(click on images once or twice to make them larger)
2023 – After completing their seven-game, West Coast roadtrip with a record of 5-2 (3-0 at Oakland and 2-2 at Seattle), the Twins began their six-game homestand with a victory over the White Sox at Target Field by a score of 9-4. Joe Ryan (9-6) was the starter and winner, allowing four runs on seven hits in 6 innings pitched, with one walk and 10 strikeouts. It marked Ryan’s sixth career double-digit strikeout total, tied his season-high (3x previously) and was one short of his career high. The offense recorded nine hits, four being home runs from Byron Buxton (16, 17), Alex Kirilloff (8) and Ryan Jeffers (5). Buxton and Kirilloff each drove in four runs. Buxton who was benched for two games ended an 0 for 26 hitless streak with his first inning home run. Edouard Julien has reached bases 22 times in his last 34 PA’s. Box Score
2022 – No Twins game today, All-Star break.
2021 – The Twins beat the first-place Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field by a score of 7-2, splitting the four-game series by taking games one and four. Michael Pineda (4-5) was the starter and winner, allowing one run on four hits in 5 innings pitched. The offense recorded 11 hits, two coming from Max Kepler and three from Jorge Polanco (who was a triple shy of the cycle). Both Kepler and Polanco homered, Kepler’s 12th and Polanco’s 14th. The fourth-place Twins (41-55) now head home to take on the Angels. Box Score
2020 – The Minnesota Twins were scheduled to be in Arizona to play the Diamondbacks if all the games this season would not have been postponed/canceled due to COVID-19. 103 Twins games missed so far this season. Twins Summer Camp 2020 ended at Target Field and the active roster went to Chicago to play their one and only exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs on July 22. The reasoning for this exhibition game in Chicago is that the Twins are scheduled to open the season against the Chicago White Sox. The Twins extra players not on the active roster will continue workouts at CHS Field.
2019 – The Twins get a huge 7-6 win over the visiting Oakland A’s and get a split in the four game series when Max Kepler gets a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth off A’s closer Liam Hendriks who was going for his third save in three days against Minnesota. The Twins have had only two walk-off wins this season and Kepler has provided the winning hit both times. Michael Pineda, the starter did not factor into the decision, allowing three runs on four hits in 5.1 innings pitched. Kohl Stewart (2-1) who pitched the ninth inning was credited with the win. Kepler, Ehire Adrianza and Luis Arraez each had three hits with Kepler hitting the only home-run of the game for Minnesota. The Twins have been feeling the hot-breath of the hard charging Cleveland Indians who are just three games behind and the hated New York Yankees are coming to town. Box Score
The Twins sell RHP Matt Magill to the Seattle Mariners.
2018 – Another day and another Twins loss to the last place KC Royals, this time the Twins come out on the short-end of a 4-2 game. Lance Lynn started for Minnesota and labored through five innings throwing 118 pitches and giving up 6 walks, 3 hits, and 3 runs while striking out six. The bright spot on the day was that Twins first baseman Joe Mauer hit his 415 career double setting a new franchise record, surpassing Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett. Mauer also had two additional hits and was 3 for 4 on the day. Eddie Rosario was 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI. Box Score
2017 – The Twins organization unveiled a Tom Kelly statue on the Target Field Plaza as part of the celebration for the 30 year anniversary of the 1987 World Series champions. Kelly’s will be the eighth statue; others are Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Rod Carew, Kirby Puckett, Carl & Eloise Pohlad, Calvin Griffith, and Kent Hrbek.
On the field the Twins looked like they were statue’s as they got beat by the 44-51 Detroit Tigers 6-3. Shortstop Ehire Adrianza was 1 for 4 with 2 RBI. Ervin Santana‘s loss dropped his record to 11-7. Box Score
1988 – No Game Today. In off the field action Minnesota Twins manager Tom Kelly confirmed a confrontation (fight) occurred between second baseman Steve Lombardozzi, who sported a black eye and outfielder Dan Gladden, who suffered a cracked bone in his right ring finger. Apparently Gladden was not a big fan of Lombardozzi and felt that Lombo put himself ahead of the team after Lombo got upset that manager Tom Kelly had pinch hit for him the night before and Lombo stalked out of the dugout and into the clubhouse. Chicago Tribune article
1981 – MLB on strike.
