June 12 – This Day in Twins History

(click on images once or twice to make them larger)

 

2023No Twins game today, scheduled day off.

 

 

 

 

 

2022 – The Twins lost to the Rays at Target Field by a score of 6-0, getting shutout for the eighth time this season in front of a crowd of 25,350. Cole Sands (0-3) was the starter and loser, allowing five runs on five hits in 4.2 innings pitched with a career-high five strikeouts. Tyler Thornburg made his Twins debut with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. The offense recorded just five hits, left eight men on base and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. The Twins completed their six-game homestand with a record of 3-3 and now hit the road to play Seattle and Arizona. The Twins home record now stands at 20-14. Box Score

Tyler Thornburg
Carlos Correa

 

 

 

 

 

2021 – The Twins beat the Astros 5-2 at Target Field as 18,767 fans looked on. José Berríos (7-2) was the starter and winner, allowing two runs on five hits in 7 innings pitched, with one walk and eight strikeouts. 74 of his 99 pitches were strikes and the win tied him for second in the AL in victories
this season. It marked his 32nd career win at Target Field, tying Kyle Gibson for most in the park’s history. The offense recorded eight hits, three from Jorge Polanco, who singled twice, hit his ninth home run and drove in three of the Twins five runs. Nick Gordon stole two bases. Box Score

Jose Berrios
Jorge Polanco
Nick Gordon

 

 

 

 

 

2020 – The Twins have moved on to the City of a Thousand Nicknames to play the Royals. In reality nothing has changed, all the games this season have been postponed/canceled due to COVID-19. 71 Games missed so far.

2019 – The Twins and Mariners were scoreless for five innings at Target Field but in the last four innings the Mariners scored 6 and the Twins came up with 6 too when Byron Buxton hit a two run homer to tie the game at 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth. The top of the tenth was not pretty with Tyler Duffey on the mound as the Twins defense committed three errors giving them five on the night. You mix that with a double , a walk and an IW and it adds up to three runs for the Mariners and a 9-6 win for the visitors in ten innings.  The last time the Twins committed five errors in a game was in Detroit on June 4, 1994, over 25 years ago. José Berríos was the starter and deserved a better fate but did not factor into the decision, allowing one run on seven hits in 6.2 innings pitched. Max Kepler (16), Marwin Gonzalez (8) and Byron Buxton (9) each homered but to no avail. A crowd of 25,909 that included our son and his wife went home disappointed. Box Score

Marwin Gonzalez – Credit – Photos by Anthony Souffle
Byron Buxton – credit to Jay Biggerstaff
Max Kepler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018 – The Twins playing at Comerica Park come from behind with four runs in the seventh inning on a Ehire Adrianza grand slam home run after a Sano single and walks to Kepler and Morrison. The grand slam was the first for Adrianza. Adrianza had a big day going 3 for 4 with a stolen base to go with his home run, 2 runs scored and 4 RBI. Jake Odorizzi started but took a ND while reliever Ryan Pressly vultured the win with one scoreless inning of relief. Box Score

Ehire Adrianza
Jake Odorizzi
Ryan Pressly

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017 – The Twins blow a 5-4 lead in San Francisco and end up losing 13-8. Eduardo Escobar was 3 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI. Byron Buxton also chipped in a home run but Twins still came away with a “L”. Twins relievers Matt Belisle (who settled for the loss) and Craig Breslow were just pitiful in this game. Box Score

Eduardo Escobar
Royce Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

The Minnesota Twins announced tonight that they have selected shortstop Royce Lewis from JSerra Catholic High School (CA), with the first overall selection in the first round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. This marks the third time that the Twins have had the first overall pick in the draft. In 2001 they selected catcher Joe Mauer and in 1983 they selected RHP Tim Belcher but were not able to sign him.

2016 – The Twins had a 4-1 lead over the Boston Red Sox at Target Field only to see the Red Sox tie the game at 4-4 in the eighth inning and send it to extra’s knotted at 4 each. In the both of the tenth Joe Mauer led off with a walk and was sacrificed to second. Brian Dozier singled and moved Mauer to third. Max Kepler followed with his first career home run and the Twins walked off the Red Sox 7-4. Kepler became the fourth Twin ever to record their first-career homer as a walk-off (Jim Nettles – 1971, Dan Masteller – 1995 and Terry Tiffee – 2004). Matt Barnes took the loss and Michael Tonkin (2-2) got the win. Box Score

Max Kepler
Eduardo Escobar
Michael Tonkin

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 – No game today, scheduled day off.

