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Today’s lineups:
MIN: Kepler RF, Polanco SS, Cruz DH, Sano 1B, Donaldson 3B, Arraez 2B, Garver C, Cave CF, Gonzalez LF, Chacin P
CLE: Allen CF, Ramirez 3B, Lindor SS, Reyes RF, Hernandez 2B, D. Santana DH, C. Santana 1B, Luplow LF, Perez C, Civale P
The sim Twins have now dropped four games in a row, at home, without defensive sparkplug Byron Buxton in the outfield. This is true-to-real-life in 2019, as the Twins record was significantly worse without Buck.
Today, the game might-as-well have ended in the second inning, and Jhoulys Chacin could not finish the fifth. After trading scoreless firsts, Chacin gave up four runs in the second. A Cesar Hernandez leadoff single followed by a Domingo Santana double turned into one run. A walk by Carlos Santana might have been one of the better possible outcomes, but put two men on, who both advanced on a sac bunt before being joined by Roberto Perez, to fill the bases with one out. Greg Allen pushed in the second run, and created a first-and-third situation with a grounder to second, before Jose Ramirez ripped a line drive double off the wall in center field to pick up two RBIs.
The Twins got two back in the bottom of the inning. Second batter Luis Arraez took a one-out walk and advanced to third on a Mitch Garver groundball single into the hole at second. A line drive to shallow right-center resulted in a single and an RBI for Jake Cave, and a runner on first and second. Marwin Gonzalez loaded the bags when a groundball to second was misplayed by Hernandez, and Max Kepler hit into a fielder’s choice at second that scored the second run of the inning.
The Spiders picked up another run in the top of the fifth and the sixth. The Twins tried to come back in the bottom of the seventh, but only added two more runs.
Notes
- What the hell, this isn’t Yankees vs. Red Sox on ESPN, why did the game take 4:02
- The balls stayed in the park today, partially due to the weather. It was 45 degrees and rainy.
- After the game, Jhoulys Chacin was DFA’d, and Sean Poppen promoted to the bullpen. If we plan for one bullpen day on the 14th against Toronto, we won’t need a 5th starter again until the 24th.
STUDS:
Jorge Polanco: 2-4, double, BB, RBI
Jake Cave: 1-4, RBI
DUDS:
Jhoulys Chacin: 4.2 IP, 5 runs, 4 ER,3 BB. 7.71 ERA
Luis Arraez: 0-3. Error
Josh Donaldson 0-4
Tomorrow: Off day. Maybe some rest will snap the losing streak. Back on Friday night for a 7:10 tilt against the first place White Sox. (Look for the recap around 11pm)