Twins 4, White Sox 3: Walk off bunt

Pablo López, making his Target Field debut, got off to a shaky start tonight. Andrew Benintendi singled to lead off, then a single and a walk later the bases were loaded. Andrew Vaughn drove in a pair with a double, prompting a mound visit for pitching coach Pete Maki. It must have been a pretty good visit, as López sat down the next 23 White Sox batters, striking out 10 of them. On the same night that Luis Arraez hit for the cycle, this trade is looking like a win-win situation.

Byron Buxton quickly tied the game up in the bottom of the 1st with a 2-run blast to left, his 100th homer of his career. In the 3rd, Michael A. Taylor lifted one into the bullpen in left-center for a solo homer to make it a 3-2 game. That’s Taylor’s first in a Twins uniform.

Jhoan Duran entered in the 9th for the save but on the first pitch Luis Robert blasted a solo homer to left to tie the game, on a hanging curveball. Duran was clearly pretty mad about that and proceeded to strike out the next 3 to keep the game tied.

With 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, Christian Vasquez was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple, making the third out at 3rd base. That sent the game into extra innings, as Griffin Jax entered to pitch the 10th. Jax was able to keep the game tied with a groundout, a flyout and a grounder back to himself.

Willi Castro pinch ran for Vasquez in the 10th, with Taylor asked to bunt. Taylor got the bunt down and the throw from the pitcher hit Taylor on the helmet and went into right field allowing Castro to score on a walk-off bunt. Incredible. Bunts.

Studs:

Pablo López: 7.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K

Byron Buxton 1-4, 2-run HR

Donovan Solano: 2-4, R

Bunts

Duds:

NO DUDS TWINS WIN!

COTG: Joel, for the mere attempt at jokes, you have to respect that.