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Today’s lineups:
MIN: Luis Arraez 2B, Jorge Polanco SS, Josh Donaldson 3B, Miguel Sano 1B, Eddie Rosario LF, Nelson Cruz DH, Jake Cave RF, Alex Avila C, Byron Buxton CF, Kenta Maeda P
MIL: Lorenzo Cain CF, Ryan Braun 1B, Keston Hiura DH, Christian Yelich LF, Brock Holt RF, Luis Urias SS, Eric Sogard 2B, Jedd Gyorko 3B, Manny Pina C, Brent Suter P
The Twins opened up a huge lead in this battle against their “designated interleague rival” before letting the Brew Crew back into it, and finally, making an emphatic statement at the end of the game.
The first scoring of the game happened in the bottom of the second inning. Eddie Rosario opened the frame with a 2-2 double to left. Nelson Cruz then brought Rosario home with a well-placed single that snuck between the first and second basemen. Jake Cave and Byron Buxton both hit singles load up the bases for Luis Arraez. Singles by Arraez and Jorge Polanco kept the carousal turning, and added two runs to the scoreboard. The Twins got another run in on a sac fly by Josh Donaldson before the inning ended. That’s a four-run lead if you’re keeping score at home.
Both teams traded two-runs fourths. They also both did it on two hits—although the innings couldn’t have been more different otherwise. Ryan Braun led off the Milwaukee half with a walk. He moved to second and Christian Yelich reached safely on a rare E4. A double steal put two runners in scoring position, and then Brock Holt’s single moved each up another station. A double by Luis Urias scored the second run of the inning.
The Twins half of the inning the runs scored in a much more straightforward manner. Byron Buxton hit a single, and Jorge Polanco mashed a two-run bomba.
The wheels sort-of fell off Kenta Maeda’s outing in the fifth, and he gave up three runs that brought the score back within one. He gave up singles to the first two batters he faced, Gyorko and Pina. A one-out walk issued to Braun loaded the bases. A two-out single by Yelich scored one runner, and a subsequent single by Holt scored two more.
In the seventh, Matt Wisler gave up a lead off double and Trevor May took over from there. Keston Huira, the inherited runner on second, stole third, and scored on a throwing error by Alex Avila. That tied up the ballgame. Fortunately, the bottom of the eighth was still waiting.
Corey Knebel had an off day. He took over at the top of the eighth for the Brewers, and managed to load the bases while only recording a single out. Eddie Rosario led off with a single, and then both Jake Cave and Alex Avila drew the free passes. Corbin Burnes was called upon to face Byron Buxton, and the Twin’s center fielder delivered. On a 1-0 pitch, he scorched a single back up the middle that brought home both his fellow outfielders. Jorge Polanco re-loaded the bases by drawing another walk. Josh Donaldson, bringer of rain, had a new foe to face in left-hander Austin Davis. Donaldson hit a two-RBI double to make it five runs in the inning for the Twins, and a total of 11-6.
Notes
- Christian Yelich suffered an injury running the bases in the fifth for Milwaukee.
- Trevor May is credited with a blown save, but also with the win. Baseball scoring is funny.
STUDS:
Byron Buxton: 3-4, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored
Eddie Rosario: 3-5, 2 doubles, 2 runs scored
Josh Donaldson: 2-4, 2 doubles, 4 RBI
Jorge Polanco: 2-4. HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored
DUDS:
No duds, Twins win!
Tomorrow: Second game against the Brewers. First pitch 12:10pm