August 26 – This Day in Twins History

(click on images once or twice to make them larger)

 

2023 – The Twins lost to the Rangers at Target Field by a score of 6-2. Joe Ryan made his return from the 15-day Injured List, allowing one run on five hits in 5 innings pitched, with two walks and seven strikeouts. Griffin Jax (5-8) didn’t have it today and was issued the loss, allowing four runs in the top of the ninth inning. The offense recorded five hits, two from both Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler, who each drove in a run. Polanco hit his ninth home run of the season. Rangers starter Max Scherzer struck out ten over seven innings. Box Score

Jorge Polanco
Max Kepler

 

 

 

 

 

IN OFF THE FIELD NEWS – Judge Harry Crump, who saved the Minnesota Twins from elimination by MLB, dies at 85. Judge Harry Crump issued an injunction two decades ago to stop MLB owners from eliminating the Twins as part of a contraction plan. 

https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000472027/

Judge Crump orders temporary injunction.pdf

Judge Harry Crump

2022 – The Twins completed their three-game road trip in Houston by getting swept in three night games. Today they began a six-game home stand with three against the San Francisco Giants, followed by three against the Boston Red Sox. The Twins have gone 35-28 at home and 27-33 on the road. This series marks just the second time that the Giants have visited Minnesota, as the Twins went 1-2 against them at the Metrodome from June 14-16, 2005. San Francisco is the last team in baseball to visit Target Field since it opened in 2010. The Twins are 18-10 all-time against a team playing in their first game at Target Field. The Twins shut out the Giants at Target Field by a score of 9-0, snapping their season-long six-game losing streak. It marked their 13th shutout win of the season and matched their largest margin of victory in a shutout win this season (also, 9-0 win on August 16 vs. Kansas City). Joe Ryan (10-6) was the starter and winner, pitching 6 shutout innings with two hits allowed, three walks and eight strikeouts. He became the 14th rookie in Twins history to reach double-digit wins in a season and first since Scott Diamond (12-9 in 2012). The offense recorded nine hits as Kyle Garlick (9), Carlos Correa (15) and Gary Sánchez (12) each homered. Box Score

Joe Ryan
Kyle Garlick
Carlos Correa

 

 

 

 

 

2021 – The Twins lost to the Red Sox by a score of 12-2 at Fenway Park. John Gant (4-8) was the starter and loser, allowing four runs on three hits in four innings pitched. The bullpen combined to allow eight runs on six hits over the final four innings. Things were so bad that manager Rocco Baldelli called on catcher Willians Astudillo to pitch the final inning. Astudillo pitched a scoreless eighth walking one batter in his fourth pitching appearance this season and fifth in his career. The Twins offense recorded just three hits, went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. Willians Astudillo provided the only offense for the Twins with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his seventh homer of the season before he was asked to pull an Ohtani and take the mound in the eighth. The Twins end their road trip with a 1-5 record and head for home where the first place Milwaukee Brewers are eagerly awaiting their arrival. The highlight of the game was an immaculate inning pitched by the Red Sox Chris Sale, the third of his career. Sale struck out Nick Gordon, Andrelton Simmons, and Rob Refsnyder on 9 pitches in the third inning matching Sandy Koufax for the most in MLB history. That frame made history for the Twins, too, as Minnesota was the only team in the Majors that had never been involved in an immaculate inning (on either side) entering the game. The Twins and Rangers remain the only clubs to never have had a pitcher throw an immaculate inning. Red Sox Bobby Dalbec had a huge day going 3 for 4 with two home runs, 3 runs scored and 7 RBI. Box Score

Sale’s immaculate inning video

Astudillo pitching clip

2020 – Twins starter Jose Berrios struggled thru 5.2 innings throwing 105 pitches at Progressive Field allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out six but got a no decision for his work. Sergio Romo who started the eighth inning for the Twins with the game knotted at 3-3 allowed a single, a walk, a run scoring double, a lineout sac fly and hit the next batter before Rocco Baldelli had seen enough and pulled him but the damage was done and Romo (0-1) ended up taking the loss as the Indians prevailed 6-3 and handed the Twins just their second series loss of the season. Mike Clevinger who started for Cleveland also go a ND but this turned out to be his final appearance for the Cleveland Indians as they traded him to the San Diego Padres in response to some issues he had by not admitting to going out on the town against MLB COVID restrictions with Cleveland pitcher Zach Plesac. Max Kepler led off the game with a home run and later left the game after fouling a ball off his foot. Luis Arraez and Jake Cave led the team with two hits each. The Twins with their division lead now down to just half a game over Cleveland are now off to visit the Detroit Tigers. Box Score

Max Kepler
Jake Cave
Luis Arraez (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2019 – No Game Today

