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2023 – The Twins were shut out by the Mets at Target Field by a score of 2-0. It marked the 10th shutout of the Twins this season and second time at Target Field. Pablo López was the starter but did not factor into the decision, pitching 8 shutout innings, with two hits allowed, no walks and 14 strikeouts. Griffin Jax (6-9) was dealt the loss, allowing two runs in the top of the ninth inning. Pablo’s 14 strikeouts set a new career-high and he became the third pitcher in Twins history (since 1961) to strike out at least 14 batters and issue zero walks in a start (also, Bert Blyleven – September 24, 1986, 14 K; and Johan Santana – September 19, 2004, 14 K and August 19, 2007, 17 K). It also marked the most strikeouts by a Twins pitcher in a single game since Francisco Liriano struck out 15 on July 13, 2012 vs. Oakland. Minnesota recorded four hits, walked six times and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Tampa comes into town next. Box Score
2022 – TWINS RUN OUT OF TIME AGAIN: The Twins lost to the Guardians by a score of 6-4. Chris Archer (2-8) was the starter and loser, allowing two runs on two hits in 2 innings pitched, exiting the game early with right pectoral muscle tightness. The offense recorded 12 hits, three apiece from Luis Arraez and Carlos Correa, and two from Nick Gordon. The Twins scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and stranded runners on the corners, as Max Kepler grounded out to third base to end the game. The Twins out hit the Guardians 12 to 7 and Cleveland committed the only error in the game but the Twins 4 for 11 with RISP is telling. The loss dropped the Twins to the .500 mark (69-69) for the first time since April 24. The hole gets deeper and deeper. Box Score
2021 – The Twins lost to the Royals last night at Target Field by a score of 6-4 in 11 innings, making them 11-11 in extra frames this season. Griffin Jax was the Twins starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing four runs on five hits in six innings pitched. It was a odd game as the Royals scored three times in the first inning and the Twins returned the favor by scoring four in the bottom of the first. The Royals tied it up at 4-4 in the fourth and then it was scoreless until the Royals scored twice in the 11th inning off Juan Minaya (2-1) who took the loss when he allowed a two-run home to Andrew Benintendi, his second home run of the game. Benintendi had a huge game going 4 for 5 with the two home runs, 3 runs scored and 5 RBI. The Twins offense scored all four of their runs in the first inning, highlighted by a Byron Buxton leadoff home run (his 2nd leadoff homer this season) and a Josh Donaldson three-run homer. Buxton’s homer was measured at a career-best 457 feet, hitting the facing of Minnie and Paul’s in centerfield. For Donaldson, his homer had an exit velocity of 113.6 mph, his hardest of the Statcast Era. Box Score
2020 – No game today, a scheduled day off.
2019 – Time for a little interleague play as the Washington Nationals come to town to play in Target Field for the first time. It starts out as a real pitchers duel between the Twins Jose Berrios and the Nats Anibal Sanchez until Minnesota pushes two runs across on Mitch Garver’s 30th home run of the season and three more in the eighth inning for a 5-0 shutout. Berríos (12-8) was the starter and winner, pitching 7 shutout innings (94 pitches) with two hits allowed, one walk and four strikeouts. Sergio Romo and Trevor May completed the shutout. Garver’s 30th home run puts him in 30 home run group with Max Kepler (36) and Nelson Cruz (35), becoming the fifth trio of Senators/Twins to reach 30 HR apiece. The last Twins players to do it were Kent Hrbek, Tom Brunansky and Gary Gaetti in 1987. The blast by Garver was his ninth in interleague play, tying Trevor Plouffe’s Twins single-season record. Box Score
Off the field there was news too. Six weeks after running into a wall in Miami Byron Buxton had surgery to repair a tear in his labrum to stabilize his left shoulder and is out for the season. A full recovery is expected in 5 to 6 months.
2018 – It was a scoreless pitchers duel for the first five innings at Target Field between the Twins Kyle Gibson and Yankees J.A. Happ but the Yankees scored one in the sixth and six more in the seventh and held on for a 7-2 win. It was the Yankees eighth straight win over Minnesota, nine if you count the 2017 playoff game. Gibson (7-13) was the starter and loser, allowing one run on four hits in 5.2 innings pitched. The Twins had 10 hits but could only push across two runs. Box Score
2016 – The Twins beat the Cleveland Indians 2-1 in 12 innings at Target Field on a walk-off single by Joe Mauer after Brian Dozier singled with two out and was balked to second base by Indians pitcher Joe Colon. It was only their 53rd win of the season but it will still be a game that Aussie rookie James Beresford will never forget as he made his major league debut in a Twins uniform after spending 10 seasons and 1,104 games in the Twins minor league system. Beresford, who started at third base also got his first big league hit in the game going 1 for 4. Twins reliever J.T. Chargois also earned his first major league win in this game and it was his last win as a Minnesota Twin. The Indians used 10 pitchers in the game and the Twins used seven. Each team had seven hits and no one had more than one. Box Score
2015 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2014 – No game today. The Twins game in Cleveland versus the Indians was rained out and rescheduled for a double header tomorrow.