2009 – In the eighth inning of the Twins/Cubs game at Wrigley Field with the Twins leading 5 to 3, Joe Mauer batted with one out and runners on first and third and hit a fly ball to right that was caught by Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley for out number two. Nick Punto scored from third and Brendan Harris advanced to second. Bradley, who lost track of the number of outs casually flipped the ball into the bleacher seats and Harris advanced to third but was stranded there. An embarrassed Bradley was charged with an error. The Twins beat the Cubs 7-4 as their first two hitters Brendan Harris and Joe Mauer combined for 5 hits in 9 at bats, scored twice and had 4 RBI. Jason Kubel and Mauer also had home runs. Kevin Slowey went 6 innings and struck out 10 to bump his record up to 9-2. Box Score

Brendan Harris (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Joe Mauer
Kevin Slowey

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006 – No game today, scheduled day off.

1994 – Bring on the brooms as the red-hot Twins beat the visiting Chicago White Sox 6-2 winning their fourth straight game against Chicago at the Metrodome and sweeping the four-game series. Twins starter Carlos Pulido became part of baseball history when he started a game in the Metrodome against the Chicago White Sox, who had fellow countryman Wilson Álvarez on the mound, marking the first time in major league history game that two Venezuelan starters faced each other. Pulido (3-5) earned the win in this encounter, tossing six innings of two-run ball as Kirby Puckett belted a home run in the 6–2 victory. The Twins sent Alvarez to an early shower after just 4 innings and pinned him with just his second loss against 8 wins. Kirby Puckett was 3 for 4 with a home run (18) and a double with three RBI and Jeff  Reboluet continued his hit streak getting 3 consecutive hits  making it seven straight hits before he was finally retired by Jose DeLeon. Attendance at the Dome was 30,002. Box Score

Carlos Pulido
Kirby Puckett
Jeff Reboulet

 

 

 

 

 

1981No games were played on this date.  The Executive Board of the Players’ Association voted unanimously to strike on May 29th due to the unresolved issue of free-agent compensation. The major issue behind the strike was the issue of free agent compensation, or, in other words, what compensation teams would receive if one of their star players was signed as a free agent by another team. The owners wanted a system whereby teams would receive a player of similar value, while the players were opposed, seeing that this would void their newly acquired right to become free agents after playing out their contract. The resulting compromise was the Free agent compensation draft, which functioned for the next four years. The deadline was extended briefly, however, after the Players’ Association’s unfair labor complaint was heard by the National Labor Relations Board. At 12:30 A.M on June 12th, union chief Marvin Miller announced the player’s strike beginning the longest labor action to date in American sports history. By the time the season finally resumed on August 10th, seven-hundred six games (38 percent of the Major League schedule) had been canceled. Due to the two-month strike, Major League owners elected to split the 1981 season into two halves, with the first-place teams from each half in each division meeting in a best-of-five divisional playoff series. The second half of the season began with the All Star Game on August 9.

1978 – No game today. The Twins versus Blue Jays in Toronto was rained out and will be played as part of a DH tomorrow.

1975No game today, Twins versus Yankee game at Yankee Stadium postponed due to rain and rescheduled as part of a DH on July 11.

1969 – No Game Today

1961 – The Boston Red Sox prevail over the visiting Twins 10-8 at Fenway Park in spite of being out-hit 15 to 11 and watching the Twins hit three balls out of the park to their none. Harmon Killebrew, Earl Battey and Billy Martin hit the home runs. Killebrew goes 5 for 6, knocks in four and scores once. Twins rookie Gerry Arrigo was called up and made his major league debut on his 2oth birthday but it was not the start he dreamt of over the years. Arrigo pitched a scoreless first but got in trouble in the second when he allowed three singles, a walk, hit a batter and had an error committed behind him. Arrigo lasted just 1.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks while striking out one batter and took his first big league loss. The loss ended a disastrous 18 game swing through the AL east teams in which the Twins posted a 2-16 record. Sam Mele who managed the Twins during the week long furlough imposed on Cookie Lavagetto by owner Calvin Griffith ended his short reign with a 2-5 mark. The Twins now return home for a short three game series against the Kansas City A’s before hitting the road again.  Box Score

Harmon Killebrew
Billy Martin
Earl Battey

 

 

 

 

 

 

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