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2024 – The Twins and Jays were scoreless for the first six innings but then the Twins bats awoke and the Twins beat the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon at the Rogers Centre by a score of 5-1, winning their sixth consecutive series (first time since 2010). Bailey Ober (4-1) was the starter and winner, pitching 6.1 shutout innings, with one hit allowed (Guerrero Jr. single), no walks and a career-high-tying 10 strikeouts. The offense scored all five of their runs after the sixth inning, highlighted by a Carlos Santana three-run home run. Santana’s home run broke a 0-0 tie, was his seventh of the season and third in as many days. Max Kepler went 1-for-4 and extended his career-long 14-game hitting streak with a double in his final at-bat. Rocco Baldelli now sits at 399 career wins as a manager as the Twins head back home with a 24-16 record in second place just a half game back of the division leading Cleveland Guardians where they have a day off before taking on their nemesis, the New York Yankees. Box Score
2023 – The Twins lost to the Cubs at Target Field by a score of 6-2 but the game was closer than the score indicates. Sonny Gray was the Twins starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing one run on four hits in 5.1 innings pitched, with one walk and nine strikeouts. The Twins led 2-1 going into the seventh inning but the bullpen combined to allow five runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings pitched and cost them the ball game. The Twins meager offense continued and recorded just four hits, two
going for extra-bases as Carlos Correa (8) and Willi Castro (3) each doubled. Drew Smyly (4-1) was the Cubs starter and winning pitcher. The attendance was 30,037 and was the second best this season at Target Field behind Opening Day. The Cubs have now won six straight at Target Field with the last Twins win over the Cubs at home taking place in June of 2015. Box Score
2022 – The Twins lost both games to the Houston Astros, completing their suspended game from Tuesday night by a score of 11-3, followed by a loss in their regularly-scheduled game shortly after that by a score of 5-0 at Target Field. In the regularly-scheduled game, Josh Winder (2-1) was the starter and loser, allowing four runs (3 earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings pitched. The offense recorded seven hits and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Luis Arraez returned from the COVID Injury List and went 2-for-3 with a walk. Twins pitchers entered the three-game series with 77 walks on the season, which was second-fewest in baseball; then they walked 18 batters over the three games with Houston. The Twins have gone 3-3 through six games on their season-long nine-game, 10-day homestand, after sweeping the A’s in three games last weekend, followed by getting swept by the Astros this week. The Twins will now begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. The Twins are 11-7 at home and 7-7 on the road. Box Score
2021 – The AL Central Division first place Chicago White Sox scored nine or more runs in their fourth game in a row when they outscored the Twins in Chicago 13-8. Minnesota suffered their third loss in a row and their sixth “L” in their last seven games. J.A. Happ (2-1) was the starter and loser, allowing a career-high nine runs. Shaun Anderson made his Twins debut, allowing four runs (1 earned) on four hits over 2 innings. The offense recorded 13 hits, three from Josh Donaldson. Trevor Larnach recorded his first major league hit with a pinch-hit ninth-inning double. Nelson Cruz added a home run, his ninth of the season and 426th of his career tying Billy Williams for 51st on baseball’s all-time list. Box Score
2020 – The Twins are on the road in the Motor City and playing a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers. But as we all know it did not happen. So far all games this season have been postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19. We have now missed 42 games.
The news came out yesterday that MLB and the players association will be meeting today to discuss baseball returning as early as July 4 with a version of spring training starting in mid June. Options being discussed are a season 82 games long, games played in empty stadiums, up to 14 teams in the playoffs, 30 to 50 man rosters, all teams would be split into three divisions (east, central and west), DH would be used across the board and some team may not even be able to play in their own ballparks depeneding on what state Governor’s say. Oh my!
