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2023 – The Twins blew a 4-0 lead and lost to the Tigers at Target Field in the season finale between the two teams by a score of 8-7. Minnesota jumped out to a four-run lead, allowed seven runs in the middle innings, then scored three in the bottom of the ninth to fall short. Kenta Maeda was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on seven hits in 4 innings pitched, with one walk and six strikeouts. Griffin Jax (5-7) was issued the loss, allowing four runs on three hits (2 home runs) in the seventh inning. The offense recorded 13 hits, including four from Edouard Julien and three from Royce Lewis. Jorge Polanco (8) and Max Kepler (20) each added home runs as Polanco drove in a season-high-tying three runs. The Tigers Spencer Torkelson has hit six home runs against the Twins this season. After a day off at home they will play the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Box Score
2022 – The Twins shut out the visiting KC Royals at Target Field by a score of 9-0, their largest margin in a shutout victory since a 12-0 win over Tampa Bay on August 14, 2021. Royals starter Zack Greinke (4-8) took the loss. Sonny Gray (7-3) was the starter and winner, pitching 6 shutout innings, with three hits allowed, one walk and 10 strikeouts. It marked his 12th career double-digit strikeout total and matched a season-high to date for the second time. Gio Urshela tied his career-high with four hits (done 3 times previously) while Luis Arraez and Jose Miranda each had three hits apiece. The Twins have recorded 23 singles in their last two games (10 Monday night and 13 last night), their first time with at least 23 singles in a two-game span since also having 23 from September 1-2, 2019. Box Score
2021 – The Twins continue their nice homestand by beating the Indians at Target Field by a score of 5-4 in 10 innings. Griffin Jax was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing four runs (2 earned) on seven hits in a career-high tying six innings pitched. The bullpen combined to pitch four scoreless innings of relief with one hit allowed including a perfect 10th (2 K) from winner Caleb Thielbar (5-0). The offense recorded 14 hits, three from Josh Donaldson and two each from Luis Arraez and Jorge Polanco (including the walk-off double). Polanco’s walk-off was his second in two days having walked-off the Rays yesterday. Max Kepler hit his 16th home run and Ryan Jeffers hit his 11th. Kepler’s homer was his fourth leadoff blast of the season and 13th of his career, surpassing Dan Gladden for sole possession of fourth place on the Twins all-time list (one behind Chuck Knoblauch’s 14). Box Score
2020 – All Major League Baseball teams and players will wear a red patch featuring the blue silhouette of a baseball player on their jerseys today. This patch is being worn in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Negro National League, the first of the several well-structured, long-lasting leagues which are now commonly grouped together under the Negro Leagues designation. The logo, which was designed free of charge by Adam Rolf of the Kansas City-based firm Global Prairie, includes the silhouette of a player who is not meant to represent one specific individual, though, according to Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, it draws heavily on the likeness of Hall of Famer Raleigh “Biz” Mackey.
