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2023 – The Twins lost to the Guardians on get-away day at Target Field by a score of 5-2 in 10 innings, making them 11-7 in extras this season. Sonny Gray was the starter but did not factor into the decision, pitching 7 shutout innings, with three hits allowed, one walk and five strikeouts. Jhoan Duran allowed the game-tying run in the top of the ninth inning on a wild pitch, making the Twins 56-1 this season when leading after the eighth inning. Kody Funderburk allowed the go-ahead three-run homer to Kole Calhoun in the top of the 10th. The offense recorded just four hits, two apiece from Jorge Polanco and Donovan Solano. Minnesota went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, making them 1-for-18 in such instances in the final two games of the series. The Twins completed their seven-game homestand with a record of 4-3, going 3-1 vs. Texas and 1-2 vs. Cleveland. The Twins will begin a six-game road trip with three against the Rangers over the weekend. The Twins finished August with a 15-12 record and are at 69-65 with a five game lead in the AL Central. Box Score
2022 – The Twins beat the Red Sox at Target Field by a score of 10-5, extending their winning streak to five games and winning their second-straight series. Chris Archer was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing four runs on five hits in 4.1 innings pitched. Michael Fullmer (5-5) was credited with the win. The offense recorded nine hits and drew six walks. Nick Gordon led the offense, going 2-for-4 with his first career grand slam, a 416-foot shot off Ryan Brasier, giving the Twins a 7-4 lead. Box Score
2021 – The schedule says the the Twins have a day off during this homestand but instead they find themselves in Detroit to play a makeup game against the Tigers in Comerica Park that was rained out on July 16 . The Twins beat the Tigers by a score of 3-2. Bailey Ober (2-2) was the starter and winner, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings pitched with no walks and five strikeouts. The meager offense recorded six hits, two coming from Josh Donaldson, who doubled (19) and homered (21). Detroit’s Casey Mize (7-7) took the loss. The Twins now return home to continue their homestand with a two-game series against the visiting Chicago Cubs. Box Score
2020 – The Twins sent their ace Kenta Maeda to the Comerica Park mound to end the Twins losing streak but even that was not enough. The Tigers sent their star rookie Casey Mize to face the Twins and he struggled mightily going just 3 innings and allowing two runs on two hits, two walks, three HBP and a wild pitch but yet the Twins losing streak continued as the Tigers won 3-2. The Twins hitting woes continued as they had just five hits and again were unable to get a hit when hit mattered going 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position. The Twins were 0 for 9 combined with RISP in the three game series versus the Tigers. Jorge Polanco hit a home run and had two of the teams five hits. Kenta Maeda (4-1) made his seventh start for the Twins and was the losing pitcher, allowing three runs on six hits in 6 innings pitched. Maeda (8) and reliever Caleb Thielbar (4) combined for 12 strikeouts. The 20-15 Twins completed their nine-game road trip with a record of 3-6 and will now begin an eight-game homestand. The Twins are 12-3 at home, compared to 8-12 on the road this season. Box Score
2019 – Another day, another city, another Twins victory, that makes six in a row. The Twins pound the Tigers 13-5 in Comerica Park when they score 12 times in the first four frames. Kyle Gibson (13-6) was the starter and winner, allowing four runs on 10 hits in 5 innings (107 pitches). It took Gibson 35 pitches just to get out of the first inning. The bullpen combined for 4 innings with eight strikeouts but they did allow a run. The offense recorded 14 hits, three from both Jorge Polanco and Nelson Cruz. C.J. Cron added a home run, his 23rd of the season. Twins have scored 795 runs this season, just five runs away from becoming the eighth team in club history to reach the 800-run mark, the club record is 877, done in 1996. The current club is on pace to score 961, just eight teams in baseball history have scored 961 runs, the most recent being the 2007 Yankees (968). Box Score
2018 – The Twins lose to the Indians at Progressive Field by a score of 5-3. Jake Odorizzi (5-9) was the starter and loser, allowing three runs on three hits in 5.1 innings pitched. The offense recorded just five hits, two being home runs by Miguel Sanó (13) and Ehire Adrianza (6). With the loss the Twins lose the season series to Cleveland 10 games to 9. The Twins employed a four-man out field again (against Jose Ramirez) and here is what it looks like. The Twins are now off to Texas to play the Rangers and the Astros. Box Score
The Twins announced after the game that they have acquired catcher Chris Gimenez and a player to be named later or cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for catcher Bobby Wilson. The trade of back-up catchers seems to be primarily an opportunity to give Wilson a shot at playing on a playoff team versus a deal to help the Twins compete in any way. The Twins reacquire Gimenez who had played for the Twins last season.
2013 – Yu Darvish of the Texas Rangers and the AL leader in strikeouts had struck out 10 and walked just one and was no-hitting the Twins for six innings at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and was leading 2-0. Then in the top of the 7th inning he walked Brian Dozier and Chris Herrmann followed with a home run. Justin Morneau then followed with another home run and when Darvish looked up he was trailing 3-2 and his no-hitter was long gone. The Twins held on for a nice 3-2 victory. The Twins starter that day was Liam Hendriks and he got the win, his first and last of 2013 and he threw 97 pitches in 6 innings and allowed 2 runs, 1 was earned. Morneau’s home run was number 221 in his career and put him third on the Twins all-time list but it would also be his last in a Twins uniform as he was traded to Pittsburgh the next day. Box Score
2010 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2007 – No Game Today. However; the Minnesota Twins and many dignitaries hold the official ground breaking for the Twins new stadium which eventually will be called Target Field. The ground breaking was postponed from earlier in the month due to the collapse of the 35W bridge. I was there and took a few pictures, here is one of them.
