Twins 4, Brewers 2: The third is the word

Yes, you can go eighteen straight outs without tallying a hit under two conditions:

• You get all your runs ahead of time.
• Your pitching can keep the opponent from scoring while you yourself remain off the board.

Fortunately, the Twins met both conditions, scoring four two-out runs in a chaotic third inning to take the lead, then keeping the Brewers from taking that lead back through the remaining six frames for a 4-2 win.

That Milwaukee “2” went on the board quickly in the second. During a tumultuous two innings for Ober (five Brewer hits, matching Minnesota’s total for the game), Brian Anderson and Luis Urías went consecutively over the wall. But despite the relatively high hit frequency early, no other Brewer could make it back to the plate as Ober settled into a groove.

Minnesota’s lumber would too find a groove, but not until they had but an out to spare in the third inning. With Eddie Julien (doubled) and Donovan Solano (walked) on base, Carlos Correa lashed a liner that took a long carom off the wall in right, allowing him to leg out a triple. Trevor Larnach followed with an RBI double of his own before Joey Gallo lofted a pop that landed after tipping off second baseman Owen Miller’s glove; Larnach scored, but Gallo was thrown out trying for second.

From there it was a pitching fest, each team managing just one more hit as both starters and bullpens took charge. On Minnesota’s side, Ober finished six innings for a quality start before ceding the ball to Brock Stewart, Jhoan Duran, and Griffin Jax, each of whom threw one clean inning.

Now I lay me down to sweep
The Brewers left in futile heap.
Our pitchers fling, our hitters rake;
We’ll make the Tigers’ spirits ache.

STUDS

my sister: kept score for me during the first three innings while I was out giving blood, then continued to keep score after I got back
SP Bailey Ober: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 7 K
bullpen (RPs Brock Stewart, Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax): combined 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
SS Carlos Correa / DH Trevor Larnach / LF Joey Gallo: a timely two-out hit each

DUDS

really now

Comment of the Game goes to my sister, making this query during the bottom of the fourth:

That little target behind the pitcher’s mound: if a batter hits it during the game, do they win a stuffed animal?

Zucker brothers, tell us what’s next:

(okay, it’s a home series, but still)