On the field the Twins and KC Royals faced off and Randy’s Dobnak’s streak of 36 1/3 innings with no home runs allowed ended with a bang with KC home runs from Hunter Dozier in the first and Alex Gordon in the second but Dobnak fought threw it to go 5.1 innings (74 pitches) allowing just the two runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. The Twins scored twice in the bottom of the fifth taking a 3-2 lead giving the win to Dobnak (4-1). The Twins scored their final run on a squeeze bunt by Jorge Polanco in the seventh inning, their first successful squeeze play since 2017. With 3.2 innings of scoreless relief from the Twins bullpen the Twins had the 4-2 win. Yes, another 4-2 game in the books. Max Kepler hit the Twins only home run, a go-ahead two-run shot in the fifth. The Twins had just six hit with Luis Arraez and kepler getting two each. Box Score
2019 – The visiting Twins won their second straight over the Rangers last night, this time by a score of 4-3. Jake Odorizzi started and was effective, but did not factor in the decision after allowing three runs on five hits over 5.2 innings. Four Twins relievers combined for 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, with Sam Dyson getting awarded the win and Sergio Romo the save. A day later however; the win was given to Tyler Duffey (3-1) due to the official scorer’s error. Max Kepler (33) and Jonathan Schoop (17) each hit two-run home runs, with Schoop’s the decisive blast in the seventh. With his 33rd home run, a two-run shot, Max Kepler now owns the MLB single-season record for most homers by a European-born player. The Berlin, Germany native surpassed Glasgow, Scotland-born Bobby Thomson, who hit 32 home runs for the 1951 New York Giants. Thomson’s final homer in ’51 was the legendary “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” to clinch the NL pennant. The Twins 238 home runs are the most in club history and most in baseball. Questions continue to bubble up about Baldelli’s pitching management. Box Score
2018 – The Twins’ offense set a season high in runs scored by the sixth inning, thanks to a three-run first, a five-run second and a seven-run sixth in a 15-8 win over the Tigers at Target Field. Turns out the 15 runs would be a high-water mark for the 2018 season for the Twins. A few key offensive contributors kept up their recent hot streaks, including a red-hot Logan Forsythe, who collected a career-high five hits to help Minnesota surpass its previous high of 12 runs. The top of the lineup set the tone, as Joe Mauer, Forsythe, Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano combined to go 11-for-17 with two homers, three doubles, nine RBIs and 10 runs scored. Forsythe had a career night, going 5-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs to improve his average to .449 (22-for-49) in 14 games with the Twins. Polanco, Sano and Ehire Adrianza all hit home runs. Starter Ervin Santana lasted just four innings and allowed seven runs allowing seven hits including three home runs. Reliever Trevor May got his first win since July 29, 2016. Box Score
2012 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2010 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2007 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2004 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1990 – Was Tom Kelly bored on this day? In a 7 – 5 loss to the Indians at Cleveland Stadium, the Twins’ Kirby Puckett starts off in RF and then moves to SS, 3B, and 2B all in the 8th inning. Al Newman switches from 3B to SS back to 3B in the frame. Cleveland fails to score. But all those moves didn’t matter in the end as the Indians beat the TK’s boys 7-5. Newman was 3 for 5 and Nelson Liriano was 3 for 5 with a double. Kevin Tapani was the Twins starter and loser. Box Score
1982 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1980 – No game today. The Twins versus Angels game scheduled for today was rained out and was played on August 18 which was a scheduled off day.
1975 – In a 9 – 1 win over Cleveland at Met Stadium, the Twins set a ML mark with nine batters getting 2 or more hits. Dan Ford and Phil Roof did even better with 3 hits each. The Twins hitters that day were Lyman Bostock, Danny Ford, Rod Carew, John Briggs, Tony Oliva, Eric Soderholm, Steve Braun, Jerry Terrell and Phil Roof. Pitcher Jim Hughes is the recipient of the hitting barrage and goes the distance for his 11 win of the year. Box Score
1973 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1972 – No game today, Twins versus Tigers game in Detroit was rained out and rescheduled as game one of a DH tomorrow.
1967 – The Minnesota Twins rolled to their seventh straight win as they beat the California Angels 5-1 at Anaheim Stadium. Dean Chance pitched a complete game for his 16th win but struggled most of the way. The Twins bunched 4 of their 6 hits in the first inning and scored 5 runs, the only runs they would need. Ted Uhlaender and Tony O each had two hits to lead the Twins attack. Chance labored as he allowed 9 hits, 4 walks and hit a batter but he also struck out 10 Angels along the way. Angels starter and 10-game winner Jim McGothlin can’t get out of the first inning. Box Score
1965 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1961 – The last-place Kansas City Athletics ended their 6-game losing streak by beating the Twins and their starter Pedro Ramos at Met Stadium 12-7. Ramos who has been prone to the gopher ball now has given up 32 this season including one today to Norm Bass the A’s starting pitcher. Ramos hasn’t beaten the A’s in two seasons and lost his 14th in 23 decisions this year. The Twins tried to rally in the ninth by loading the bases with one out but a Jim Lemon double-play put and end to that. Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew again hit home runs and Billy Martin contributed thee hits including two doubles but it was not enough. The 51-68 Twins now hit the road for a short six game road-trip. Box Score
