Game 91: Orioles at Twins

First Pitch: 1:10 PM CT

TV: Bally Sports North

Radio: TIBN

Know Thine Enemy: Camden Chat

This afternoon—no more Sunday AM nonsense—the Minnesota Twins & Baltimore Orioles will square off in the final contest before the 2023 All-Star break (with the Twins hoping to avoid being swept into their four-day respite). Before the unofficial midseason finale, here’s a quick look at the 2003 & 2013 events from a Twins-focused lens...

After Garrett Anderson won the HR Derby the previous night, the ‘03 Midsummer Classic was held at U.S. Cellular Field (ick) in Chicago. It would be the first All-Star competition to “count” (World Series home field advantage) after the previous year’s debacle.

Reliever Eddie Guardado was the only MN rep in the Windy City—and he didn’t exactly make the homeland proud, giving up an Andruw Jones double and Albert Pujols single before retiring Barry Bonds (though not before the slugger hit a mammoth blast just foul).

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Leading late and with lights-out closer Eric Gagne on the bump, the National League looked to pilfer a rare victory over the American League. But the Junior Circuit stormed back, capping a momentous comeback with a Hank Blalock blast for the 7-6 victory.

In 2013, the Twins sent local boys Joe Mauer & Glen Perkins to Citi Field in Queens. Apparently not packing his Wheaties and milk provisions, Mauer declined the Home Run Derby—won by Yoenis Cespedes—but did start at catcher and go 1-2 with a single.

Perk did not appear in the contest, but fellow hurlers Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, Felix Hernandez, Matt Moore, Grant Balfour, Greg Holland, Brett Cecil, Steve Delabar, Mariano Rivera (in his final AS Game), and Joe Nathan (the Texas years) combined to hold the Senior Circuit scoreless for a 3-0 AL cruise-control win.

Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images

With visions of All-Stars now dancing in your head, enjoy the final contest—a unique Joe Ryan vs Kyle Gibson mound matchup—before the 2023 festivities commence!