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2023 – The Twins are down 1-0 after six innings but bounce back to beat the Rangers at Globe Life Field by a score of 5-1. Joe Ryan (10-8) was the starter and winner, allowing one run on three hits (1 HR) in 6 innings pitched, with no walks and seven strikeouts. Griffin Jax (1.0 IP), Caleb Thielbar (1.0 IP) and Jhoan Duran (1.0 IP) combined for 3.0 perfect innings of relief. The offense recorded seven hits, three being home runs from Jorge Polanco (11), Jordan Luplow (2) and Christian Vázquez (5). The homers from Polanco and Luplow were both two-run shots as Luplow’s was in a pinch-hit role, the fifth by a Twin this season, most since the club had six pinch-hit homers in 2004. Andrew Stevenson made his Twins debut and his first appearance in the majors since 2021, going 1-for-4 with a career-high two stolen bases. Box Score
2022 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2021 – The Twins host the Chicago Cubs and get shut out 3-0. This is the seventh time the Twins have been shutout in 2021. Joe Ryan made his much-awaited major league debut tonight, the fourth Twins pitcher to make his debut this season. Ryan recorded his first career strikeout in the first inning, fanning Ian Happ and was dealt his first career loss after allowing three runs on three hits over five innings (89 pitches) of work, with one walk and five strikeouts. Twins bats have bee quiet of late and today they only had two hits, both by Brent Rooker. Justin Steele started and was the Cubs winner while Adbert Alzolay finished up with four scoreless innings. Box Score
Off the field news was no better at Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda underwent “Tommy John” surgery and is lost to the team for the remainder of 2021 and most if not all of 2022.
2020 – Making his first start since September 6, 2019 Michael Pineda was a bit nervous in the first inning at Target Field against the White Sox as he gave up two singles and a double that put his team down by two runs out of the chute but he settled down after that. Pineda received a ND for his 6 innings of work in which he gave up 2 runs on 6 hits while striking out 4. The Twins broke their season long six game losing streak and upped their record to 21-16 but still in third place behind the Indians and White Sox who are tied for first. Caleb Thielbar earned his first win last night since May 5, 2014, a span of six years and 119 days between wins. Matt Wisler earned his first save. Nelson Cruz led the hitting attack with a 3 for 3 day. Box Score
2019 – Despite going bomba less, the Twins bounced back from yesterday’s loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park with an 8-3 victory on this Sunday afternoon. Michael Pineda (11-5) was the starter and winner, allowing two runs on five hits over 6 innings pitched with nine strikeouts, recording his 12th quality start of the year. Twins prospect Brusdar Graterol made his highly-anticipated Major League debut, firing a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout and a game-ending double play. At 21 years and six days old, he was the youngest player to debut for the Twins since Jorge Polanco (20 years, 356 days) in 2014. He also became the youngest Twins pitcher to debut since Rich Garces (19 years, 123 days) on Sept. 18, 1990. Graterol threw 14 pitches (11 fastballs, 3 sliders)…the first pitch he threw was a 99.6 MPH fastball for a strike, without rounding up, he threw six pitches 99.0 MPH or faster, which already ranks second-best in Twins history since data is available back to 2008. Only Juan Morillo (9 in 2009) threw more. Trevor May threw a pitch 99.8 MPH on August 5, the only other Twin this year to reach 99 MPH. The offense collected 12 hits, with Luis Arraez’s second-inning double being the lone extra-base hit for the Twins. Nelson Cruz led the Twins attack with 3 hits and 2 RBI in 5 AB’s. The Twins announced today that they have selected the contracts of right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol and outfielder Ian Miller from Triple-A Rochester, they have also recalled left-handed pitcher Devin Smeltzer and right-handed pitchers Zack Littell and Kohl Stewart. Additionally, they will return both catcher Willians Astudillo and outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. from their respective rehab assignments and reinstate both from the 10-day Injured List. Box Score
2018 – The Twins lose to the Texas Rangers at Global Life Park in Arlington 7-4 as they commit two more errors. José Berríos (11-10) was the starter and loser, allowing five runs on three hits in 4.0 innings pitched and continues to look like he has hit a wall. Berrios, the ace of the staff has not pitched more than five innings since August 4th which is also the last time he won a game. Andrew Vasquez made his major league debut, allowing one unearned run on one hit in 0.2 innings of relief. Logan Forsythe was 3 for 4 with a double and RBI while Jake Cave was 2 for 4 with the Twins only home run along with a double. Box Score
2017 – The Twins trailed the Kansas City Royals 7-3 after six innings and bounced back to score 3 more runs but came up short and lost 7-6 at Target Field after celebrating closer Joe Nathan‘s retirement. Twins starter Dillon Gee was undone by a five run third inning and lasted just 2.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks and took the loss. Jorge Polanco was 2 for 3 with a home run and sac fly giving him 3 RBI. Box Score
Nathan last pitched for the Twins in 2011 but signed a one day deal with Minnesota to retire as a Minnesota Twin. Nathan, 42, officially retired after a 16-year career. He racked up 377 saves with a 2.87 ERA, and was named as an All-Star six times. Nathan received American League Cy Young and MVP Award votes twice and won a Rolaids reliever of the year award. He ranks eighth in Major League history in saves, and for any pitcher with at least 250 saves, Nathan’s 89.3 save percentage is the best all-time.
