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Today’s lineups:
MIN: Kepler RF, Adrianza SS, Cruz DH, Sano 1B, Donaldson 3B, Arraez 2B, Polanco CF, Cave LF, Odorizzi P
CLE: Allen CF, Ramirez 3B, Lindor SS, Reyes RF, Hernandez 2B, D. Santana DH, C. Santana 1B, Luplow LF, Perez C, Buchholz P
Yes, you read that right. The game put Polanco in center, Cave in left, and Adrianza at short. I have no idea why that happened. Eddie Rosario and Marwin Gonzalez were on the bench, Kepler should have been in center, and I’m both confused and a little ashamed of this line up. That being said, there is no “Go Back” button, and the season must go on.
This oddity of a Twins lineup fought pretty hard this afternoon, and the game was a real back-and-forth. Jake Odorizzi took the loss, but it really could and should have been pinned to Matt Wisler.
The Twins got on the board first, against eventual winning pitcher Clay Buchholtz, who apparently plays for Cleveland. Ehire Adrianza hit a double, as utility infielders are wont to do, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a sac fly from Nelson Cruz. The Twins gave the Spiders the run back, plus an extra in the next half-inning. A one-out single, followed by a walk and a sac fly put runners on the corner for Odorizzi. Ninth-place hitter Jordan Luplow crushed a liner into the left field corner for a two-RBI double.
Alex Avila must not like being behind. The Twins’ catcher watched the first two pitches of the third inning—a ball and a called strike, respectively—and then smashed the third pitch 404 feet to right field, where it was not found. Game tied. Avila also must have spurred his teammates to action, as Miguel Sano crushed the eighth pitch of his at-bat, leading off the bottom of the fourth, and put the Twins ahead with a dong that dropped over the left field wall, a 369-foot fly ball. Luis Arraez followed up in the same inning with a solo shot of his own, the biggest Twins bomba of the night, which went 412 feet to right-center. Jake Odorizzi was given a little breathing room, but couldn’t hold it for long.
In the top of the fifth, Odorizzi gave it all back. Roberto Perez singled to get on base, and a Jose Ramirez double put two men in scoring position. They advanced on a Francisco Lindor flyball, and then Franmil Reyes cleared the bases with a bomba to deep left-center. Matt Wisler would enter the game and end the inning, but the Spiders had taken the lead back, 5-4.
Cleveland added another run in the top of the sixth, which would end up being the only one they needed, and one in the top of the seventh for insurance. Both runs were charged to Wisler. The first was a long line-drive that just scraped over the left field fence from Jordan Luplow. The latter was via a pair of doubles with a pitching change in between, as Jose Ramirez, the last batter Wisler face, hit the first, and Francisco Lindor hit one to score Ramirez, on Sergio Romo’s first pitch of the night.
The Twins tried to rally in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough. Facing Chaska, MN native Brad Hand, Josh Donaldson singled, Luis Arraez walked, and Jorge Polanco hit a grounder to that resulted in an out at second; putting runners on the corners with one out for new pitcher Phil Maton. Maton allowed both runners to advance on a wild pitch before walking Jake Cave, but settled down and got the next two men out, ending the game.
Notes
- Yeah, this line-up is really messed up. Still, it doesn’t look like there were any game changing plays in center, so good news there.
- The game went 3:35. Long in our world, but not bad in this dark and horrible simulation
- The Twins are still drawing well, with over 26,000 simulated people not standing six feet apart for a simulated Tuesday afternoon game.
STUDS:
Alex Avila: 2-4, HR, RBI
Ehire Adrianza: 2-4, 2 doubles, RBI
Luis Arraez: 2-3, HR, BB, RBI
DUDS:
Max Kepler: 0-5, K, 3 LOB
Jorge Polanco: 0-4, 3 LOB
Jake Odorizzi: 4.2 IP, 5 runs, 9 hits
Matt Wisler: 1.2 IP, 2 runs, 2 hits
Tomorrow: Game three, as the Twins try not to get swept by Cleveland. First Pitch is 12:10 Central (look for the recap around four pm.)