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2012 Twins Game Log

Game 132: Twins in KC 7:10pm..check that 3:10PM Saturday

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*edit* this game has been postponed until Saturday at 3:10pm.

the remnants of Hurricane Isaac are making its way up the central US, giving places like Arkansas, Missourri, Kansas, and Illinois some much needed rain. The forecast for KC tonight calls for rain, so this game might now get underway.

The Twins have been brutal this month, posting a 9-19 record with 1 game to go. This month is an improvement over last year where the Twins went 7-21. And the Twins have gained 4 games on Cleveland as they have only 5 wins in August.

Cole DeVries is scheduled to start for the local 9. DeVries has this Brad Radke thing going this year, giving up 16 home runs, and allowing 17 walks. Something to watch at the end of the year: will he give up more homeruns than walks batters.

The Royals will trot out a dude named Will Smith, who looks like a Twinsesque pitcher with a low walk rate, low k rate, and a high ERA.

2012 Twins Game Recaps

Game 100 recap: Twins 12 Cleveland 5

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For the most part, the offense has been good the season. Sure there was that no hitter, and the team has been shutout several times. But all and all, good. But, the Twins are throwing out pitchers you would only recognize if you read the JeffA's minor league recaps on a regular basis: Samuel Deduno, Tyler Robertson, Luis Perdomo, the list goes on.

Tonight, Deduno was effectively wild: giving up 2 hits, walking 5, striking out 6 in 7 innings. Is he a long term solution to the pitching staff? Probably not. But it sure if fun to watch batters flail at his nasty curveball.

After hitting (what seemed like) a million groundballs to Jason Kipnis, Josh Willingham mashed a homer in the 4th to get the Twins on the board and take a 2-1 lead. Willingham is having quite a season: that was HR number 27 and 2 RBI gives him 78 and its not even August. Dick Bremer said he going to hit right around 35 HRs'. More like 40-45 and 120ish RBI. And surprisingly, is only 1 walk behind Mauer for the team lead.

Alex Casilla pulled a rabbit out of his hat and had a double and a triple and knocked in 4 (first 4 RBI game since Oct 2 2010) and the Twins breezed to a 12-5 win. Luis Perdomo made his Twins debut and looked shaky and the Tribe scored some run to make the box score look better.

The Twins are now in FORTH PLACE in the AL Central and only 8.5 games back of Cleveland for 3rd. The Twins will try to go for a sweep Sunday 1:10pm. Join the game log, because they have been rocking lately.

2012 Twins Game Recaps

Game 70 recap: Reds 6 Twins 0

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The Twins were shutout for the 7th time this year as the Reds beat the Twins 6-0. It wasnt a fair fight to begin with as the Reds threw out ace Johnny Cueto, while the Twins were trying to get by with a Duensing/Swarzak tandem and pray for some offense. The offense didnt happen as Reds pitchers limited the Twins to 3 hits and a walk.

Duensing wasnt that bad, but ran out of gas in the 4th inning and the meat of the Reds order came up and did all the damage. Brandon Phillips blasted a 2 run HR to straightaway center and Scott Rolen added a RBI double.

The Twins still have a chance to win the series Sunday afternoon, and after that finally get back to playing American League teams.

Notes:
-Joe Mauer's double gives him 15 on the year. He is third on the team in doubles behind Willingham (19) and Span (17)
-Justin Morneau had the day off. He has 11 hits in 53 plate appearances since June 8th, the start of the extended interleague part of the schedule.
-Anthony Swarzak pitched 4 innings of relief. He has now pitched 35.2 innings of relief. Alex burnett lead the team with 36 relief innings.
-Josh Willingham was hit by a pitch for the 10th time this year. The last time a Twins player had 10 or more HBP in a season was Denard Span in 2009 (10). The club record is Chuck Knoblauch's 19 in 1996.
-Matt Capps pitched. He has not been traded for a ham steak yet.