MINNESOTA 3, SEATTLE 1 IN MINNESOTA
Date: Friday, August 13.
Batting stars: Ron Washington was 2-for-4. Kent Hrbek was 1-for-3 with a walk.
PItching stars: Bobby Castillo pitched a complete game, giving up one run on three hits and one walk and striking out three.
Opposition stars: Gaylord Perry pitched an eight-inning complete game, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk and striking out five. Bruce Bochte was 2-for-3.
The game: Joe Simpson led off the game with a triple and scored on Bochte's single to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. The Twins put men on first and third in the bottom of the first but did not score.
No one got a man past first in innings two through five. In the sixth, however, the Twins got consecutive one-out singles from Tom Brunansky, Hrbek, Gary Ward, and Gary Gaetti, plating two runs and giving the Twins a 2-1 lead. The Twins added a run in the eighth when Washington singled, then was picked off first but reached second on an error. Hrbek was intentionally walked. Ward hit a potential double play ball, but the throw to first was wild and Washington came in to score, making it 3-1 Twins.
Castillo was in total control. He gave up only one hit after the first inning, a two-out single by Bochte in the fourth. He retired the last ten batters he faced.
WP: Castillo (6-9). LP: Perry (7-10). S: None.
Notes: Washington was the shortstop in this game. Lenny Faedo is listed as the Twins starting shortstop in 1982, but Washington actually played slightly more games there (92 to 88).
Randy Johnson was the Twins DH. He's listed as the Twins starting DH in 1982, and he got more time there than anyone, but it was only 66 games. Others who spent significant time at DH were Jesus Vega (39 games), Mickey Hatcher (29), Randy Bush (26), and Dave Engel (20).
Hrbek was the only Twins above .300, at .315. He would finish at .301. This was the only time Hrbek was named to the all-star team. He deserved more appearances, but after a snub early in his career he said that he was not interested in going.
This was one of the two best seasons of Castillo's career, and his best as a starter. He was 13-11, 3.66, 1.28 WHIP. His other good season was when he was a reliever for the Dodgers in 1980. By game scores, this was his best game of the season. He did, however, have six complete games in 1982. He would have three the next season, and those were the only complete games he had in his career.
Perry was in his age forty-three season in 1982. He was obviously not what he once was, but he was still decent--10-12, 4.40, 1.38 WHIP. He would pitch one more season before calling it quits.
Record: The Twins were 40-75, in seventh (last) place in the American League West, 26.5 games behind California. They would finish 60-102, in seventh place, thirty-three games behind California.
The Mariners were 56-58, in fourth place in the American League West, ten games behind California. They would finish 76-86, in fourth place, seventeen games behind California.
Friday the 13th! What the heck -- 1982, and we won??
Unfortunately for Hrbek, even in his best years he was usually the 3rd best guy at his position behind the likes of Murray, Mattingly, McGwire, McGriff, Fielder. 1988 he was probably the 2nd best.
Kelly could have chosen him in 1988, but maybe Hrbek told him not to bother. At least Laudner made it!
Given the number of Twins on the 1988 all-star team, I'm quite sure Hrbek told Kelly not to put him on the team.