TWINS TRIVIA is hopefully a fun and informative site that will help you to better enjoy the Minnesota Twins and their wonderful history. “History never looks like history when you are living through it” – John Gardner, former Secretary of Health
Scott Diamond, who is likely the most under appreciated rookie pitcher in the majors this season, at least on a national level, lifted his won-lost record to 7-3 with a 7-2 victory over the Royals on Saturday afternoon. Diamond is only the third rookie in the 112-year history of the franchise (beginning in Washington back in 1901) to start a season by winning at least seven of his first 10 decisions, all as a starter. Bump Hadley started 8-2 for the Senators in 1927 and Glen Perkins had a 7-3 mark for the Twins in 2008. Diamond’s 2.63 ERA is lower than the ERAs produced by either Hadley (3.04) or Perkins (4.08) through the game in which they had their 10th decision.
The Minnesota Twins’ 2-1 victory over the Pirates on last night was their first win this season when they scored two or fewer runs. That leaves the Detroit Tigers as the only team in the major leagues that has not won a game in which it scored either one or two runs.
Scott Diamond allowed three runs, all unearned, in the Twins’ victory at Cleveland to improve his record to 4-1 and lower his ERA to 1.86. Diamond is the third Twins rookie since the franchise relocated to Minnesota in 1961 to win at least four of his first six starts of a season while posting such a low ERA. The others were Jim Hughes in 1975 (5-1, 1.62 ERA) and Francisco Liriano in 2006 (5-1, 1.50 ERA).
Josh Willingham hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning to give the Twins a 3-2 win over the A’s last night. It was the first time since 1995 that a Minnesota player erased a deficit of two or more runs with a walk-off homer. The last Twins player to do so was Kirby Puckett with a three-run blast in a 7-6 win over the Mariners.
Justin Morneau and Trevor Plouffe hit back-to-back home runs off Tigers starter Doug Fister in the third inning and the Twins were never caught, posting a 4-3 win over the Tigers. Fister had allowed only two home runs is his previous 55.2 innings at Comerica Park, and he had allowed homers to consecutive batters only once before in his major-league career–to a different pair of Twins, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel (May 31, 2010). Source: Elias
Derek Lowe threw a six-hit shutout in the Indians’ 5-0 victory over the Twins in Minnesota yesterday. Lowe’s gem snapped a streak of 214 consecutive starts without pitching a shutout. That was the fourth longest active streak entering Tuesday’s action, behind Freddy Garcia (247), Kevin Millwood (238) and Jeff Suppan (218). Prior to Tuesday, Lowe’s last shutout came on August 31, 2005 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Only three players other than Lowe that were in the starting lineup for that game are currently on a major-league roster: Jerry Hairston Jr., Jayson Werth and Jason Repko (currently on the disabled list). Source: Elias
Washington Nats rookie outfielder Bryce Harper hit his first home run on Monday at the age of 19 years and 211 days. He’s the youngest player in Expos/Nationals history to hit a home run, breaking the record held by Gary Carter since Sept. 28, 1974, when he was 20 years, 173 days old. And he’s the youngest to hit a home run for a Washington team since Harmon Killebrew did it on Sept. 25, 1955 at 19 years, 88 days old. Pretty good company I would say.
The Twins, held to one hit by Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez and Steve Delabar last night after being no-hit by the Angels Jered Weaver on Wednesday, now have accumulated a total of just nine hits over their last four games, the fewest hits over a four-game span by any team in modern major-league history (that is, since 1900). Minnesota surpassed the previous four-game low of 10 hits, done by the California Angels in 1969 and by the Reds in 1993.
Jered Weaver threw a no-hitter against the Twins last night, while Angels batters scored nine runs on 15 hits off Minnesota’s pitchers. It was only the second major-league game in the past 40 years in which one team had at least 15 hits and the other had none. On June 27, 1980 Jerry Reuss no-hit the Giants at Candlestick Park, an 8-0 game in which the Dodgers collected 17 hits. Source: Elias
Josh Willingham’s three-run double in the seventh inning yesterday highlighted the Twins’ come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Rays. Willingham, who had only a .246 batting average for the Athletics last season, has at least one hit in all 14 Twins games this year. The only other major-league player in the past 15 years who hit safely in each of his team’s first 14 games coming off a season with a batting average that low was Scott Brosius. Brosius hit .230 for the Yankees in 2000, but then had a hit in each of their first 14 games in 2001, which was his final season in the big leagues. Source: Elias
Willingham now owns the Twins record for longest hitting streak to start their career with the club and is just one game shy of tying Kirby Puckett, who owns the Twins record hitting safely in each of the Twins first 15 games in 1994.
The Twins pitching staff has allowed 22 home runs this season, only the Boston Red Sox have allowed more with 23.
The Twins have the fourth highest batting average in baseball at .270, the Texas Rangers .306 is the highest average.
The Twins and the Cubs have each ground into 16 double plays, the most in baseball.
Sano
Twins minor leaguer Miguel Sano is the subject of the documentary “Pelotero”, which follows him and countryman Jean Carlos Batista through the process of signing with major league teams. The film, produced by Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, is set for theatrical release this year. Sano went 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBIs and a run scored Friday night, leading the Class A Beloit Snappers to a 13-3 romp over the South Bend Silver Hawks. Sano raised his average 53 points to .314, moving him above the .300 line for the first time this season. He moved into a tie for the Midwest League lead with 10 extra-base hits, six homers, three doubles and a triple in 15 games.
