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2023 – The Twins beat the Mariners by a score of 6-3 at T-Mobile Park. Kenta Maeda was the starter but did not get the decision, allowing two runs on three hits in 6.1 innings (80 pitches) pitched. Kenta did not issue a walk and struck out nine, tying his season-high as the Twins improved to 4-1 over his last five starts. Emilio Pagan (4-1) got the win. The offense recorded nine hits and were led by Edouard Julien, who went 2-for-2 with two walks and a home run, his ninth of the season. Alex Kirilloff (7) and Max Kepler (14) also each added home runs. Box Score
In some off the field news regrading a former Twins player Randy Bass and a former Cleveland Indians Alex Ramirez were the first two non-Japanese players to be inducted into the Japan baseball HOF. Bass, famous in Japan for his blondish beard and back-to-back triple crowns, led the Hanshin Tigers to the franchise’s only championship in 1985. Playing for a decade in the majors, Randy Bass was sold to the Hanshin Tigers for $25,000. With forty-seven homeruns in 1985, Bass led the Tigers to championship victory. Randy Bass is a former Democratic member of the Oklahoma State Senate, representing District 32 from 2004 to 2018. Bass was unable to run for re-election in 2018 to the Oklahoma State Senate because of term limits. Ramirez, who struggled to get playing time in Major League Baseball, is the only foreigner to attain 2,000 hits in an N.P.B. career, reaching the coveted milestone in 2013 with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
2022 – No Twins game today. The 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is the 92nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The American League, on the strength of back-to-back home runs by Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton, continued its All-Star Game dominance on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The AL won the 2022 MLB All-Star Game, 3-2, to make it nine consecutive wins over the National League in the Midsummer Classic. Luis Arraez also participated in the game and was 1 for 2. Both Buxton and Arraez were making their first All_Star appearances. Uniforms for the American League were in dark gray, while uniforms for the National League were in white. Team logos and letters were in gold with black trim. Caps were black featuring each team’s logo in gold and black embellishments, along with a gold star. Box Score
2021 – The Twins play their second DH in three days, this time at Guaranteed Rate Field against the first place Chicago White Sox. Rookie Griffin Jax was the starter in game one, allowing one run on one hit in four innings pitched while tying his season/career high with six strikeouts. Former Twins Lance Lynn started for the Pale Hose and at the end of the regulation seven innings the score was knotted at 1-1 with a home run for each team, Tim Anderson for the Sox in the third and Nelson Cruz (19) for the Twins in the sixth. In extra innings the Twins scored twice in the top of the eighth on a Cruz sacrifice fly and a Jorge Polanco single. Hansel Robles allowed a run in the bottom of the inning but retired the final two batters for his tenth save of the season in the 3-2 Twins win. Tyler Duffey (2-2) was credited with the win. Box Score game one.
José Berríos (7-4) started game two and was issued the loss despite his fourth career complete game, as he allowed five runs on four hits in six innings pitched. Berrios pitched a magnificent game allowing just two hits over the first six innings, both were solo home runs and Berrios took the mound to finish things off in the bottom of the seventh with a 3-2 lead. Things quickly went to hell in a hand basket when Berrios allowed a single to Brian Goodwin, then hit Andrew Vaughn with a pitch. With Gavin Sheets at the plate Berrios threw a wild pitch that moved the runners up to second and third but that was of little consequence as Sheets then unloaded on a Berrios pitch to deep right field and the White Sox walked-off the Twins in shocking fashion 5-3. Mitch Garver made his return to the club after missing 39 games due to a serious groin injury and hit two solo homers in game two, marking his seventh career multi-homer game. A strange DH, the Twins won a game they looed like they were going to lose and lost a game that looked like a sure win, that’s baseball for you. Box Score
2020 – The Minnesota Twins were scheduled to be in Texas to play in the Rangers new ballpark if all the games this season would not have been postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19. 101 Twins games missed so far this season. Twins Summer Camp 2020 remains underway at Target Field and CHS Field.
2019 – The Oakland A’s get even with Minnesota on a very hot and humid day with the temperature at 94 degrees at first pitch. Oakland breaks a 3-3 dead-lock after five innings when they score twice in the sixth inning off Ryne Harper (3-2) and the A’s ‘pen keeps the Twins off the boards the rest of the way with former Twins pitcher Liam Hendriks getting the save. Jake Odorizzi was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on six hits in 5 innings pitched. Marwin Gonzalez drove in two of the three runs with his 11th home run of the season. The attendance was 31,082, their 13th 30-plus in attendance in their last 17 home games. Box Score
Off the field the Twins traded right-handed pitcher Mike Morin to Philadelphia in exchange for cash consideration. Morin was designated for release or assignment a few day earlier. In addition; left-handed pitcher Adalberto Mejía was claimed off waivers by Los Angeles Angels after being designated for release or assignment on June 13.
