All-Time Twins Tournament, Killebrew Round, Day 2: Radke vs. Radke

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T.J. Regional

(16) 2017 Twins 4
(9) 1925 Senators 3
-14 innings-
2017 leads 2-0

Twice, ‘17 swiped a lead from ‘25 and had the opportunity to close out the game. Once, they did, Buddy Boshers holding off a 14th-inning threat for a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead.

For most of the game, ‘25 held a 1-0 lead, having singled in a run off Kyle Gibson, and the bullpens kept their opponents off the scoreboard. However, both closers faltered in the ninth. Firpo Marberry entered for ‘25 and promptly allowed a single, got one out on a fielder’s choice, but saw Eduardo Escobar send his pitch of choice 397 feet for a two-run home run and the lead. But Trevor Hildenberger fared no better as Earl McNeely doubled, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on Ossie Bluege’s squeeze bunt.

Despite a string of hits, neither team could push a run across for the first four extra innings. But in the top of the 14th, Stan Coveleski entered in relief after Ehire Adrianza’s single, only for Jason Castro to greet him with a tiebreaking two-run shot.

Still, ‘25 nearly stole the game right back. With Boshers on the mound after concluding the 13th inning, Sam Rice and McNeely opened with singles, and Roger Peckinpaugh slapped a double that brought in Rice, putting the tying run on third and the winning run on second with no outs. Facing a limited and exhausted bullpen, the coaching staff elected to stick with Boshers. He rewarded their faith, inducing two groundouts too shallow to bring in Rice before getting Joe Judge to pop to short on the first pitch, setting ‘17 up for a sweep and some much-needed bullpen rest.

Stars of the Game
‘17 — C Jason Castro: 2-5, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB
‘17 — 3B Eduardo Escobar: 2-6, HR, R, 2 RBI
‘25 — SP Dutch Ruether: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 10 K
‘25 — CF Earl McNeely: 3-6, 2B, 2 R

Tawny Regional

(13) 2003 Twins 3
(12) 2006 Twins 1
Series tied 1-1

Brad Radke dominated ‘06 on the mound, throwing a four-hit complete game in just 91 pitches as ‘03 tied the series with a 3-1 win.

After Joe Mauer’s first-inning single, Radke retired 18 consective batters before losing the streak and the shutout. With two outs in the seventh, Justin Morneau singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored when Michael Cuddyer sent a ground ball into right field for a single of his own.

Meanwhile, ‘06 starter Brad Radke matched Radke’s shutout for three innings before running into trouble in the fourth, when Torii Hunter broke the tie with a solo home run and Jacque Jones swatted another two batters later. ‘03 brought in another run in the fifth, Radke’s last inning of the game, on doubles by Michael Ryan and Shannon Stewart.

But Radke cruised through the ‘06 order, quickly shutting down their only late threat. With two outs in the ninth, Morneau’s line drive bounced over the wall in left-center for a ground-rule double, but Cuddyer grounded to short on Radke’s first pitch of the at-bat and final pitch of the game.

Stars of the Game
‘03 — SP Brad Radke: 9.0 IP, 4 H, R, ER, BB, 4 K, 91 pitches
‘03 — LF Michael Ryan: 2-4, 2 2B, R
‘06 — RP Matt Guerrier: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K, 0/2 inherited runners scored
‘06 — 1B Justin Morneau: 2-4, 2B, R

Maija Regional

(6) 1924 Senators 4
(3) 1969 Twins 5
‘69 leads 2-0

After ‘24 steadily built a 4-0 lead, ‘69 took it away in one inning, scoring five runs in the fifth and holding on for a 5-4 victory.

Through the first four frames, ‘24 chipped away at Dean Chance, putting a run on the scoreboard each inning. Their seven hits off Chance knocked him out of the game after the fourth, but four ‘69 relievers combined to one-hit ‘24 the rest of the way.

And while Tom Zachary cruised through the first four innings, allowing only two hits and no runs, ‘69 battered him in the fifth. After Leo Cárdenas grounded out to start the inning, Zachary would not retire another man: Rick Renick singled, John Roseboro singled, Rod Carew brought in one with a double, Tony Oliva singled in two and moved to second on a fielding error, and Harmon Killebrew tied the game with another RBI single. After Rich Reese’s single, César Tovar brought in the go-ahead run with the sixth single of the inning and knocked Zachary out of the game.

Paul Zahniser came in and shut down ‘69 over the next 3.2 innings, allowing only two baserunners, but the scoreboard had flipped along with the momentum. In the bottom of the ninth, Sam Rice’s inning-opening single marked ‘24’s sole hit off the ‘69 bullpen, but Roger Peckinpaugh erased himself and Rice with a GIDdyuP, and Ron Perranoski struck out Ossie Bluege for the save.

Stars of the Game
‘24 — RP Paul Zahniser: 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
‘24 — DH Nemo Leibold: 3-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI
‘69 — RP Dick Woodson: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, W
‘69 — 2B Rod Carew: 2-4, 2B, R, RBI

Sandwiches Regional

(7) 2019 Twins 5
(2) 1933 Senators 4
Series tied 1-1

Though ‘33 jumped out to an early lead with a big inning, ‘19 rode a bigger inning to a 5-4 win and a tied series.

‘33 started the scoring with three runs in the second. After loading the bases with one out, Ossie Bluege brought in a run on a fielder’s choice, Heinie Manush came across on a Michael Pineda wild pitch, and Joe Cronin doubled in Bluege.

While Lefty Stewart took a shutout through sixth, he lost it — and eventually the game — in the seventh. Nelson Cruz led off the inning with a single, Eddie Rosario doubled him in, and Miguel Sano hammered a two-run home run to tie the game. After Max Kepler singled, Stewart got the next two batters to fly out, but Byron Buxton lined a pitch over the wall for another two-run homer and a 5-3 lead.

That lead was almost immediately lost. Dave Harris cut the deficit to one with a solo homer before Fred Schulte doubled and Ossie Bluege reached on an error, putting men on the corners and ending Pineda’s day. Tyler Duffey came in, and on a full count, Joe Cronin struck out and Mitch Garver caught Bluege stealing, the strike-him-out-throw-him-out double play deflating ‘33’s momentum. Duffey induced a harmless grounder to third to end the inning before Sergio Romo and Taylor Rogers finished ‘33 off.

Stars of the Game
‘19 — RP Tyler Duffey: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K, 0/2 inherited runners scored
‘19 — LF Eddie Rosario: 2-4, 2B, R, RBI
‘33 — 2B Buddy Myer: 3-4
‘33 — LF Dave Harris: 1-4, HR, R, RBI

Introduction
Walter Johnson Round: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5
Harmon Killebrew Round: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5
Kirby Puckett Round: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5 / Day 6 / Day 7
Joe Mauer Round: Preview / Game 1 / Game 2 / Game 3 / Game 4 / Game 5 / Game 6 / Game 7
Review