Results

R1: Jack Morris Game 7 Shutout 1991

R2: Kirby Puckett Game 6 Dominance 1991

R3: First World Series championship 1987

R4: AL Champions Metrodome welcome 1987

R5: Game 163 wild victory 2009

R6: Mudcat’s World Series must-win 1965

R7: Harmon’s 500th homer 1971

R8: Final day AL Central title 2006

A three-way deadlock was the result of last week’s poll, so yours truly gets tie-breaker rights: I have to go with the last-day 2006 AL Central title and celebration at the Metrodome. On August 7, the Twins were 10.5 GB the Detroit Tigers. Until the season’s final day, they had not spent any time in the division’s catbird seat. But that’s why they play all 162.

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On October 1, the Twins defeated the White Sox—and no one was blown out of the Dome immediately upon the final out. Why? Because the capacity crowd stuck around to watch the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers and give our boys of summer a miraculous AL Central crown! After the disappointment that was 2005, the improbability of ‘06 felt like a restoration of order to the Central.

One of the handful of MN Twins moments to bring tears to my eyes even just watching it on TV.

The newbie: Minnesota Mauer takes a curtain call.

Kirby Puckett takes Milwaukee (1987)

One could argue that Kirby Puckett became a true star on a late-August 1987 weekend in Milwaukee. On Saturday, 8/29, he went 4-5 with 2 HR. The Sunday 8/30 encore: 6-6, 2 2B, & 2 HR. If you are counting along at home, that’s 24 total bases in less than 24 hours! Puck raised his average from .315 to .328 in that short span and his storied career was off to the races.

Breaking the playoff losing streak (2023)Thome christens Target Field (2010)

When Target Field opened to begin the 2010 season, it was clearly a beautiful new ballpark that the hometown nine excelled in. But it was missing one thing: a signature moment. Try as they might, the Twins could not muster a walk-off victory in front of the sold-out crowds for the first four-and-a-half months. But on August 17, The Man With An Ox In The Batter’s Box finally gave Target Field it’s first magical memory.

Santana strikes out 17 (2007)

Johan Santana won Cy Young Awards with the Twins in 2004 & 2006. But his single-game zenith came August 19, 2007, when he K’d 17 Texas batsmen over 8 IP of victorious shutout ball. Santana whiffed every Ranger batter at least once, three of them 3x apiece, and put the golden sombrero (4 K) on Michael Young.

Mauer’s final bow (2018)

After 15 seasons in a Minnesota Twins—and no other—uniform, Minnesota’s own (St. Paul) Joe Mauer stepped onto the diamond for the final time in 2018’s finale. After what would quickly prove to be a Hall of Fame career, Mauer got to enjoy a special moment in the catcher’s gear where he always felt most at home. Few eyes that beheld his heartfelt goodbye were dry at the end of it.