Box Score
SP: Pablo López: 5 ⅔ IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Home Runs: Carlos Correa (3), Ty France (4)
Top 3 WPA: Ty France (.294), Pablo López (.204), Cole Sands (.134)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
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With thoughts of rain solidly in the past, Minnesota could finally move on. The weather that had so strangely chopped up their series with Cleveland fled for other pastures, leaving Minnesota with a traditionally beautiful late-spring evening, neither quite too cold nor too warm—but chilly enough to remind all that summer’s comfort was still more than a few sleeps away. Would that augur success for the home team? Only the players could determine that.
Straits appeared a little dire early. Pablo López smoked Jonathan India with his second offering of the day, and a blooped single from Vinnie Pasquantino pushed the situation into “legitimate run-scoring threat” territory. Indeed, it was: López claimed his second out before relinquishing a run off a hittable fastball. Cavan Biggio served as the beneficiary. The Royals were up 1-0.
Squaring up against Minnesota’s ace was one Noah Cameron. Bespectacled and green—Friday’s start was just his third in the big leagues—the lefty nonetheless offered the aesthetics of one referred to as “crafty;” with a below-average heater and extended collection of off-speed pitches capable of putting hitters on their heels. Across 12 2/3 frames, he had just three allowed hits to his name. His first career start saw a no-hit bid creep into the seventh inning.
The dominance potential became apparent across the fullness of his start—he walked off the mound after striking out eight Twins over six and two-third innings—yet Carlos Correa punctured a chink into his armor early. The veteran took the second pitch he had seen since coming off the IL and deposited it 429 feet away into the bullpens nestled in left-center. Tie game.
The homer ushered in a period of classic baseball emptiness. Surely, the game saw action. One could interrogate the box score to collect the fullness of each minute detail. Entire dramas lived within Kansas City’s two-strike hits, or Minnesota’s clear difficulties handling Cameron’s arm slot. Yet, in a game dominated by runs, only one truth stood out: no one scored. For a while. The third became the fourth, which evolved into the fifth, which, which, which… One could look down for a time, then look up just to conclude the entire game was an exercise in human futility. Maybe it is. That’s baseball.
The funny thing about the seemingly endless supply of zeroes is that everything can change in an instant. And any small move can incite.
The great running of the bullpens spat out Kansas City’s Lucas Erceg in the ninth. He punched out Trevor Larnach before Correa softly grounded a ball to third. One would typically Maikel Garcia to handle it properly, yet he bobbled the ball and allowed Carlos to reach base. Oh well. Certainly, the next batter wouldn’t hit a homer on the first pitch he saw.
Anyways, Ty France crushed a homer on the first pitch of his at-bat to win the game for the Twins. Don’t let anyone tell you this game doesn’t have a sense of humor.
Notes:
Post-Game Interview:
What’s Next?
The Twins will face the Royals again on Saturday, with first pitch set to arrive at 1:10 PM. Zebby Matthews is scheduled to start opposite Michael Wacha.
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
