Twins 6, Rangers 5: Messed with Texas

The 2022 Twins have been involved in plenty of rollercoaster games, and Sunday afternoon’s contest with the Rangers was another back and forth affair. The Twins got the scoring started with Byron Buxton’s 23rd home run of the year to right field in the first inning that made it 1-0, then 4 consecutive singles to start the top of the second extended the Minnesota lead to 3-0. In the bottom of the second, the Twins were once again unable to hold onto a multi-run lead. Josh H. Smith hit a bases clearing double off Dylan Bundy with 2 outs to level the score at 3-3. The tied score wouldn’t last long. In the top of the third, the Twins offense drew three straight walks to fill the bases, then Jose Miranda took one for the team to put Minnesota back in front 4-3. The score would remain that way until the Rangers tied it up in the bottom of the 5th on a Corey Seager sac fly with runners on second and third. Once again, the tie game would last only a half inning with a home run from Ryan Jeffers giving the Twins the lead back once again in the 6th. They would add to that lead one inning later, as a throwing error on a pickoff attempt allowed Jorge Polanco to score to make it 6-4 Twins. The Twins were done scoring, but the Rangers weren’t. In the bottom of the 8th, with Jhoan Duran in the game to try to shut down the Texas offense, Corey Seager continued his hot hitting with a homer to left to make it a one run game once again. That home run certainly could have been caught by Gilberto Celestino in left field, but it went in and out of his glove and over the wall. Seager’s fly ball would have been a homer in just over half of major league ballparks, and Globe Life Field is not one of them.

Thankfully, the score would remain at 6-5, with the Rangers unable to tie it up again in the final two innings. It was a pretty frustrating series for the Twins, and they probably could have swept it instead of coming away with just one win. But there are some positives. The Twins are 48-40, with a 4 ¹⁄₂ game lead in the Central, and Luis Arraez and Byron Buxton were named to the AL All Star roster. Things are looking pretty good at the moment I’d say.
STUDS
Byron Buxton: 1-4, HR in 1st.
Ryan Jeffers: 2-4, RBI single in 2nd and HR in 6th.
Alex Kirilloff: 2-3

Jose Miranda: 2-3, 2 RBI.

DUDS
NO DUDS TWINS WIN!!!

Enjoy your Sunday evening.