Well this sure was fun. The game started as I left my office, and by the time I got to my car it was already decided.

In the top of the first the Twins decided to celebrate the summer solstace by not making outs. This plan was, of course, ruined by Pavano's strike out and Joe GIDPer hitting into yet another double play. When all was said and done, the Twins tagged Madison Bumgarner for 9 hits, and 8 runs. He pitched one third of an inning. Yikes.

With a lot of room for error, Pavano pitched an efficient game. Thankfully he pitched much better than he hit batted. You chose the right profession, Carl. The game was essentially on cruise control until the 9th when Alexi "Babe Ruth" Casilla muscled up and hit his second homer in the last two games. If you extrapolate that out over the rest of the season, methinks Alexi will be in the running for MVP.

Eight wins in a row, three of them against the teams in last year's World Series, and two against the South Siders? Twins baseball is fun again. I am still surprised every time I see that they're under .500 on account of how good they've been playing. I'm thinking this is going to be a fun summer.

Final Score: Minnesota Twins 9, San Francisco Giants 2
Twins Record: 32-39, 6.5 GB in the AL Central. Do you suppose the Tigers & Native Persons hear footsteps yet?
WP: Carl Pavano (5-5) | LP: Madison Bumgarner (3-9)
Madison Bumgarner's Game Score Last Night? 2.

Mauer's back, Valencia hit one a country mile, and our bullpen is nice enough to pad Capps' stats.

It's late and I've been drinking and playing cribbage, so that is all.

Twins 4, Pale Hose Uno
WP: Hot Carl Pavano. LP: G. Floyd
Save: I think that Pavano deserves a save here, so let's just give him one.
Twins Record: 27-39, 8.5 games out of first. Wait, what?

Over the last three games the Twins have won three games. More specifically they've won 8 of their last 10. Which is huge. Who needs Joe Mauer anyway? Oh, right, we do.

By the numbers, this was Carl's night. He worked nine innings on 96 pitches, 66 of which were strikes, facing 32 batters. Carl struck out five, walked three, and allowed one earned run. A total of four double plays were turned behind Carl tonight including a 3-6-1 gem that would have impressed kelly wells. The offensive numbers weren't bad either. The MVP had three stolen bases, which doubled his total on the year. Cuddy also went 2-3 and scored two runs. Sweet Ben Revere went 2 for 4 with a double, raising his average to .282, and stole a bag in the sixth. Cassilla went 2-4 with a double and a run scored. Even Dinkelman had a good night at the dish by going 2 for 3 with an IBB. Clearly, opposing teams fear the Dinkeldonger. Carl made it interesting in the last inning by allowing a leadoff hit followed by a double. Pavano then manned up and struck out Carlos Quentin, caught a smoking hot come-backer, and got AJ "assclown" Pierzynski to weakly ground out. That was easy.

Go get some culture at the Guthrie Theater this summer. They've staging God Of Carnage and the H.M.S. Pinafore, several conversations with actors and directors including Rainn Wilson (Dwight from the Office), and they host summer theater workshops for kids and adults.

Weather: 60 degrees, overcast
Wind: 10 mph, in from LF
Time: 3:07
Attendance: 38,907

Box Score
Fangraphs

It was a cool and cloudy night in the Twins Cities, the kind of night when the impending rain is a foregone conclusion and a shot of rotgut whiskey is the best way to warm up fast. The name's Twayn. I'm a shamus.

I was halfway through a pint of Kentucky's Apologies with my feet propped on the desk when I heard the knock on the door. I was in no mood for company after a day of hound dogging a cheating husband, trying to get the pictures his wife needed to squeeze a nice fat divorce settlement done with the help of Richland child custody lawyers, out of the louse, so I ignored the knock, hoping whoever it was would make like the wind and blow. When the doorknob started to turn I reached into my jacket, wrapped my fingers around the butt of my Colt .45, and pulled it from the shoulder holster. The dame walked in, took a look down the business end of my gat, and gave a little wide-eyed gasp.

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