Weather: 56 degrees, overcast
Wind: 14 mph, R to L
Time: 2:58
Attendance: 37,942
Yeah, it was just like old times. Jim Thome steps to the plate at Target Field and belts a solo shot, career home run #603. Only this time he was wearing an Indians uniform again, Joe Nathan was trying to keep the game even, and the home run made the difference between a potential come-from-behind Twins win and another Twins loss. So it goes.
Kevin Slowey had another poor outing for the Twins, going just four innings and giving up five runs on seven hits. But what the hell, this is the time of year when everything heads south, so we really shouldn't expect any different.
The one bright spot in the game for the Twins was Joe Benson, who damn near hit for the cycle and provided a good chunk of the team's offense, scoring three runs with a 4-for-4 night. Benson has doubled in four of his last five games, and six of his nine hits in the Majors have gone for extra bases. His four hits were the most for a Twins rookie since Danny Valencia did it last year.
Benson's three extra-base hits were more than the Twins have had in a game since Sept. 2, when they had four doubles and a HR in a 13-5 win over the Angels. Parmelee's hit gave the AA players five of the Twins' nine hits. Tolbert had the only Twins' hit from a player on the roster on Opening Day. Seven of the nine hits for the Twins came from rookies. Or is Plouffe a rookie still? Then that would be 8 of the 9 Twins' hits.