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Today’s lineups:
MIN: Mitch Garver C, Luis Arraez 2B, Jorge Polanco SS,Nelson Cruz DH, Miguel Sano 1B, Eddie Rosario LF, Josh Donaldson 3B, Byron Buxton CF, Jake Cave RF, Lewis Thorpe P
DET: Cameron Maybin RF, Victor Reyes CF, C.J. Cron 1B, Miguel Cabrera DH, Jeimer Candelario 3B, Niko Goodrum 2B, Christin Stewart LF, Jake Rogers C, Willi Castro SS, Daniel Norris P
Daniel Norris didn’t make it through two innings tonight, and Detroit still made it a close game. Kudos to them for the effort.
Both starters were actually victims of the big inning tonight. The Twins jumped on Norris in the second for five runs. Most of the inning was spent with two outs on the scoreboard, as Nelson Cruz hit a flyball that was handled by Maybin in right field, and Eddie Rosario struck out looking—but in between them came the Twin’s first run of the night on a solo home run by Miguel Sano. Josh Donaldson walked, so that within three batters we saw all three true outcomes. Buxton and Cave both singled, the latter bringing Donaldson home. Garver hit a dribbler that was fielded by the catcher, but Cron misplayed at first, loading the bases on an E3. Luis Arraez then did the elite-contact-hitter thing and brought in two runners with a single to right field. Finally, Jorge Polanco hit a double that brought in Garver, and brought the total to five runs before Gregory Soto came in to face Nelson Cruz, who was batting for the second time in the inning.
Both teams traded a couple runs in the third. Soto walked Sano, Donaldson, and Buxton, and struck out Rosario and Cave to bring Garver up in one of the highest pressure situations in baseball—bases loaded and two out. Garver swatted a single on the ground to the right side, which brought Sano and Buxton home.
Detroit put up two of their own runs in the third. Willi Castro hit a single, and came home on a triple by Victor Reyes that was lined where neither Buxton nor Cave could reach it. C.J. Cron then brought Reyes home with a double.
The bottom of the fifth was the big inning that burned Thorpe. Cameron Maybin started the scoring with a big solo homer. A single by Cron and Cabrera set the stage for Jeimer Candelario to hit a three-run bomba, and bring the score within one run. Matt Wisler came on for a great relief outing that earned him a win for the official scorer, and ended the inning.
The Twins added their final run in the eighth. With Ivan Nova on the mound, Mitch Garver led off the inning by hitting a 400-footer to left.
Notes
- Garver had a great night at the plate, making his rough night defensively forgivable, but he passed a ball and allowed a stolen base.
- This was Garver’s second night in a row with a home run.
STUDS:
Mitch Garver: 2-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored
Luis Arraez: 2-5, 2 RBI
Matt Wisler: 2.1 IP, 1 hit, 1 BB, 0 runs, 2K
DUDS:
No Duds, Twins win!
Tomorrow: The Twins open an important weekend set at Cleveland. First pitch is at 6:10 pm Central (Look for the recap around 10pm)