowed a sacrifice fly before escaping the jam.

Now holding a comfortable lead, ‘13 added to it, tallying two in the sixth and one in the seventh (that one on a Chris Colabello home run) before finally being quieted. But none of those runs proved a requirement, as ‘82 did not score again.

Park Round, Day 1 | Park Round, Day 2 | Park Round, Day 3