2004 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2002 – The A’s host the Twins at Network Associates Coliseum and beat the boys from Minnesota 4-2 as Tim Hudson beats Brad Radke. Twins lead-off hitter Jacque Jones was 2 for 3 with a home run but it was not enough. Box Score
The MLB owners and the players union reaches an oral agreement on a contract through 12/19/2006, setting a deal 3 ½ hours before the first game due to be affected by strike. As part of this agreement, contraction is put off until after 2006. Here is what the New York Times wrote about it.
MLB 2003-2006 Basic Agreement.pdf
1997 – The Twins score three times in the sixth inning on a Paul Molitor RBI single and a 2-run home run by Ron Coomer to break up a 1-1 game and beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 4-1 at the Dome. Twins starter LaTroy Hawkins got the win as he went 7 innings and allowed just the one run on six hits. Eddie Guardado pitched a scoreless eighth and Rich Aguilera pitched a scoreless 9 for his 21st save. Between these three Twins pitchers they notched a total of 414 career saves for the Twins, who needs starters when you can use closers for the entire game. Then again, all three of these guys tried starting before becoming closers. Catcher Greg Myers was 3 for 4 with a home run and a double. Box Score
The Twins send outfielder Darrin Jackson to the Brewers for a PTBNL that turns out to be pitcher Michael Fieldbinder. Fieldbinder never makes it to the big leagues.
1987 – Kirby Puckett goes 6-for-6 with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, and 2 singles in Minnesota’s 10-6 win over Milwaukee at County Stadium, tying the AL record for hits in a 9-inning game. Puckett also scored 4 runs and had 4 RBI. His 14 total bases are most in club history. Combined with the previous days 4-for-5, two-HR performance, Puckett has a ML-record-tying 10 hits in 2 games. Twins starter Frank Viola lasted just 3.1 innings and Keith Atherton captured the win. Box Score
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1983 – With the Twins trailing the Tigers 4-3 in the top of the 8th inning at Tiger Stadium, Tiger pitcher Dan Petry hits Twins outfielder Gary Ward in the face with a fastball. Battered and bruised, Ward returns to the lineup just six days later and goes 4 for 4 against the Rangers at Arlington Stadium. Gary Gaetti was quoted as saying ” I’ve been hit in the head”, but I’d never seen anything like that before. His face was broken”. The Twins ended up losing the game by a 4-3 score. Ward had a day to forget, besides being hit in the face he hit into two double-plays as well. Darrell Brown was 3 for 4 with a run scored and Kent Hrbek hit a home run. Ken Schrom was the starter and loser giving up all four runs in 7.2 innings. Box Score
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1981 – The Tigers are in town at Met Stadium and who else but Jack Morris is on the mound for the Tigers. The 26 year-old Morris pitches a complete game allowing just three hits and striking out seven for the win. The Twins only run crossed the plate when Rob Wilfong tripled to lead off the third inning and Lenny Faedo grounded out and Wilfong scored. Twins starter Don Cooper took the loss dropping his record to 0-5 when he allowed two runs to score in 4.2 innings. Box Score
The White Sox send shortstop Ivan “Bambi” Mesa, pitcher Kevin Flannery and a PTBNL to Minnesota for pitcher Jerry Koosman. The PTBNL turns out to be first baseman Randy Johnson. Mesa and Flannery reached AAA but never played in the majors.
1977 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1971 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1967 – The Twins and Orioles were playing another close game at the Met and after 9 inning the score was knotted 2-2. In the top of the 10th inning Twins starter Dean Chance was still on the mound and got Luis Aparicio to ground out, Boog Powell followed with a single but Chance got Paul Blair on an infield fly to the shortstop for out number two. Frank Robinson then came to the plate and was 0 for 3 after being hit by Chance earlier and low bridged in another at bat calmly hit a two run home run and the Orioles beat the Twins 4-2. The 10 inning loss dropped Chance’s record to 17-10. The Twins bats weren’t exactly clicking as they could only put together just four hits and two runs and one of those runs was a pinch-hit home run by Bob Allison in the eighth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Box Score
1963 – The Twins’ power surge continues in a 5-3 win over the White Sox at Met Stadium. Minnesota has 19 HRs in the span of 5 straight games, tying the ML record set by the Giants in 1954. Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison provide the power with home runs and Earl Battey has a nice 3 for 3 day with 2 runs scored. Camilo Pascual goes the full nine innings allowing nine hits and three runs for win number 18 of the season. Box Score
1962 – No Game Today, scheduled day off
1961 – Holey moley, an even bigger record-breaking crowd of 41,357 shows up at Met Stadium as the Twins take on the New New York Yankees again. The outcome however; was not what Twins hoped for as Mickey Mantle hit his 47th home run and Yankee starter Bill Stafford blanked the Twins 4-0 allowing just four hits and striking out five raising his record to 12-7 on the season. Twins nemesis Elston Howard also hit a home run, his 14th on the season off Ray Moore in the ninth. Twins starter Jim Kaat went a respectable eight innings allowing three runs on six hits with a career high of eight strikeouts but had his personal three game winning streak snapped as his record dropped to 7-13. No Twins batter had more than one hit off Stafford. Box Score
