June 21 – This Day in Twins History

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2023 – The Twins walked-off the Red Sox at Target Field by a score of 5-4 in 10 innings snapping their three-game losing streak and winning their seventh extra-inning game this season (7-3). Sonny Gray was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on six hits in 5 innings pitched. Jovani Moran (1-2) was the winner, pitching a scoreless 10th inning, holding a 4-4 tie. Kyle Farmer drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning with a single, his second walk-off plate appearance of the season and third of his career. The offense recorded nine hits and were led by Max Kepler, who went 2-for-4 with a home run, his ninth of the season. Joey Gallo and Rocco Baldelli were ejected in the fourth inning in a disagreement over a strike-3 call. Box Score

Baldelli ejection video

Max Kepler
Kyle Farmer
Edouard Julien

 

 

 

 

 

2022 – The Twins lost to the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field by a score of 6-5 in 11 innings, falling to 1-3 in extras this season. Joe Ryan was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on seven hits in 6 innings pitched with one walk and seven strikeouts. Emilio Pagán suffered his fourth blown save, allowing a two-run homer to Franmil Reyes, which tied the game in the eighth inning. Griffin Jax (4-1) took the loss. The Twins had nine hits and were led by Luis Arraez, who went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer in the seventh inning, his fourth of the season, tying his single season career-high, done in 2019. Arraez enters today leading baseball in both batting average and on-base percentage. Twins have gone 20-15 at home this season, the fourth-most wins in the AL, trailing New York-AL (29-7), Tampa Bay (22-14) and Toronto (21-14). Box Score

Luis Arraez
Alex Kirilloff
Joe Ryan

 

 

 

 

 

2021 – The Twins beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds by a 7-5 in 12 innings at Target Field. The Twins took a 3-0 lead in the second inning and the Reds bounced back with three of their own in the fourth. The game remained deadlocked at 3-3 through regulation. Both teams scored two runs in the tenth inning and the Twins finally walked-off  the Reds in the 12th thanks to Miguel Sano’s (14) two-run blast with one out. The game was played in five hours and 14 minutes, the longest game in baseball this season and ninth-longest extra-inning game in club history. The win marked the Twins’ fourth-consecutive extra-innings victory, after starting the season 0-8 in extras. J.A. Happ was the starter but but was long gone by the time the final score was settled. Happ allowed three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings (108 pitches). Matt Shoemaker (3-8) earned the win in relief — his first out of the bullpen since August 9, 2014 when he pitched for the Angels. The offense recorded 13 hits, including home runs from Miguel Sanó (14) and Nelson Cruz (16). The win was the fifth in a row. Box Score

Miguel Sano
Nelson Cruz
Matt Shoemaker

 

 

 

 

 

2020 – The New York Yankees are in town for a four-game week-end series, until you remember that nothing has changed, all the games this season have been postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19. Nothing has been resolved as to what will happen with MLB this season. Final sticking point seems to be the number of games, MLB wants 60 or less and the MLBPA wants more games.  79 games missed so far.

 

Nelson Cruz is the 2020 Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award recipient (ESPYS).

2019 – The home-town Kansas City Royals jump out to a quick 3-0 lead against Martin Perez but the Twins fight back and when the game is over the Twins end up in the “W” column with an 8-7 win. Pérez was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing six runs (4 earned) on five hits in 5 innings pitched. Taylor Rogers pitched 2 scoreless innings to earn his ninth save (11th opportunity). The offense recorded 13 hits with three coming off the bat of Eddie Rosario. Miguel Sanó hit his 8th home run and C.J. Cron hit his 16th home run. Box Score

Taylor Rogers
Eddie Rosario
C. J. Cron

 

 

 

 

 

2018 – The Twins missed out another chance for a sweep when they were beaten by the Red Sox 9-2. The Twins’ offense couldn’t get anything going against right-hander Rick Porcello, who gave up just one hit and a walk over seven scoreless innings. The Twins didn’t score until the ninth inning and had just 4 hits in the game. Kyle Gibson got the short end of the stick again as he went 6 innings allowing 2 runs but even that was 2 too many and his record dropped to 2-5 even though his ERA sits at 3.25. Box Score

Kyle Gibson (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

2017 – The Twins prevailed over the White Sox at Target Field by a score of 4-2 with all the scoring being done in the first three innings. Miguel Sano was one for three with a home run and two intentional walks. Ehire Adrianza was busy on the base paths stealing three bases. Jose Berrios was the winner with 8 solid innings and 8 strikeouts and upped his record to 7-1. Box Score

Jose Berrios
Ehire Adrianza
Miguel Sano

 

 

 

 

 

The Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins will meet in a two-game series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 17th-18th, 2018, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association announced today. The games will mark the first time that either team has played in Puerto Rico. The two-game set, which will serve as Twins home games, will represent the first regular season games played in Puerto Rico since the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins held a three-game series at the historic ballpark in June 2010. 

Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Victor Baldizon/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

2011 – The Twins win their 8th straight game when they beat the San Francisco Giants 9-2 at AT&T Park behind Carl Pavano. But it is how they win that is the big deal here. The Twins tie a major league record with eight straight hits (4 singles and 4 doubles) off Giant starter Madison Bumgarner to start the game before Bumgarner finally strikes out Pavano but then Revere batting for the second time hits a double to go with his previous single and the Twins are up 8-0 and the Giants haven’t batted yet. When the final score was posted, six different Twins had two hits apiece. Carl Pavano went eight innings to claim the win. According to Elias Sports, it is the first time that the Twins have had 9 hits in an inning since they accomplished the feat against Tampa Bay on July 21, 2004. Box Score

Carl Pavano

2010 – No game today, scheduled day off.

