May 6 – This Day in Twins History
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2023 – The Twins lost to the Guardians at Progressive Field by a score of 4-3, evening the series at 1 -1. Sonny Gray was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on four hits in 5 innings (90 pitches) pitched, with three walks and six strikeouts. Reliever Jorge Alcala (0-1) gave up a home run in the bottom of the seventh to Steven Kwan, his first of the season, that proved to be the difference. The offense recorded eight hits, including two from Jose Miranda. Max Kepler and Carlos Correa each hit their fifth home runs of the season, as Kepler drove in two of the club’s three runs on the night. The Twins have now homered in a franchise record 18-straight games. Minnesota also went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Twins now return home with a 2-4 record on their six-game road trip and have a day off before taking on the visiting San Diego Padres. Box Score
2022 – As if losing manager Rocco Baldelli, Luis Arraez and Dylan Bundy to COVID before last nights game was no enough, shortstop Carlos Correa who came to the Twins in a blockbuster free agency deal this spring camp, left yesterdays loss in Oriole Park at Camden Yards in the seventh inning after being hit in the hand by two pitches. Imaging done at the park revealed what appears to be a non-displaced fracture in his right middle finger. Unexpectedly, today the team found out that Correa’s hand was just bruised and that there was no fracture and instead of being out for two months or so, he might be back in the line-up in a couple of days. On the field, the Twins beat the A’s at Target Field by a score of 2-1, marking their third 2-1 victory this season and their fifth one-run win (5-3). Josh Winder (2-0) was the starter and winner, allowing one unearned run on three hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts in 6 innings pitched. Emilio Pagan made it a real nail-biter in the ninth as he gave up a single and two walks and before retiring Chad Pinder swinging with two outs and a full count to finally get his third save. The offense recorded eight hits, walked four times, left 10 men on base and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Royce Lewis made his major league debut, recording his first hit, singling off Kirby Snead in the eighth inning. Rookie Jose Miranda hit his first career home run and Byron Buxton hit his ninth homer of the season. Box Score
2021 – Another extra-inning game and another loss for the Minnesota Twins. The Twins lost to the Rangers at Target Field by a score of 4-3 in 10 innings, falling to 0-7 in extra innings games this season. How is that even possible? Michael Pineda was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing two runs on six hits in 6 innings pitched. In the top of the tenth with a extra-inning courtesy runner on second base Twins reliever Tyler Duffey threw a wild pitch to Willie Calhoun advancing the runner to third and then Calhoun singled him home putting the Rangers out in front 4-3. Duffey got the next batter to hit into a double play and Caleb Thielbar got the third out of the inning but the damage was done. The Twins went three up and three down in the bottom of tenth and the game was over. Willians Astudillo had three of the Twins eight hits. Max Kepler hit a leadoff home run, marking his first homer of the season and 10th leadoff homer of his career. The Twins were 2 for 11 with RISP. Nick Gordon made his major league debut, going 1-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases, becoming the first Twin and 13th player in baseball history to steal multiple bags in his debut. The Twins completed their seven game home stand with a 3-4 record and are 6-11 at home this season. Twins are 0-7 in extra-inning games and 0-4 in seven-inning games. Box Score
2020 – The Twins would have been home at Target Field today playing the San Francisco Giants and Dan Gladden would have been in his element but as we all know, the season thus far has been postponed/canceled due to COVID-19. Counting today it means we have missed 37 games so far. And so it goes, the San Francisco Giants remain the only team in MLB not to play at Target Field. Ironic in a way because a number of years before the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season ended and became the Minnesota Twins, the Twin Cities tried to lure the New York Giants to Minnesota before they decided to move to San Francisco instead.
2019 – The Twins stop off at Rogers Centre and whip up on the Toronto Blue Jays 8-0 in game one of the series as Martin Perez ups his record to 5-0 with seven scoreless innings allowing 2 hits and 2 walks and strikes out a career high of 9. Jorge Polanco had 3 hits including a homer and a double, Jason Castro had 2 hits including a homer and 3 RBI, Eddie Rosario hit his league-leading 12th home run and Nelson Cruz chipped in 3 singles. Box Score
Major League Baseball announced that right-handed starter Jake Odorizzi was named American League Player of the Week. Odorizzi claimed his first career weekly award.
2018 – The Twins beat the White Sox 5-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field. Starter Kyle Gibson did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on four hits in 6.2 innings pitched. The Twins were held scoreless until the seventh inning but then scored 3 in the seventh, and one each in the 8th and 9th innings to grab the come from behind win. The hot Eddie Rosario led the offense with two hits, including his seventh home run of the season and fourth stolen base. Box Score
2011 – The Red Sox dropped a 9-2 decision to the Twins at Fenway Park. The Twins scored two of their runs on balks (one by Tim Wakefield in the second inning when Ben Revere scored) and the other by Alfredo Aceves in the sixth inning when Trevor Plouffe scored). Minnesota is the first team to score two runs on balks in a single game since the Angels did it against the Yankees on July 17, 1992. Red Sox manager Terry Francona was ejected for arguing the first balk call. Danny Valencia was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 2 knocked in. Twins starter Scott Baker pitched 8 solid innings striking out 8 for the win. Box Score
2008 – Gavin Floyd and Bobby Jenks pitch a combined one-hitter and the Chicago White Sox beat the Twins 7-1 at U.S. Cellular Field. The Twins only hit was a one out double by Joe Mauer in the top of the ninth inning. Jenks was brought in after Mauer’s double. The Twins scored their lone run in the fourth inning on a walk, error and a sac fly by Jason Kubel. Box Score
1993 – No game today, scheduled day off. On their way for a series in Seattle the Twins detoured to Portland to play the Beavers in one of those ISEG’s. After seven innings both teams decided to call it a draw at 2-2. The 10,010 fans in attendance did get to see future HOF Dave Winfield hit a two-run home run in the first inning.
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1989 – No game today. The game in Cleveland was rained out and will be played tomorrow as part of a double-header.
1976 – No game today. Twins versus Tigers game at Tiger Stadium rained out and rescheduled for August 20 as part of a DH.
1974 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1969 – The 16-7 Twins playing the 3-18 Indians seems like a real mismatch but it wasn’t the case as 5,464 fans at Cleveland Stadium could attest. It was a real pitchers duel as the Indians Sudden Sam McDowell and the Twins Dave Boswell fought tooth and nail and both went the distance but McDowell came out on top in the 1-0 Indians win when he gave up just three hits while Boswell gave up five. One of those five hits that Boswell gave up was a home run by Tony Horton. As you might guess, this was a quick game and it lasted just one hour and 52 minutes and McDowell need just 90 pitches to end the Twins eight game winning streak. Cesar Tovar had two of the three Twins hits. Box Score
1965 – The Orioles beat the Twins 5-1 at the Met on a 77 degree day but only 5,556 fans were at the ballpark on this Thursday afternoon to see Robin Roberts square off against the Twins Jim Kaat. Roberts who upped his record to 4-0 with his complete game held the Twins to just four hits and one of those was a home run by Harmon Killebrew. The Orioles on the other hand pounded out 11 hits including a Brook Robinson home run. The game was played in a snappy 2 hours and 6 minutes. Box Score
Also, on the day, May 6th, the worst tornadoes in Twins Cities history ripped through the northern and western suburbs killing 13 people and damaging the homes of owner Calvin Griffith and Howard Fox but fortunately for them the damage was relatively minor.
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1961 – The Twins versus Red Sox game at Met Stadium was rained out and rescheduled for June 27.