2003 – The Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field 4 to 1. Johan Santana holds the White Sox to one run in 6.1 innings allowing 6 hits and striking out 6 batters and the win pushes his record to 10-3. Shannon Stewart gets two hits and two RBI while DH Matt LeCroy gets two hits and one RBI. During the game Twins third base coach Al Newman is stricken with a life-threatening brain hemorrhage. Newman recovers but misses the rest of the season. Box Score
2000 – A six run third inning by the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field against the Twins starter J.C. Romero pretty much did the visiting Twins in and they lost by a score of 8-1. Reliever Johan Santana didn’t fare much better. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski the number nine hitter was 3 for 3 with a double and Denny Hocking had the only Twins RBI. Aaron Sele pitched 7 innings for the win and struck out 10 Twins batters. Box Score
The Twins send pitcher Hector Carrasco to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Lew Ford.
1998 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1990 – In the first head-to-head match up of pitchers named Abbott, Jim’s Angels beat Paul’s Twins 3-1. Minnesota’s Carmen Castillo pinch hits late in the game to complete the successful “Abbott and Castillo” revival. Oddly enough both teams get 11 hits but the Twins go 0 for 10 with RISP and end up with just the one run on a Scott Leius home run. Box Score
1981 – No game today, scheduled day off.
1974 – Only 3,285 fans witness what turns out to be a wild and wooly game between the Chicago White Sox and the Twins at the Met. Twins starter Vic Albury leaves after 7 with a 3-1 lead and closer Bill Campbell comes in to shut the door in what seems to be a routine ball game. Campbell retires the Whitey’s in the 8th with no scoring but in the top of the 9th all hell breaks loose. Before Campbell can retire a batter he gives up a single, then a double and Brian Downing then steps up to the plate and promptly hits a 3-run home run to tie the game at 4. The next batter singles and manager Quilici has seen enough and he brings in Tom Burgmeier who quickly gives up another single but settles down and retires the next three White Sox without any further damage and the Twins fail to score in the bottom of the ninth so to extra innings we go. Neither team scores in the 10th but in the top of the 11th inning the White Sox get a single, a sacrifice and another single and take a 5-4 lead but Burgmeier closes the door. Craig Kusick leads off the bottom of the 11th for the Twins with a home run and once again we are tied, this time at 5. The 12th inning is scoreless. In the 13th the White Sox put a couple of hits together off of Burgy and take a 6-5 lead but once again the Twins fight back with walks to Eric Soderholm, Craig Kusick, and a sacrifice/fielders choice by Danny Thompson and the Twins have the bases loaded with one out. Glenn Borgmann singles to left to score Soderholm but Jerry Terrell who was running for Kusick is thrown out at home so the game is tied at 6 apiece. The White Sox escape further damage and the game moves on to the 14th inning. For some reason, Twins manager Quilici brings in St. Paul native Tom Johnson to make his major league debut in the 14th inning in a tie ball game. The rookie pitcher gives up two singles and commits an error and the White Sox push a run across to take a 7-6 lead. In the bottom of the 14th inning the Twins get a single from Soderholm and a double from Tony Oliva and yes, the game is tied at 7 once again. Johnson pitches a 1-2-3 top of the 15th and the Twins come to bat in the bottom of the inning facing future hall of famer, Goose Gossage. Steve Brye strikes out but Rod Carew singles and proceeds to steal second, (his third SB of the game) Larry Hisle steps up and singles to left and Carew scores and the Twins have an unbelievable walk-off 8-7 victory. Twins Tom Burgmeier pitched 5 innings of relief and Tom Johnson pitched two innings in his major league debut and won his first major league game in his first big league appearance. The fans sure got their money’s worth in this 4 hour and 7 minute game. The Twins had three home runs and they were hit by Bobby Darwin, Craig Kusick and Danny Thompson. Box Score
1962 – The Los Angeles Angels’ Dean Chance loses his no-hit bid when Twins number eight hitter Zoilo Versalles singles in the 8th inning for the only Twins hit. Chance wins 5 – 0 at Met Stadium. Dick Stigman started for Minnesota and went four innings, allowing four runs on four hits. Box Score
1961 – Twins starter Jack Kralick lasted just 2.2 innings and reliever Gary Dotter who is making his MLB debut gave up six runs in his four innings of relief and could not get out of the eighth inning so manager Sam Mele brought in first baseman Julio Becquer to pitch. Julio Becquer becomes the Twins first position player to pitch in a regular season game when he pitches 1 and 1/3 innings against the Kansas City Athletics at Municipal Stadium in a 13-1 loss and gives up 3 earned runs in the process. Julio also pitched in a game as a Washington Senator in 1960. KC shortstop Dick Howser was 5 for 5 with a double, triple, 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. Harmon Killebrew was the only Twins player with two hits and one of those was a home run. Box Score game 1
The Twins turned the tables on the Kansas City A’s at Municipal Stadium and larupped them 7-0 when Pedro Ramos pitched a complete game allowing 5 hits and 4 walks to up his record to 11-17. Harmon Killebrew hit another home run (43) and was 1 for 2. Early Battey connected for his 17th long ball of the season while left fielder Joe Altobelli went 2 for 5. Only 7,706 fans showed up to watch the 53-90 A’s play the 61-81 Twins. Box Score game 2