2007 – No game today, scheduled day off.

2004 – No game today, scheduled day off.

1985 – Twins manager Billy Gardner is fired after his team loses 19 out of its last 25 games and replaced by Baltimore pitching coach Ray Miller. In his first game at the helm of the Twins Miller comes up a winner when the Twins walk-off the Rangers 3-2 at the Dome after going into the ninth down 2-0. Ken Schrom pitched a complete game for the Twins win and Charlie Hough was the tough luck loser. In the ninth inning Hough walked Brunansky, Smalley singled, Gaetti grounded out but could not move the runners along, Teufel walked to fill the bases and Bush grounded out to first for the second out and scored Smalley. Mark Salas who was hitless came to bat and delivered the game winning single that scored the second and third run. Box Score

Mark Salas
Ken Schrom

 

 

 

 

 

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1983 – The Blue Jays jump on the Twins for four runs in the first at Exhibition Stadium and the Twins never catch up. Bryan Oelkers start went like this, triple, walk, single, home run, single. He was on the mound for such a short time I doubt he even needed a shower. Jim Lewis came in and pitched the next 6.1 innings giving up 3 runs. Lewis is one of those former Twins you probably never heard of and I can’t even find a picture of him as a Minnesota Twin. Cliff Johnson hit two home runs for Toronto. Box Score

Jim Lewis

The Twins receive outfielder Randy Kunz from the windy city Sox and part ways with third baseman Mike Sodders whom they had drafted number 1 (11th overall  in 1981). Sodders was the highest draft pick in 1981 to not spend a day in the major leagues.

Mike Sodders
Rusty Kuntz

 

 

 

 

 

1981 – MLB on strike.

1971 – 23,334 fans show up at the Met to watch the Twins take on the visiting A’s and phenom Vida Blue (14-2). The Twins send rookie Ray Corbin to the mound to take on Blue. Oakland takes a 1-0 lead in the first but the Twins come back with two in the third on RBI singles by Corbin and Harmon Killebrew and hold the lead until the sixth when the A’s tie the game with Dave Duncan’s RBI single. Corbin who is tiring hits Blue with a pitch to lead off the seventh before retiring Blue at second on a failed sac bunt by Bert Campaneris.  With one out, Rudi singled and Oakland had runners at the corners. Left-hander Tom Hall relieved Corbin to face lefties Reggie Jackson and Mike Epstein. After Jackson popped out, Rigney addressed his pitcher and catcher George Mitterwald about holding the ball if Rudi attempted to steal second. On the third pitch to Epstein, Mitterwald’s throw to second base to catch Rudi on a delayed double-steal attempt sailed into center field, allowing Campaneris to score an unearned run and Rudi to reach second. Mitterwald’s throw was likely influenced by his manager’s words just before the play unfolded. “Something made me throw it. I knew I wasn’t supposed to throw it. But something made me,” he said after the game. With Rudi in scoring position, Epstein flied out. Oakland was ahead 3-2. But that would end the scoring as Blue pitched a complete game, striking out 13 Twins to win game number 15. Both teams had seven hits but the Twins made that crucial throwing error that cost them the game. Leo Cardenas was the only Twins player with two hits. Box Score

Blue’s 13 strikeouts, Mitterwald’s errant throw spark Oakland win by Gordon J Gattie

Ray Corbin
Leo Cardenas
George Mitterwald

 

 

 

 

 

1969 -The Twins tied a club record with 11 runs in an inning, the 10th inning at Oakland, and set a major league record for runs in the 10th on their way to a 14-4 victory. Minnesota’s 11 runs matched the New York Yankees 12th inning of July 26, 1928 for most runs for one club in extra innings and shattered the previous high for the 10th inning of eight runs. Minnesota sent 16 batters to the plate in the 10th inning and had 8 hits, 4 walks and three A’s errors. Harmon’s home run in the 10th was the Twins only home run of the game. Joe Grzenda picked up the win in relief. The Twins win 14-4. Box Score

Harmon Killebrew
Joe Grzenda

 

 

 

 

 

1967Tie game.  The Twins had a 5-2 lead after five innings of play at Tiger Stadium but the Tigers scored one in sixth and two in the seventh to tie the game at 5 apiece. The game was finally called a draw in the top of the ninth with Harmon Killebrew at the plate with two strikes and one out after Rod Carew led off the top of the ninth with a single but was caught stealing. The game had four rain delays and was called around midnight CDT. Box Score

 

1965 No game today, scheduled day off. But, the Twins traveled to Atlanta and played an ISEG against the Milwaukee Braves but lost the game 6-4 in front of 38,402 baseball fans. The game was played at Atlanta Stadium which is the home ballpark for the Braves AAA Atlanta Crackers team.

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1961 – On a rainy night at the Met the Twins game versus the Orioles game was delayed twice before it even started. It was delayed again after 7 innings with the Twins leading 4 to 3. When play was resumed, both teams scored one in the 8th for a 5-4 Twins lead. But then the Orioles went wild and scored 7 runs in the top of the 9th to take a 11-5 lead and that is how the game ended. A long night at the old ballpark. Hoyt Wilhelm got the win and Bert Cueto got his first career loss. Harmon Killebrew was 2 for 4 with two home runs and four RBI. Bob Allison extended his hitting streak to 13 games. With the loss the Twins record dropped to 25-40 and put them 16.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers. Box Score

Harmon Killebrew

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