1969 – No game today. All-Star break.
1967 – California Angels starter George Brunet holds the Twins scoreless for 8 innings at Anaheim Stadium before giving up a lead-off home run to Harmon Killebrew in the top of the ninth inning to make the score 2-1 for the Angels. Brunet retires Tony Oliva and Rich Rollins but Bob Allison walks and Zoilo Versalles singles. That was the end of the line for Brunet. Angels skipper Bill Rigney brought in Minnie Rojas to put out the fire and Twins manager Cal Ermer decided to pinch-hit Rich Reese for Earl Battey. Rojas struck out Reese and the Angels won 2-1. Twins starter Dave Boswell took the defeat. Box Score
1966 – Minnesota starting pitcher Jim Merritt beats Jim Hannan and the Washington Senators 1-0 at D.C. Stadium in a classic pitchers duel and sets a team record and ties an American League mark with seven straight strikeouts. Merritt struck out Ken Harrelson, Frank Howard, Don Lock, Paul Casanova, Ken Hamlin, Eddie Brinkman, and Jim Hannan. The Twins scored the games only run in the ninth when Killebrew struck out, Don Mincher doubled and Russ Nixon was given a free pass. Andy Kosco grounded out for the second out forcing Nixon at second and that left runners at the corners with Cesar Tovar batting. Hannan throws a wild pitch allowing Mincher to cross the plate with the games first and as it turns out only run. Francisco Liriano ties Merritt’s record when he strikes out 7 consecutive batters on June 11, 2010. Both pitchers had a complete game with Merritt striking out 12 and Hannan 9 batters. Box Score
1961 – The Twins were up 3-0 over Cleveland at the Met going into the 8th inning and Twins starter Don Lee had a no-hitter going. Lee retired the first two batters and had two strikes on Woodie Held who had struck out three times earlier in the game when he threw a curve that Held liked and deposited over the left-field fence to break up the no-hitter and the shutout. Don Dillard followed with a single and Johnny Temple hit a double and suddenly the Jimmy Dykes boys had the Twins in trouble. Jimmy Piersall stepped up and bounced a one-hopper off Lee’s glove that scored Dillard and was ruled an error versus a hit which caused Piersall to shriek that it should have been a hit. Lee got out of the inning with a 3-2 lead but then gave up a lead-off home run in the ninth to Bubba Phillips which tied the game at 3-3. Lee hung on to retire the side and pitch his first complete game since September of 1960. According to the Star Tribune this is how the Twins ended up winning the game. Box Score
“The TWINS’ victorious ninth went like this: Bill Tuttle opened by coaxing relief pitcher Joe Schaffernoth of the Indians for a base on balls. Jose Valdivielso, after failing to sacrifice, looped a short fly into right field. Tuttle, fearing the ball would be caught, was forced at second base on right fielder Willie Kirkland’s throw to shortstop Held. Lee batted for himself and fouled the third strike attempting to sacrifice bunt. With Green at the plate, Valdivielso stole the potential winning run to second base, third stolen base of the game against catcher John Romano of the Indians. Then the southpaw-hitting Green swung hard and the ball dribbled perilously close to the first-base first-base first-base foul line. Schaffernoth, with a tough play to get the speedy Green at first, was inclined to let the ball roll foul. BUT THE BALL stayed fair. When Schaffernoth finally decided to field the ball, he sprawled flat on the ground outside the foul line. First baseman Tito Francona was holding the bag for a possible play as Valdivielso steamed around third and scored standing up with the winning walk-off run. This was the Twins’ 13th one-run victory in 28 such decisions, much-needed at a time they’re attempting to extricate themselves from ninth place in the American league standings.
