Twins 5, Mets 2: Keuchel’s smoke-and-mirrors continues

Dallas Keuchel almost pitches as well as Mets ace Kodai Senga. The Twins have less than ten strikeouts! Both teams make sharp defensive plays, but it’s a complete brain fart by the Mets’ fielders that opens things up for Minnesota. Inning-by-inning notes:

1: Keuchel, who's getting 3.4 SO/9, needs to use Super Force powers to guide baseballs exactly at fielders. It works here.

Senga's first inning ERA is his worst, and he tends to walk a few guys. It happens again, with Jorge Polanco taking the pass and Royce Lewis doubling him in. Twins 1-0

2: Hey, actually two strikeouts for Keuchel! Is he the next Jamie Moyer? (No.)

Since July 28, Matt Wallner is hitting .198/.320/.453. Maybe he needs to get HBP some more.

3: Tim Locastro breaks up the perfect game you bet your house on, but doesn't score. Clear out that house by October, BTW.

Senga settling in now, only a long Lewis flyout looking dangerous.

4: And so much for the shutout you bet your car on. A leadoff walk, a double to "Polar Bear" Pete Alonso, another double to old Twins nemesis Francisco Lindor, and it's 2-1. Fortunately a nice DP started by Carlos Correa keeps it there.

Right away, Correa unloads on one to tie us up. And Locastro later makes a sweet dive to keep it 2-2

5: Two more strikeouts for Keuchel, yet with the lineup starting their third time around, I hope he's done. The Twins have 100 relievers anyways right now.

Edouard Julien has been scuffling a little lately, but leads off with a walk and Polanco knocks him to second. And then Lewis provides the GIDP.

6: It’s His Dark Materials, Emilio Enrique Pagán. As is usual lately, he does fine. Senga keeps stopping the Twins, but (oddly) with "only" 5 strikeouts so far. He comes into this at 11.1/9, and the Twins at Too Many.

7: Now Caleb Theilbar, which might be burning the Twins' two most consistent relievers already.

For the Mets, someone pitches called a Sean Reid-Foley, who has impressive arm ink. Wallner walks, pinch runner Andrew Stevenson goes on a hit-and-run that ends up an infield hit by Willi Castro.

Then, craziness...

A double-steal where C Francisco Alvarez misses the pitch. Stevenson sees it and starts heading home, then tries to get back... but Alvalrez airmails his throw into left. Then Stevenson stumbles running home! And the throw from LF misses, too!

The Twins ALMOST strand Castro on second, but Lewis doubles him in with two out. Max Kepler hits a total duck fart, and I'm more optimistic about the bullpen situation now, 5-2

8: CAPT Griffin Jax, USAF, shoots ‘em all down. And the Twins do nothing.

9: It’s Jhoan Duran time, and we all know how rough he’s been lately. It’s drama as usual, with a leadoff walk and a bad botched DP. Still, nobody scores and Twims win!

Cleveland is now 7.0 GB, and the Twins’ magic number is 15. Studs: Lewis, Correa, ³⁄₄ of the bullpen, Stevenson’s crazed high-energy running. Duds: Mets for letting Stevenson get away with it.

COTG goes to our Foley on the crazed running play (starting on a bad pitch by Reid-Foley): “That’s an LOLMETS if there ever was one”

Tomorrow’s game features Mets lefty David Peterson and your Kenta Maeda at 1:10. Donation note: the Twins will be accepting coats in good condition both Saturday and Sunday, gates 29 and 34.