Box Score
Starting Pitcher (kind of): Joe Ryan 5.0 P, 3H, 3ER, 2BB, 4K (89 pitches, 51 strikes (65%))
Home Runs: None
Win Probability Chart (via Baseball Savant)
The Twins took on the Guardians today…again. Or still? Finally? The Twins and Guardians have had a rough go this week, thanks to the weather. First, Monday’s game was delayed and (eventually) suspended by rain, pushing things to Tuesday. There were dogs at the game for Bark in the Park, but sadly for all the good boys and girls, they were rained out. Then Tuesday’s 1.7 remaining games were also banged.
The innings that they did play on Monday with Bailey Ober on the bump gave the Twins a 2-1 edge to take into Wednesday, but Joe Ryan would take over for Ober, keeping things somewhere within shouting distance of normal.
Monday was wet and gross from the start, but still, the first three innings were played. Ober looked good on the mound, and the Twins answered an early Cleveland tally with individual ones in the first and second.
A misplay off the wall by rookie Carson McCusker made Cleveland’s run possible, but their lead wouldn’t last. The Twins got one back on an RBI single by (who else, lately?) Ty France in the bottom half of that inning, after Ryan Jeffers set the table as the leadoff man against lefty Logan Allen.
Willi Castro joined the team in this game and was looking good. He missed a very short time after taking a foul off his knee, but that didn’t stop him from legging out a double to help the guys score in the bottom of the second, putting them up 2-1 before the rain ruined the hit parade.
The game picked up right where it left off in the fourth inning Wednesday, and Joe Ryan came out looking prepared as ever. For him, it was as if he was starting in inning one. One of the hardest things for pitchers is all the issues with being routine, and changes in schedules can cause body issues, but Ryan and the offense were (mostly) ready.Â
Ryan did work his way around the corners with Carlos Santana to get started. His former teammate was patient as always, and he waited for the perfect pitch. Ryan kept the ball low and in the zone, and Santana finally met Ryan where he was at. His home run to right field knotted things up, and signaled a trend that would continue for Ryan throughout the day: slightly diminished stuff.
Per the usual with the Guardians, nothing is ever easy. In the bottom of the fourth (which still felt a lot like the first), the Twins had a big answer for Santana’s homer. With a righty taking over, Kody Clemens pinch-hit for McCusker, and promptly cracked an RBI triple to reclaim the lead for Minnesota.
Harrison Bader hit a sacrifice fly to score Clemens, doubling the lead. Insurance is always great against this Guardians team, because the magic they possess to win is deep, dark stuff, not to be trusted.
After that, Ryan (with the help of Ryan Jeffers) settled in nicely. Despite diminished velocity, Ryan worked in and out of trouble. Jeffers caught a foul tip that ricocheted off his own body a time or two, to convert a key strikeout. Later in the contest, he threw out a would-be base-stealer.
The bottom of the eighth was almost part of the new routine for the Twins. The small ball aspect has been the greatest part of this season for the team. Singles from Trevor Larnach and Jonah Bride set the table, followed by a beautifully laid-down bunt from Clemens to advance Keirsey. Bader brought pinch-runner DaShawn Keirsey Jr. home on a single to left, flared just over the drawn-in infield. The Twins seemed to have more than enough cushion, but who are we kidding? it’s the Guardians, and it’s going into the ninth and more black magic was about to ensue.Â
Ryan was pulled off the mound, after putting the first two batters of the inning on base. Jhoan Duran came in, registering his first out, before everything really (if only temporarily) got away from the Twins. Duran gave up a single to Nolan Jones, which scored RamÃrez, trimming the lead to 5-3. A wild pitch from Duran subsequently moved everyone up, and Bo Naylor then brought home both runners with a huge, game-tying hit. It seems like the Twins never get a break with the Guardians. Thankfully, Duran escaped without allowing further damage.
Cade Smith took the mound to start the bottom of the ninth, and movement in both pens started to happen. With one out, Ty France took one for the team, going to first via his seventh plunking of the season. Keirsey flied out, leaving it to Jonah Bride to extend the rally. Bride was able to get on base, though, and pinch-runner Ryan Fitzgerald replaced France for the opportunity to bring home a winning run.Â
Clemens, then, got to play the hero. His slicing line drive got over the glove of center fielder Angel MartÃnez, and Fitzgerald scored the winner. Clemens has been a huge factor in the Twins winning with players like Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton being out. Both players are starting to make their way through concussion protocol, Correa is further along, but the peace of knowing that their teammates have their back and can keep the fire going has to be a great feeling.Â
Postgame Interviews
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
