(click on images once or twice to make them larger)
2023 – TWINS AND SOX ON REPEAT: The Twins beat the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field by a score of 10-2 for the second consecutive night. Bailey Ober made his return from Triple-A St. Paul and made the start, allowing two runs on five hits in 5 innings pitched, with no walks and six strikeouts. Twins hitters recorded 14 hits as six Twins had multiple hits. Royce Lewis went 1-for-2 with three walks and hit his fifth career grand slam/fourth of the season. Five career grand slams in 66 career games is the fewest in MLB history. The only other player in AL/NL to hit five slams before their 150th career game was Rudy York (139). Box Score
2022 – The Twins beat the Royals at Target Field by a score of 3-2, sweeping Kansas City in three games, their eighth sweep of the season (3rd of the Royals). Dylan Bundy was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing two runs on four hits in 4 innings pitched, with no walks and two strikeouts. The bullpen combined for 5 scoreless innings as Jhoan Duran earned his seventh save with a scoreless ninth. The offense recorded eight hits, highlighted by home runs from Carlos Correa (21) and Nick Gordon (7). The Twins completed their six game home-stand with a 3-3 record, getting swept by the Guardians and sweeping the Royals. Today was Roberto Clemente Day, a day when MLB allowed all players from Puerto Rico — as well as all former Clemente Award winners — to wear No. 21. So how cool was this, from the Royals–Twins game that day? In the first inning, Carlos Correa homered for the Twins … while wearing No. 21. In the fourth inning, Salvador Perez homered for the Royals … while wearing No. 21. And for each of them, it raised their home run total for the season to … 21! Strange but true. The Twins are now off to a crucial five game series in Cleveland as they are 4 games out with a 72-70 record in 3rd place. Box Score
2021 – The Twins were trounced by Cleveland at Target Field by a score of 12-3, dropping the three-game series. Rookie Griffin Jax (3-4) was the starter and loser, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits in 4.2 innings pitched. Relievers Jovani Moran and Andrew Albers didn’t fare much better giving up four and three runs respectively. The offense came up with three hits, two coming from Miguel Sanó, who hit his 20th double and his 28th home run. Despite the loss, the Twins finished the season 11-8 vs. the Indians, winning the season series in consecutive seasons (7-3 in 2020) for the first time since 2008-10. With two more errors today the Twins have committed 101 errors, only two teams in MLB have more. The Twins now hit the road for their first trip to Toronto since 2019. Box Score
2020 – The Twins lost to Dane Dunning and the White Sox by a score of 6-2 at Guaranteed Rate Field. Randy Dobnak (6-4) was the starter and loser, allowing four runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings pitched. The nonexistent offense was held to just four hits, two from Byron Buxton, one of which was an inside-the-park home run. Buxton lost an ISP home run yesterday on an umpires decision. Rookie Travis Blankenhorn made his major league debut and went 1 for 3 with a double and was also hit by a pitch. White Sox rookie Dane Dunning (2-0) won his second game and it was his longest outing in the big leagues as he went 7 innings throwing 102 pitches allowing just two runs on 3 hits while striking out seven. The Twins are 2-for-21 (.095) with RISP in these last two games. The frustrations of the pennant race are catching up with the Twins as manager Rocco Baldelli and Nelson Cruz were both asked to leave the premise in the seventh inning for questioning some of the umpires calls. The loss means the Twins (30-20) drop another game behind the division leading White Sox and now find themselves 3 games out with just ten games left to play. Box Score
2019 – The Twins completed their short three-game road trip in Cleveland winning two games after losing the finale 7-5. Randy Dobnak was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing two runs (1 earned) on six hits in 5 innings (74 pitches). Fernando Romero took his first loss of the season. The offense recorded 13 hits, three from Eddie Rosario, who hit his 30th and 31st home runs of the season. Miguel Sanó added a home run, his 29th on the season and LaMonte Wade Jr. hits his first big league home run. The Twins now have four players with 30 or more homers, Nelson Cruz (37), Max Kepler (36), Eddie Rosario (31) and Mitch Garver (30), it ties a major league record. It was a great series for the Twins and calmed the stress level of many Twins fans. Box Score
2018 – The Twins lost their third straight game to the KC Royals 10-3 at Kauffman Stadium. Chase De Jong was the starter and loser as he worked 3.1 innings allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits while striking out four. De Jong lost his fourth straight big league decision (three with Seattle and one with Minnesota). Logan Forsythe was 2 for 5 with and RBI and Willians Astudillo was 2 for 4. Manager Paul Molitor and coach Gene Glynn were both ejected for arguing balls and strikes, it marked the second time this season they were both ejected in the same game – the other coming on June 27 at Chicago. Box Score
2011 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2009 – The Twins announced that first baseman Justin Morneau will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his lower back. The hard-hitting Morneau had been battling back pain for weeks, but a CT scan and an MRI revealed the fracture. “It’s one of those things that’s been nagging for a while,” said Morneau, who also fought through back problems a season ago. “I just wanted to go in and see if it was anything different from last year.” Recovery for Morneau is expected to take three months, Morneau added that he won’t need surgery, saying the fracture should heal on its own.