2019 – A nice Mother’s Day crowd of 27,373 shows up at Target Field and they get to see 10 Twins hits but not enough at the right time and the Tigers beat the Twins 5-3 to split the four-game series. Martin Perez (5-1) started for Minnesota after being gone for several days on paternity leave and wasn’t as sharp as he has been this season plus in the sixth inning the first Tigers batter hit him in the foot with a batted ball and Perez left the game as a precaution. Perez allowed 3 runs in 5 innings but struck out seven as he was awarded his first loss of the season. Byron Buxton was 3 for 3 with a double and a RBI and Ehire Adrianza had two hits including a home run. The Twins are 25-14 with a four game lead in the Central Division. Box Score
2018 – The Twins score three runs in the top of the third inning in Anaheim and don’t score again until the 12 inning. With the score knotted at 3 each in the 12th Eddie Rosario singles, Mitch Garver doubles and Rosario scores. Logan Morrison is retired on strikes but pinch-hitter Gregorio Petit follows with another single scoring Garver and the Twins turn over a 5-3 lead to Fernando Rodney who retires the Angels in the bottom of the inning for the save. Trevor Hildenberger was awarded the win. Box Score
2016 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2014 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2011 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2008 – The Red Sox score 3 runs on 4 hits in the top of the first st the Dome but they shut the door and hold on for a 7-3 win and Livan Hernandez ups his record to 6-1. Michael Cuddyer who fancies himself as a magician, pulls off a magical catch off of Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia’s fly ball at the dome when the ball pops out of Cuddyer’s glove, bounced off his head, rolled down the bill of his cap before Mike grabbed it for the out. Box Score
2005 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1994 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1982 – In their 2nd major trade in as many days, the Twins deal catcher Butch Wynegar and pitcher Roger Erickson to the Yankees for infielder Larry Milbourne and minor league pitchers John Pacella and Pete Filson, and cash. The Twins’ frugal owner, Calvin Griffith, is roundly criticized for the deals, in which he appears to be unloading high-salaried veterans at the expense of a winning ball club.
1981 – The Boston Red Sox are in town and John Tudor of the Red Sox and Roger Erickson of the Twins partake in a pitchers duel at Met Stadium. Only a smattering of fans were on hand for the night game. The announced crowd was 3,572. The low attendance was due in large part to the fact that many fans stayed home to watch the National Hockey League’s Minnesota North Stars play the New York Islanders in their first Stanley Cup Finals game in franchise history. The boys from Beantown put the first two runs on the board in the sixth and the Twins retaliate with two of their own in the bottom of the seventh. Neither team scores any more during regulation and it is time for extra-innings knotted at 2-2. The Reds Sox push across a run in the tenth off Twins reliever Doug Corbett when Carl Yastrzemski hits a sac fly that scores Jerry Remy for a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the tenth with Tom Burgmeier on the mound for Boston things look bleak for Minnesota when Burgmeier retires Gary Ward and John Castino leaving Mickey Hatcher as the last hope. But on the second pitch he saw, Hatcher hit a long home run deep to left and knots the score at 3-3. Roy Smalley follows with another blast to left and the Twins have a nice 4-3 walk-off win over the Red Sox. Corbett (2-1) gets the win and Burgmeier (2-1) get the loss. Ron Jackson had hit an earlier home run for Minnesota so the Twins score all four runs off home runs. The Red Sox were in disbelief after letting a game slip away after they seemed to have it in their grasp. “I can’t believe it,” Boston manager Ralph Houk said. “This was a bad game to lose. Box Score
Clutch homers by Hatcher and Smalley lead Twins to win over Red Sox by Brian Frank
1978 – No game today. The Red Sox versus Twins game at the Met was rained out and rescheduled as part of a DH on July 24.
1977 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1975 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1972 – The Brewers edge the Twins 4-3 in a 22-inning marathon at the Met that lasts for 5 hours and 47 minutes. The game was actually suspended after 21 innings due to an American league curfew rule and resumed the next day. Bert Blyleven pitched the final inning of the 22 inning affair and was the losing pitcher. Shortstop Danny Thompson had a long day going 0 for 10 (tying an AL record) with an error. 8,628 fans attended the game, I wonder how many were around when the game was suspended? That would be 178 plate appearances between the two teams and zero home runs. Bert then went right into the regularly scheduled game for May 13th and pitched 9 innings giving up 3 runs but received a no decision for his efforts. The Twins won the game 5-4 in 15 innings. That makes 37 innings in two days. Box Score
Star_Tribune_Sun__May_14__1972_
Star_Tribune_Sun__May_14__1972_ (1)
Brewers, Twins take two days, 22 innings to finish (by Stew Thornley)
1969 – No Game Today
1961 – Twins pitcher Pedro Ramos and Los Angeles Angels hurler Eli Grba homer off each other at Met Stadium in a Twins 5-4 win. It is the first home run ever hit by a Twins pitcher and it is also the first home run hit by a Twins switch-hitter. Ramos pitches 8 innings allowing 4 runs on three home runs but it is good enough for the win because he helped his own cause with a home run and a single in three at bats while scoring once and knocking in three. Box Score
