Dodgers 7, Twins 3: Bases loaded bollocks

This was close for a while. We had hope for a long portion of the game.

Then the sixth inning happened, and hope stumbled.

After the seventh inning, it vanished.

The Dodgers used a two-out rally to score five runs in the seventh, breaking open a close game and taking the series with a 7-3 win. Dammit.

Twice the Dodgers used batted balls that stayed in the park to take the lead; twice the Twins tied the game with balls blasted over the fence. For Los Angeles, the third inning saw Mookie Betts triple then score on a Freddie Freeman sacrifice fly, while in the fifth James Outman singled, stole second, and came home on a Betts single. Minnesota’s responses came in the top of the fourth (Byron Buxton) and sixth (Joey Gallo), each a solo dinger.

The Twins proceeded to follow Gallo’s homer by loading the bases with none out and failing to bring anyone home — a classic NOBLETIGER that is already becoming too familiar. Even worse, Dodgers reliever Victor González threw zero strikes to Jorge Polanco and Donovan Solano, the first two outs of the inning, but the Twins continued to swing too aggressively at bad pitches and did nothing with them.

Minnesota grabbed their first lead of the game thanks to that overaggressiveness, however, coupled with a Los Angeles error. After seventh-inning singles by Willi Castro and Christian Vázquez, Castro took off for third, but pitcher Caleb Ferguson stepped off the mound and threw to the hot corner in order to retired Castro; however, Ferguson’s throw bounded past the base and Castro scored easily.

That lead slipped away in the bottom of the frame. José De León, who had pitched a clean sixth in his Twins debut, got two strikeouts before allowing two singles. Emilio Pagán came in from the bullpen, scaring many, and the fears of the frightened proved justified: Pagán walked two men to tie the game before James Outman first-pitch grand-slammed over the center field wall.

Twins with bases loaded, 0 outs: popout, strikeout, flyout.

Dodgers with bases loaded, 2 outs: game-tying walk, go-ahead grand slam

Just walk away.

STUDS

CF Byron Buxton / RF Joey Gallo: a homer each
RP Jovani Moran / RP Cole Sands: one clean inning apiece
RP José De León: five quick outs, then two singles; left with the lead but wound up the losing pitcher
1B Alex Kirilloff: 2-4

DUDS

RP Emilio Pagán: walk, walk, grand slam
cRISPy LOBsters: Twins 0-6 with RISP
crispy lobsters: despite being a New Englander I hate the taste

Comment of the Game goes to Ben Jones for expressing correct frankfurter preference.

Now beat the Angels.