2018 – The no-name Oakland A’s showed why they are headed for the playoffs and why the Twins are not when they took 3 of 4 from Minnesota at Target Field during Player’s Week-end. Today they beat the Twins 6 to 2 although an ill Jose Berrios kept them under control for five innings allowing three runs. The Twins big bat was TA, better known at Tyler Austin who played first base today and hit two home runs knocking in both Twins runs. Jorge Polanco also had two hits on the day but the rest of the line-up was pretty quiet. Reliever Matt Magill had a day to forget when he gave up 3 home runs on 24 pitches in one inning of pitching. Box Score

Jose Berrios
Tyler Austin
Jorge Polanco
Matt Magill

 

 

 

 

 

 

2015 –  Vadim Balan of the GCL Twins becomes the first Moldovan to appear in the minor leagues. Balan strikes out four of five batters he faces to close out his team’s 6-2 loss to the GCL Rays. Balan was released by the organization this last March. Seth Stohs of Twins Daily did a great story on Vadim and Petru (who the Twins also signed) Balan that you can see here.

Vadim Balan – credit Seth Stohs of Twins Daily

2013 – No game today, scheduled day off.

1996 – The Twins are facing the Blue Jays at the SkyDome but come up on the short-end of a 5-3 game when the Toronto crew score in the first, second, third and fourth innings and hold on. Brad Radke started but went just 3.1 innings allowing 9 hits and 5 runs. Rich Robertson pitched 4.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Twins. Paul Molitor and Greg Myers were each 2 for 4 with a double but it fell short of what the Twins needed. The Jays pounded Twins pitching for six doubles and two home runs.  Box Score

Paul Molitor
Greg Myers
Rich Robertson

 

 

 

 

 

The Twins receive pitcher Brian Looney from the Red Sox for pitcher Pat Mahomes. Looney never pitched for the Twins.

Pat Mahomes
Brian Looney

 

 

 

 

 

1979 – No game today, scheduled game against the visiting New York Yankees was rained out and rescheduled for a previously scheduled day off on September 20th at Met Stadium.

1976 No game today, scheduled day off. 

1971No game today, scheduled day off.

1967 – The Twins lose to the Indians 5-2 in Cleveland and drop out of first place. Steve Hargan goes the distance for the Indians for his 14th win. Max Alvis goes 2 for 4 with a home run and 3 RBI to propel the Indians offense. Jim Kaat the Twins starter drops to 9-13 with the loss. The Twins hit into four double plays and didn’t generate much offense. Harmon Killebrew and Russ Nixon each had two hits. The Red Sox take over first place and smell that rarefied air for the first time since October 1, 1949. Box Score

Russ Nixon
Harmon Killebrew – Credit Getty Images

 

 

 

 

 

 

1962 – First Twins “Camera Day”  At Met Stadium and 23,224 Twins fans get to see the Twins first no-hitter ever as Jack Kralick no-hits the Kansas City A’s and wins 1-0 on Lenny Green’s sacrifice fly off Bill Fischer. A 3 – 2 walk to George Alusik with one out in the 9th spoils the bid for a perfect game. Alusik had beaten Kralick with a 2-run home run back on August 8th. Kralick threw 97 pitches and struck out 3 batters in his complete game effort. The no-hitter was preserved by right fielder Bob Allison when he leaped above the fence to rob Ed Charles of a home run in the fourth inning. Kralick was also 1 for 2 with the bat plus a sacrifice. The 25-straight batters retired by Kralick marks the longest stretch for any Twins starter or reliever during any stretch of a games. Bill Fisher pitched a complete game (8 innings) for the Athletics loss. Box Score

Jack Kralick almost perfect in pitching Minnesota Twins’ first no-hitter by Tim Otto

Jack Kralick
Lenny Green
Bob Allison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Star_Tribune_Mon__Aug_27__1962_

Star_Tribune_Mon__Aug_27__1962_ (1)

Star_Tribune_Mon__Aug_27__1962_ (2)

Star_Tribune_Mon__Aug_27__1962_ (3)

Twins OTD in Twins History

1961 – The Baltimore Orioles score four quick runs off Twins starter Al Schroll thanks to third baseman Bill Tuttle‘s throwing error and a Jim Gentile home run before the Twins even pick up a bat. Schroll is headed for the showers without retiring a single Oriole batter on 2 walks, 3 hits and 4 runs and ends up getting charged with the loss as the O’s and Chuck Estrada (11-7) prevail over the Twins 7-4. This was the first time that a Twins starter exited a game without retiring a single batter. The Twins score two in the fifth on a pinch-hit double by Jim Lemon and two more in the ninth on a triple by Zoilo Versalles. Box Score 

Jim Lemon
Zoilo Versalles
Al Schroll

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s take a look at some MLB stats – MLB Stats.pdf

previous day     next day

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *