Home sweet home. The Twins, as badly as they've played lately, are still twelve games better than the Orioles. The Baltimores have the worst record in baseball, a half game worse than Kansas City. Clearly, that's no fun if you're an Orioles fan, and I really don't take much delight in seeing other teams struggle (the Yankees excepted). Still, it's nice to know that there are still a few teams worse than we are.
As bad as Baltimore is, their starting pitchers have not been uniformly terrible. Andrew Cashner, who starts tonight, was very good last year for Texas. This year he's 2-8, but his ERA is 4.48, which isn't awful. On the other hand, his WHIP is 1.57, which is pretty terrible. On the other hand, the Twins have found ways not to hit some terrible pitchers.
Aaron "Sluggo" Slegers gets the start tonight. He started really well in Rochester, but has not done as well lately. A 3.55 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP is still pretty good, though. Paul Molitor says he was called up for the start because "it was his turn", which doesn't exactly inspire confidence. The Orioles are next to last in scoring runs, so maybe Sluggo can treat them like Mr. Bill.* It's time to break this losing streak. Go Twins!
*Nothing like a forty-year-old pop culture reference to show how cool you are.
Finally, a National Anthem singer my dad would approve of.
Good news: Cave-Man is in the lineup. Bad news: A-Stud is not. Worse news: Bobby Wilson is.
Slegers is tall.
Good first inning for Sluggo. Machado hit a double, but he'll do that. It was with two out and didn't hurt anything. Let's get some runs!
Twins help Cashner lower his WHIP in the first.
Hard to believe Danny Valencia is still around. And he's actually had some good seasons since he left the Twins.
Two good innings for Sluggo!
Before today, Mauer was batting .218/.259/.307 since May 6 with 15 Ks and 4 BBs. His last walk was June 16.
That's not very good. Still about twice Bobby Wilson's numbers, but not very good.
Polanco double!
And of course, he's stranded on second.
The commissioner would approve of the pace of play so far.
Come on, Cave Man. Let's get something started.
Like that! Cave-Man double!
Come on, Wilson. At least give us a productive out.
That'll work! 1-0 Twins!
Rosario comes through! 2-0 Twins!
That was a good inning!
Cave-Man Catch!!!!
LOMO OPPO
LOMO!!!!! 3-0 Twins!
Do I dare say, after yesterday's game, that solo home runs don't hurt you?
Six solid innings for Sluggo!
Good hit, but it would've been nice to get the run. We need you to come through, Cave-Man.
Of course you'd walk Cave to pitch to Wilson. We need a Dazzle Special here.
Dazzle mentioned that Wilson and Taylor Motter took some extra batting practice. What's the record for most strikeouts by a batting practice pitcher?
Good thing have Wilson instead of Mr. NTTO Astudillo.
No reason to take Sluggo out, other than Molitor isn't about to trust a rookie in the late innings.
Reed needs some work.
Let him get some work in a game we don't have a chance to win.
Way to mow 'em down, Reed.
I'm out. Can the Twins' stellar bullpen hold the lead? Can the Twins' powerful lineup score some more runs? We shall see.
2/3 of the way to an immaculate inning.
tWINs
Joe is just a husk of himself. :/ Remember how he started this season looking like an OB% god again?
Concussions. :/
I'm going to take Concussions out back of the woodshed and get totally mobster on it.