On the field the Twins take on Cleveland at the Metrodome and win 5 to 4. Scott Baker started and burned thru 101 pitches in just 5.1 innings allowing 3 runs and received a ND. Nick Punto was the hitting star with a 3 for 4 day with a double and 2 RBI while Orlando Cabrera added 2 hits including a home run. Box Score
2008 – The Twins can only put together five hits at Progressive Field and lose 3-1 to the home-town Indians. Kevin Slowey goes 6 innings and allows only 3 runs but all it does is bring him his 10th loss of the season. Delmon Young gets three hits including a double and Joe Mauer hits a bases empty home run to account for the Twins lone run. Box Score
Target Corporation and the Twins agree on a historic 25-year partnership that includes the naming rights for Target Field and Target Plaza, the Twins new ballpark that will open in time for the 2010 season, their 50th season in Minnesota. Both Target and the Twins declined to release financial terms. Other recent naming deals include Citigroup and Barclays Plc agreeing to each pay a reported $20 million a year for naming rights to the new stadiums of the New York Mets baseball and New Jersey Nets basketball teams, respectively.
2005 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2003 – The Twins over power the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field with 8 runs in the sixth inning and beat the home town club 13 to 6 with Johan Santana getting the win and upping his record to 11-3. Torii Hunter has a big day with two hits including a home run and a double and had 5 RBI, Cristian Guzman also hits a home run to help the cause. Box Score
Joe Mauer, who helped lead high Class A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain to playoff appearances, is Baseball America’s 2003 Minor League Player of the Year. Mauer, 20, becomes the first Twins prospect to win the award, rewarding Minnesota for selecting the local product first overall in the 2001 draft out of Cretin-Derham Hall in nearby St. Paul.
2002 – In spite of a 67 minute rain delay, the Twins clinch the 2002 AL Central Division championship with a 5-0 win over the defending champion Cleveland Indians and a White Sox loss to the Yankees. This marks the earliest date that the Twins have ever clinched a title. Minnesota, which will making its first playoff appearance since 1991, was almost eliminated during the off-season due to contraction. Kyle Lohse pitches six scoreless innings allowing just two hits and striking out eight for the win. Cristian Guzman is 2 for 4 with a stolen base. Box Score
2001 – No Game Today. All MLB games postponed due to the 9/11 attacks. These games will be made up at the end of the season.
1980 – No Game Today, scheduled day off.
1964 – In Harmon Killebrew’s 2,435 games, he only played right field once, and it was only for one at-bat. It came in the eighth inning of a game tied 1-1 against Baltimore at Memorial Stadium. When Sam Bowens came to the plate with one out and runners on first and second, Twins manager Sam Mele flipped his corner outfielders: normal right fielder Tony Oliva went to left and Killebrew moved from left to right. After Bowens fanned, they moved back. Why? No one knows for sure, but it is likely that since Bowens was a righty, he was more likely to hit it to left. Oliva must’ve been the better defensive option. (Back in those days he still had knees.) Mele didn’t want Killebrew’s glove in action, but he didn’t want to take out his bat in a tie game. Oh, the Twins won, 2-1 by scoring a run in the ninth inning off Harvey Haddix. Pinch-hitter Frank Kostro singled and Mudcat Grant was brought in to run for him. Rich Rollins followed with a triple that scored Grant and the Twins were up 2-1. The Twins used Johnny Klippstein, Gerry Arrigo and Al Worthington to each retire a batter in the bottom of the ninth. Second baseman Jay Ward also had two hits including a double. Box Score
1961 – At Cleveland Stadium, 22-year-old Sudden Sam McDowell makes his major league debut and pitches six scoreless innings, striking out 7. He leaves after one out in the 7th with a 2-0 lead after his hard throwing causes him to breaks two ribs. With two out in the 9th, the Twins score three times to win, 3 – 2 getting 5 of their 8 hits in the ninth inning. Lee Stange, in relief, gains his first major league win. Jim Lemon is 2 for 5 with a double and a RBI while Jake Jacobs contributes 2 hits from the lead-off spot as he played in a Twins uniform for the first time. Jacobs had appeared briefly in six games for the Washington Senators in 1960 getting just two plate appearances Those two hits are the only ones that Jacobs will get in his big league career. Jim Snyder made his major league debut in this game playing second base and going 0 for 3. Box Score