2018 – No Game Today, All-Star break.
2004 – Twins pitcher Terry Mulholland beat the Detroit Tigers 3-1 at Comerica Park winning his second game of the season. The win over the Tigers means that Mulholland a 41 year-old left has beaten all 30 major league teams during his 18 year career. Mulholland becomes only the third pitcher in big league history to achieve this honor along with Kevin Brown and Al Leiter. When his 20 year career ends after the 2006 season, Mulholland has pitched for 11 different big league teams. The game itself was kind of a pitchers duel with the Twins getting just 7 hits and the Tigers just 5 hits. Lew Ford was the only Twin with two hits and the key hit was a pinch-hit single by Jose Offerman that knocked into two runs. Box Score
1989 – Cleveland’s Joe Carter hits 3 home runs in a game for the 2nd time this season in a 10-1 win over Minnesota. It is his 4th career 3-HR game, tying Lou Gehrig’s AL record, and also gives him a ML-record-tying 5 homers in 2 games. The Indians scored twice in four different innings and coasted to a victory at the Metrodome. Carter was 3 for 3 with 3 runs scored, 3 home runs, 6 RBI, a stolen base and a sac fly. Indians starter John Farrell pitched a complete game for the win allowing just an unearned run on two hits, both by Twins DH Jim Dwyer. Box Score
1987 – The Twins retire HOF Rod Carew’s number 29 before the Twins take on the Blue Jays at the Metrodome. Twins starter Mike Smithson has an early exit after giving up five runs on seven hits and 3 walks in less than three innings on the mound but the Twins fight back and win the game 7-6. Tom Brunansky get the Twins only home run and goes 2 for 4 with 3 RBI. Dan Gladden who was 1 for 3 with 2 walks must have been in a running frame of mind because he stole 3 bases. Dan Schatzeder pitched 3.2 scoreless innings of relief for Smithson and picked up the win, his fourth of the season. Box Score
1982 – Twins outfielder Tom Brunansky accomplishes a rare feat when he hits an inside-the-park grand slam home run at the Metrodome against the hated Milwaukee Brewers in the bottom of the third inning. Brunansky is the first and only Twins player to accomplish this feat. Jerry Augustine is the unlucky hurler who has several errors committed behind him before the home run and all four runs turn out to be unearned. Augustine however; hangs in there and pitches a complete game in the 6-4 loss to Minnesota. Lenny Faedo and John Castino also hit home runs for the Twins and Twins starter Albert Williams goes five innings and get the win. John Pacella pitches the final four innings for Minnesota and gets his second save, the final one he will get as a Twins pitcher. Box Score
1981 – No Game Today
1977 – No Game Today. The midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), was held at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, New York the home of the New York Yankees of the American League. The game resulted in the National League defeating the American League once again, this time by a score of 7–5. The Twins were represented by starting first baseman Rod Carew, along with reserve catcher Butch Wynegar, and reserve outfielder Larry Hisle. Hisle did not see any action. Box Score
1975 – The Twins had an old-timers game before the real action began when the 1961 Twins beat the 1965 Twins 4-2. The first official order of business today was to finish a 6-6 game that was suspended due to curfew on July 12 after 14 innings at Shea Stadium. The game was then rescheduled for the next day (July 13) but was rained out and since that was the Twins last rip to New York for the season, the game would be finished in Minnesota with the Yankees as the home team. Pat Dobson was pitching for New York and Bill Campbell for the Twins when the game was suspended so they were on the mound when the game resumed. There was no scoring in the 15th inning but the Twins scored in the top of the 16th inning on a Rod Carew single and then he stole second base. Eric Soderholm drew an IBB and the Twins brought in Tom Lundstedt to pinch-hit for Campbell. Lundstedt, a back-up catcher would only appear in 18 games for Minnesota and he delivered a single to score Carew and put the Twins up 7-6. Lundstedt had only 3 hits in his Twins career and one RBI and this was that one RBI. The Twins brought in Tom Burgmeier to seal the deal and make Lundstedt a hero but with two out and two on he gave up two consecutive singles and the Yankees walked off the Twins 8-7 in their home ballpark. Rod Carew had four hits in eight at bats in the game for the Twins. Yankee pitcher Tippy Martinez who retired the final Twins batter in the top of the 16th inning was credited with the only win he would get in 1975. Thirteen years later Tippy Martinez would find himself wearing and pitching in a Twins uniform. On the books the game lasted 5 hours and 11 minutes but it took 8 days to play in two ballparks. Box Score.
