Game 1:
Nathan Eovaldi
vs
Kenta Maeda
Lineup:
Arraez - 3B
Polanco - 2B
Cruz - DH
Kepler - RF
Astudillo - 1B
Kirilloff - LF
Cave - CF
Jeffers - C
Riddle - SS
Game 2:
Eduardo Rodriguez
vs
José Berríos
Two seven-inning games. Still not a fan of those post-2020.
Twins have dropped the last three and risk falling below .500 since Game 2. Maeda and Berríos are the two starters you'd want pitching to end that streak. I hope the bullpen takes the day off because really, they aren't helping.
Man, with that lineup, King Kenta had better be on his game.
I've seen worse.
No word on why Buxton’s out of the lineup? I’m hoping it’s just a half day of rest, but I saw a few other players are undergoing contact tracing.
Marney says everyone who has been connected via contact tracing to Simmons has tested negative. So presumably that rules out Buxton & Sanó.
Nice. But this is why our starters aren't tallying the innings
Oh geez.
There goes Kenta's GG.
Can we just start this game over again?
Ooof, can we switch right to game 2 and just skip this one.
Rows - perhaps should have suggested they switch right to Thursday.
Need to don the rally caps early
The Rally Cap was once a Fez. Was that here or in the old basement?
don't remember if that was free's, E's, or Twayn's cap of choice
I think that that was the old basement. I had forgotten about that :).
Kind of lucky to get out of that with only 3 runs, considering the way it started. Not sure how this lineup scores 3 without Cruz hitting 3 bombas.
I don't quite understand why Attaboy felt it was necessary to replay the clip of Kirilloff flying out.
So far, this is one of those games where the club just isn't doing anything well. The pitching hasn't been good, the defense hasn't been good, and the offense hasn't been good. Maybe they'll get it out of their system early and come back strong later.
Well, that's one way to move the runners up.
we'll take that, Polanco.
Back in the game!
That was a great at bat by Polanco
Really, really nice at bat by Polanco there.
through the wickets
According to Gameday, Polanco used all of today's C'oC golf tips.
Polanco nutmegged him!
I'd rather Cruz had been able to swing the bat than to get hit by a pitch.
One thing I appreciate about Morneau is that he doesn't have a lot of hot takes. He can see both sides of issues and even if he leans a certain way he doesn't get all indignant.
Agreed. He’s very measured, and when he does have a strong opinion he tends to explain his reasoning and value walking people through what informs his thinking.
How very Canadian of him.
Woof. Polanco had a legitimate beef with Blue there.
giving up leadoff doubles -- not the best game plan
[Twins commercial]
Who is the best dancer on the Twins?
Jorge Polanco: "Jorge Polanco!"
Astudillo taking his ballcap off to catch pop ups at first base will always be funny
So close.
Man, Arraez with no luck today
Luck better turnaround in Game 2. Red Sox had two pop-ups fall in their three-run inning and then the ninth inning where Sano's line drive is barely foul and Arraez lines out to left field.
Stashak has now struck out 12 of the 23 batters he's faced this season. His BABIP is .571.
This was the first loss by a Twins SP this year.
No Buxton in second game line up either. Has there been an explanation?
Tight hamstring. Sitting as a precaution. "He's fine."
redflag.gif
With the cold weather, probably good they are super cautious with any hamstring tightness
Supposedly he was able to come off the bench during the first game, but obviously didn’t.
Garlick has twice come up with men at first and third and one out and the first time, he hit a line drive at 96 mph and the second time he hit a one-happer at 101 mph, and all he gets is a sac fly and GIDP. Berrios might need to pitch a 7-inning shutout to get the win.
Sano..*drink*
Things were going swell til the 5th
What the heck happened to Berrios to that last batter? That was awful. He completely lost all command and walks the No. 9 batter to tie the game. Of course, I doubt the inning gets away from him if Cave hadn't turned a single into a double to lead off the inning. He nearly turned it into a triple or worse.
I think if this is a 9 inning game, Berrios is not pulled
Maybe, but he wasn't close to the zone to the No. 9 batter and the bases were loaded with one out for the top of the order seeing him the third time.
Just listening on the radio, it sounded like he was about out of gas.
Verdugo is celebrating like he did something. He should have hit a grand slam on that meatball pitch. That was awful.
Damn when things are going sour they really go sour.
Uffda, this team right now.
Today never happened
That was the first hit Duffey had allowed this year with two strikes. Last year with two strikes, oppenents batted .115 with a .179 OBP with two strikes against Duffey.
His command is awful so far. That's his fifth walk in four innings.
Rodón no-hit Cleveland's baseball team. 114 pitches and only a HBP on the 26th batter keeping him from a perfect game.
Nasty slider to the toe. Also, great play by Abreu at first base on the first batter of the ninth kept the perfect game going at the time and ultimately preserved the no-hitter. He had to lunge with his foot to barely beat the diving runner, who was probably sliding to prevent being tagged out on a slow roller.
This was 1 of 4 shutouts tonight and the Rockies have yet to score on Dustin May tonight, who hasn't allowed a run yet this year. Surprisingly, the Twins weren't one of the team shut out.