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
Back in the 60’s and 70’s it was not unusual to see the opening day pitcher pitch a complete game. Twins pitchers did it three times in the 60’s including in 1961 when they played their first game against the New York Yankees and Pedro Ramos went the distance in the 6-0 Twins win and again three more times in the 70’s. The last pitcher to pitch a complete game on opening day for Minnesota was Dave Goltz in 1978 but he lost to the Mariners that day in a 3-2 game.
When the Twins open the season against the Cleveland Indians it will be only the third time they have hosted a season opener at Target Field and the fourth time they have played the Cleveland Indians in a season opening game. It should be an interesting game as Twins ace Jose Berrios faces off against Indians ace Corey Kluber. Many baseball experts are picking the Cleveland Indians to defend their AL Central title while others are picking the Minnesota Twins to over-take the Indians this season so the predicted sell-out crowd should see some good baseball.
Season opening games against the Indians over the years
The last time the Minnesota Twins opened the season at home in Target Field was in 2017 when they beat Kansas City Royals 7 to 1. Ervin Santana went seven strong innings that day and held the Royals to just two hits and one run to earn his first win of the season. Attendance was reported at 39,615 and when Santana threw his first pitch it was 50 degrees and overcast. The Twins went on to win 83 games that season and lost a one-game wild card game against the New York Yankees. Box Score
The first time the Minnesota Twins opened the season at home in Target Field was on April 1, 2013 when the hosted the Detroit Tigers but lost the game 4-2 in front of 32,282 fans on a cool but sunny 35 degree day with 17 MPH winds howling out to center field. Vance Worley started on that April Fool’s Day and was the loser. Box Score
I can’t wait, let’s PLAY BALL!
Centeno homers off Kluber
Juan Centeno‘s first career home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning off Corey Kluber, gave the Twins a lead they never relinquished in their win over the Indians yesterday. Centeno is the third player this season whose first career home run in the majors came off a former Cy Young Award winner. Colorado’s Trevor Story hit his first off Zack Greinke and Arizona’s Socrates Brito hit his off Jake Arrieta.
Centeno is the ninth player in Minnesota Twins history whose first career homer came off a former Cy Young Award winner. Some of the names on that list include Butch Wynegar, Lyman Bostock, John Castino and Steve Lombardozzi.
Kluber throws one-hitter at Target Field
Corey Kluber allowed only one hit in nine innings–a home run by Joe Mauer— in the Indians’ 6-1 victory in Minneapolis yesterday. The only other major-league pitcher in the last five seasons to throw a complete-game one-hitter in which that lone hit was a home run was the Mariners’ Taijuan Walker on July 31 of this year, coincidentally also against the Twins at Target Field, although Minnesota’s home run in that game was hit by Miguel Sano. Source: ELIAS