2016 – The Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 8-5 at Target Field and finally end their 13 game losing streak that started in Kansas City on August 18. Byron Buxton and Trevor Plouffe hit home runs and Ervin Santana was credited with the win. Kurt Suzuki had two hits for the Twins including a double and two RBI. Box Score
2011 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2009 – The Twins walk-off the visiting Chicago White Sox at the Dome on a single by pinch-hitter Jose G. Morales with runners at the corners and two outs to score the winning run in a thrilling 5-4 win for the home town Twins. Mike Cuddyer had hit a 2 run home run earlier for the Twins. Twins starter Jeff Manship got a no decision for his five innings pitched in which he allowed just four hits and one run. Twins 6’11” reliever Jon Rauch got the win. Box Score
2008 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2005 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2004 – Twins pitcher Terry Mulholland goes 6 innings and allows 2 runs in the Twins’ 4 – 2 win over Baltimore at the Metrodome. Mulholland and catcher Pat Borders‚ who was obtained the previous day from Seattle for B.J. Garbe are the first pair of 40-something battery-mates since a couple of Dodgers did it in 1945. Jesse Crain who pitched scoreless innings 7-8 got the win. Shannon Stewart was 2 for 4 with a home run, RBI and run scored. Box Score
2002 – The A’s take a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth as they try for win number 18 in a row to set a franchise record. The Twins Matt LeCroy and Cory Koskie hit back to back home runs leading off the bottom of the 9th to tie the game and Michael Cuddyer unloads with 2 out for the 3rd home run of the inning and a 5-4 lead. But alas, the lead is short-lived as Eddie Guardado gives up a walk, a single and a home run to Miguel Tejada and the A’s win their 18th straight in a 7-5 heart breaking walk-off loss for the Twins. The starters were Joe Mays for Minnesota and Mark Mulder for Oakland but both got a no decision. Torii Hunter had the Twins other home run. Box Score
1992 – At Tiger Stadium, the Twins break a 4-4 deadlock with a run in the eighth inning on a sac fly by pinch-hitter Darren Reed that scores pinch-runner Pedro Munoz. Carl Willis pitches a clean eighth inning for the Twins and Rick Aguilera pitches a scoreless ninth inning to notched his 35 save of the season in Minnesota’s 5-4 victory over Detroit. It is the right-handed reliever’s 109th save making him the Twins’ all-time saves leader. Aguilera ended his Twins career with 254 saves. Joe Nathan breaks Aguilera’s Twins all-time save record in 2011. Mike Trombley started for Minnesota but didn’t figure in the final outcome. Carl Willis gets sixth win of the season for the Twins. Shane Mack was 2 for 3 with an RBI and J.T. Bruett had one hit and stole 2 bases. Box Score
1979 – The Twins battling for the Western Division title and just two games behind the division leading Angels take on the Eastern Division leading Baltimore Orioles in Memorial Stadium with Paul Hartzell starting for Minnesota and Jim Palmer taking the bump for Baltimore. The O’s scored one in the second and things got testy in the bottom of the third when with two out Hartzell threw an inside pitch to Ken Singleton that drew a glare, the next pitch was high and inside and Singleton charged the mound. Both benches emptied and there was some pushing and shoving but the only thing of consequence that took place was that Singleton was ejected. The Twins scored the next three runs and held on for a 3-2 win. Hartzell (6-7) was credited with the win going 7 innings and allowing 2 runs on 6 hits. Dave Edwards (8) hits the Twins lone home run. But that was an event that took place off the field but in the ballpark that would make history and you can read about it below. Box Score
Arrest at Orioles game spurs upgrades for fans with disabilities by Kurt Blumenau
