This is a personal moment for me. I watched this game with my dad, and even though they were down 9-4 in the ninth, we kept watching. Thome hit a two-run homer and Mauer tied the game with his own two-run homer. Drew Butera caught Thome's homer on the fly from the outfield bullpen.
Then, impossibly, Butera hit the go-ahead pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning. It wasn't the game winner, but the Twins tacked on three more in the 11th to win 13-10. Don't think I'll ever forget this game.
Twins were decent for the first time in five years and at this point only a half game out of the wildcard race. Down 6-1 in the ninth, they did lots of things. Suzuki had a based load hit by pitch. Danny Santana knocked in a couple of runs. And then this.
Jonathan Schoop had to leave the game in the middle of an at-bat. Arraez came in during an 0-2 count against really really good reliever Edwin Diaz, and a legend was born. (link in the headline)
Man, is this just an #8 seed? Checks. Yep, just an #8 seed.
#9. Dozier/Rosario Homer Off Severino
Couldn't find a clip of this other than the entire inning, and I'm not going to subject you guys to that. I remember watching this with my then four year-old son (who couldn't care less about baseball) and I freaked out after Rosario's homer. So much so that my son cared about baseball for ten minutes until the bottom of the 1st happened and then he stopped caring.
I definitely was not paying attention to the Twins in April of 1994. More impressive than Eric Milton's and Francisco Liriano's no-hitters. Just four walks allowed and not facing the getaway day lineup.
13. Mike Pagliarulo's Pinch-Hit Homer in ALCS
I have zero recollection of this, even though I'm sure I watched it. But man, coming off the bench on the road in extras to help put the series up two games to one? This should be more well-known.
This is literally my first memory as a Minnesota Twins fan. I'm sure I watched plenty of games before this one, but I had just turned seven years old and I still remember where I was sitting when Gladden did this.
12. Jason Kubel Slams for the Cycle
Would love to see the WGOM game log for this.
Little did we know in April how important this comeback would be for the final standings. The Twins had not been a high-scoring team in recent years, and when they blew a lead and fell down 8-3 in the 7th, you just figured it was over. Down 9-4 in the 8th, they rallied for 3 runs and had two men on with two out. Morneau was intentionally walked to bring up Jason Kubel. Kubel had already hit a single, double, and a triple at this point in the game. Why, wouldn’t it be poetic if he finished off the Twins comeback by hitting a home run?
I was nine years old and not paying that much attention at this point because the Twins were having a terrible year. But I remember hearing about this the night it happened and wishing I could see the highlights. It was many years before I did.
I have one other memory from baseball in 1990. I was riding in my dad's truck with my family when Eric Davis hit a homer off Dave Stewart in the first inning. Unanimous roars that day.
9. Scott Erickson Wins 12 in a Row
I remember asking to see the newspaper every morning after a Scott Erickson start in 1991 and thinking we had the best pitcher in baseball. Much like Radke would do a few years later, Erickson would also notch his 20th win with the help of a 12 game winning streak. Except by the time Erickson did that, the Twins had more important things to celebrate and worry about.
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