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Twins at home as road team bat first at Target Field – Star Tribune Sept 5, 2020
After the suspended game was completed that Twins starter Jim Hughes had started back on July 12th, the Yankees were the visitors and the Twins were the home team as they prepared to play the regularly scheduled game. As the baseball gods would have it, Jim Hughes was again the starter for Minnesota. The Yankees would have scored in the top of the first inning off Hughes but Twins catcher Glenn Borgmann was paying attention and knew his baseball rules. Yankee catcher Thurman Munson’s first-inning single and RBI against the Twins are nullified because the tar on his bat handle exceeds the 18-inch limit. Catcher Glenn Borgmann gets the put out. The Yanks took a 1-0 lead in the third inning but the Twins scored twice in the sixth on a bases loaded double by Danny Thompson, Borgmann was thrown out at the plate on the play. In the top of the ninth with the Twins hanging on to a 2-1 lead Jim Hughes retired Rich Coggins, walked Roy White, retired Thurman Munson on a flyball for the second out with White going to second, a walk to Chris Chambliss spelled the end of the line for Hughes and Tom Burgmeier who had lost the suspended game earlier in the day strolled to the mound to face Graig Nettles. Nettles hit a ground ball to second and the game was over with the Twins winning 2-1. The Twins had 11 hits in the game with Lyman Bostock getting three of them but when the team goes just 3 for 12 with RISP you end up with just two runs. Another odd note to this game was that Hughes who pitched 8.2 innings and allowed just four hits and one run walked nine Yankee batters and struck out six. Only four other Twins pitchers have walked nine or more batters in a nine inning game. Box Score
1969 – The Twins and the Seattle Pilots play for 16 innings and the game is deadlocked at 7-7 at Sick’s Stadium and the game is suspended by league 1 A.M. curfew and resumed the next day (July 20). The game slipped away from the Twins after they had a 6-0 lead going into the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Twins bullpen blew the lead for starter Jerry Crider and sent the game into extra innings and eventually into the next day due to the curfew. This was the only start that Crider ever had with Minnesota. Box Score
Jim Bouton ‘creamed’ in only start for the Seattle Pilots, as Minnesota Twins win in 18 innings by Gary Belleville
1967 – The Twins had a 6-4 lead at Municipal Stadium over the last place Kansas City A’s going into the bottom of the 8th inning but the home town A’s plated five runs on four hits, an error and an IBB and held on for a 9-6 win. The Twins committed five errors while their pitching staff allowed nine hits and five walks and had their losing streak extended to three games, fortunately they remained just one game out of first place. Cesar Tovar was 2 for 4 with a run scored and 2 RBI. Al Worthington took the loss in relief of Dean Chance. Considering it was a regulation nine inning game, the managers were busy with the Twins using 18 players and the A’s used 20 players. Box Score
1966 – Two members of the Minnesota Twins exchanged blows in the lobby of the Statler-Hilton hotel after the team arrived in Washington early Tuesday. Howard Fox, the Twins’ traveling secretary, suffered a bloody nose and a cut on the face in the fight with third base coach Billy Martin. Martin was not injured. “Martin and Fox had words during the course of the flight here and again in the lobby as the team was checking in,” said Thomas A. Mee, director of public relations. Four other Twins – Bob Allison, Earl Battey, Jim Perry and Harmon Killebrew – broke up the fight after several punches were thrown.
Later in the day the Twins are out hit 13 to 7 and commit the games only error but yet find a way to beat the Washington Senators 5-4. Twins starter Jim Kaat ups his record to 13-9 with a complete game even though he gave up 13 hits and a walk. The game was over in a neat 2 hours and 17 minutes. Box Score
1962 – Vic Power becomes the first Twins player to steal home when he does so in the 5th inning of the Twins 8-0 rout of the Cleveland Indians at Met Stadium. Starter Jim Kaat pitched a five-hit shutout to even his record at 9-9. Bob Allison had the big stick on this day going 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI. Box Score
Kaat shutout, Allison home runs lead Twins to sweep of Cleveland (Stew Thornley)
1961 – The Twins play two against the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field and win game one 6-0 when Camilo Pascual pitches a five-hit shutout and strikes out 15 Angel batters and becomes the first Twins pitcher to strike out that many batters in a nine inning game. Bob Allison had a big game going 4 for 5 with two home runs, 2 runs scored and four RBI. Earl Battey chipped in three hits in his five plate appearances.
The second game was a pitchers duel between the Twins Jack Kralick and the Angels Jim Donohue. Kralick gave up one unearned run in seven innings and Donohue gave up a lead-off home run to Harmon Killebrew in the ninth and was taken out after 8.1 innings and the one run on five hits. Outfielder Lee Thomas hit a long walk-off home run off Twins reliever Ray Moore (4-3) with two outs for the victory giving the Angels a split on the day. The Twins now head for home to take on the Cleveland Indians.
