Twins 11, Cubs 1: Saturdays are for the bombs

Minnesota’s homer vest was busy today.

The Twins unleashed an 11-run outburst, including five homers, in a series-evening win against the visiting Chicago Cubs. It would almost be easier to sum up who didn’t take part in the onslaught, but I’ll do my best anyway.

The big story was Alex Kirilloff, who put together a statement game early into his 2023 campaign. Wrist-embattled and injury-plagued, the slugging outfielder has shown only glimpses of why his bat is so well-regarded; today, he raised his OPS considerably, from an already-robust .834 to a healthy 1.466.

Kirilloff went 3-for-3, homering twice and doubling, scoring three times, and driving in a pair of runs. He did this batting second behind Joey Gallo, who went to town in his own right with another homer (his 8th), and four knocked in on the afternoon.

Let’s keep swinging. Jorge Polanco launched his 3rd blast of the season in the fifth inning, and Carlos Correa provided Minnesota’s fifth blast with his 6th yard-evacuator late in the game. Notably, Correa — off to his usual slow start — had a pair of hits and three runs batted in of his own.

Eleven runs is pretty good. It’s also what we’ve come to expect on Joe Ryan Day — the 2023 Twins have had a particular penchant for providing run support to the Midwest’s favorite Californian.

Today, Ryan helped establish a sturdy buffer between Chicago and Minnesota; he went six shutout innings, allowed just four hits, and struck out ten Cubbies. His record improves to 6-1, and his ERA slims itself all the way down to 2.16, a mid-May mark worthy of All-Star rumblings.

And sling it, he did.

We don’t need to talk about either Jovani Moran or Cole Sands, respectfully.

It was a one-sided affair this Saturday afternoon (Mother Nature got some licks in), but the series isn’t over yet. The Twins and Cubs will finish things off tomorrow; the early forecast seems to suggest the rain will be out of here by mid-afternoon. Hope to see you again then!

STUDS:

SP Joe Ryan (6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, BB, 10 K)

1B/RF Joey Gallo (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI)

DH Alex Kirilloff (3-for-3, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI)

SS Carlos Correa (2-for-5, R, HR, 3 RBI)

C Ryan Jeffers (2-for-2, 2 R, BB)

DUDS:

NO DUDS! TWINS WIN! TWINS WIN!

ROBOT ROLL CALL:

Gintzer lays down the law in today’s COTG.