1972 – Rod Carew swipes home with two out in the 10th inning with the bases loaded and Jim Nettles at the plate to give the Twins a 5 – 4 walk-off victory over the Indians at Met Stadium. Outfielder Bobby Darwin has a huge day as he drove in four runs with two home runs, a double and a single in 5 at bats and scored twice. Dave Goltz pitches the first nine innings but gets a no decision for his work. Carew will steal home 17 times in his career‚ seven times stealing alone. The game attendance was 6,175 but how many were still there in the 10th inning to see Carew do his magic? Box Score
1971 – Only 8,511 fans show up at Met Stadium to see a classic pitchers duel as knuckle balling Wilbur Wood of the White Sox take on the Twins young phenom Bert Blyleven. The game is scoreless after 9 innings and the Sox decide that Wood has had enough. The Twins stick with Blyleven and he pitches a scoreless tenth inning before he too is told he has had enough. In the 11th inning the Whitey’s scored twice on three hits off Twins relievers Bob Gebhard and Jim Strickland before Hal Haydel put out the fire but it was too late as Bart Johnson and Vicente Romo kept the Twins off the board in the home half of the 11th. Cesar Tovar had half of the Twins six hits. Wood went on to finish the season with 22 wins (7 shutouts) in 42 starts and posted a 1.91 ERA. Box Score
The St. Louis Cardinals trade pitcher Dan Ford and outfielder Fred Rico to the Twins and in turn the Twins send pitcher Stan Williams to the Cards. Neither Dan Ford (pitcher) or Fred Rico played for Minnesota.
1967 – The Twins jump out to a quick 5-2 lead on the Tigers at the Met and hold on for a 5-4 win with Jim Kaat pitching a complete game and helped his cause with a double in three AB’s. The Twins were assisted in the victory by four Tigers errors, Cesar Tovar was 2 for 4 with a triple, RBI and stolen base to lead the Twins attack. Box Score
Borrowed from a book by Stew Thornley called “Metropolitan Stadium: Memorable Games at Minnesota’s Diamond on the Prairie” – A crowd of 34,000 came to the Met on September 1, 1967, to see the Twins open a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers. The Twins and Tigers were among four teams bunched within 1½ games of one another at the top of the American League standings. Beyond the lure of a torrid pennant race, early arrivals got to watch an Old Timer’s Game between former stars of the Minneapolis Millers and St. Paul Saints. The Minneapolis players included Joe Hauser, who had hit 69 home runs for the Millers in 1933, and Ray Dandridge, who was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1950. St. Paul had Eric Tipton, a popular standout in the 1940s, and Angelo Giuliani (a long time Twins scout and Director of Twins Clinics), who grew up in St. Paul and played with both the Millers and Saints. Tipton was part of a three-run rally for the Saints in the first inning against Jess Petty and Rosy Ryan, who were considered graybeards when they pitched for Minneapolis in the 1930s. The Millers got their only run in the second as Frank Trechock doubled home Babe Barna, who had started the inning with a walk. Saints pitcher Dick Lanahan said he walked Barna “because his bay window kept me from seeing the plate.” The pitchers rode in from the bullpen in a 1917 Model-T Ford touring car. After the Saints’ 3-1 win, the Twins beat the Tigers 5-4 to retain sole possession of second place, a half-game behind first-place Boston.
1966 – No Game Today
1961 – Newlywed Cuban Pedro Ramos pitched a complete game against his favorite patsy, the visiting Boston Red Sox against whom he has a career mark of 22-14 as the Twins beat the Boston Red Sox and ROY candidate Don Schwall (13-4) 5-1 at the Met in a quick 2 hour and 18 minute game. Ramos who was recently married by proxy over the phone to Cuba is expecting his new wife in Minnesota as soon as the paperwork clears. Ramos won his tenth game of the season again 16 losses as he limited the Red Sox to one run on six hits while striking out eight. Ramos also contributed with the bat with two hits and a RBI. Three other Twins had two hits each and all five RBI came from the bottom third of the line-up. Box Score
