April 20 – This Day in Twins History

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2024 – At pitch the temperature was 42 degrees with a brisk 12 MPH wind blowing from left to right. The Twins beat the Tigers at Target Field by a score of 4-3, marking the Twins’ second one-run win this season. The win snapped a season-long five-game losing streak as Minnesota won their first game since Saturday’s Game 2 at Comerica Park. Bailey Ober (1-1) was the starter and winner, allowing one run on two hits in 6 innings pitched, with one walk and six strikeouts. Griffin Jax pitched a scoreless ninth inning on 12 pitches to earn his second save of the season. The offense recorded seven hits, highlighted by Byron Buxton and Austin Martin, who both went 2-for-4. Minnesota hitters also only struck out six times, tying their season-low. Box Score

Bailey Ober
Ryan Jeffers
Trevor Larnach

 

 

 

 

 

2023 – The Twins lost to the Red Sox at Fenway Park on get-away day by a score of 11-5. Kenta Maeda (0-3) was the starter and loser, allowing one run on one hit in just 2 innings pitched. Maeda suffered a left ankle contusion after a come-backer off the bat of Jarren Duran and exited the game. Three relievers and utility man Willi Castro strung together the final 6 innings, allowing 10 runs. Castro went 2-for-4 with his first home run of the season and his second double, while driving in two of the club’s five runs. When Castro closed out the game by pitching the final out he became the thirteenth different Twins position player to take the mound. The Twins completed their seven-game, eight-day road trip with a record of 3-4, going 2-2 at Yankee Stadium and 1-2 at Fenway Park and now head home to begin their second home stand of the 2023 season, a 10-gamer. Todate the twins have gone 4-2 at Target Field and 7-6 on the road. Box Score

Willi Castro take the mound

2022 – The Twins find themselves 2-4 on the current roadtrip after getting shut out by the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium by a score of 2-0, suffering their third shutout of the season, all coming in their last seven games. Twins starter Chris Paddack (0-2) was the loser, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks in 5 innings (71 pitches) pitched in his second start for the Twins. The Twins meager offense recorded just five hits (all singles) and walked twice with just two runners reached scoring position. The loss secured a series victory for the Royals, making the Twins 0-2-2 in series play in 2022. The Twins hit into three double-plays today. Box Score

Chris Paddack
Caleb Thielbar
Cody Stashak

 

 

 

 

 

2021 – The Twins lose both games of the doubleheader with the Oakland A’s at RingCentral Coliseum (old Oakland Alameda County Coliseum) by scores of 7-0 and 1-0, suffering their second doubleheader sweep this season. Matt Shoemaker (1-1) was dealt the loss allowing five runs on four hits in 3.1 innings pitched with two home runs allowed. The Twins actually out hit the A’s six to five with Willians Astudillo having two hits, no one else had more than one. Luke Farrell and Lewis Thorpe each pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Sean Manaea pitched a complete game (7 innings) for the clean sheet win. Box Score game one.

Willians Astudillo
Luke Farrell
Lewis Thorpe

 

 

 

 

 

José Berríos (2-2) was dealt the loss in game two, allowing one run on four hits in five innings pitched. The Twins had just two hits in this game, singles by Josh Donaldson and Jorge Polanco. Twins bats were silent most of the day with the offense going  a dismal 8-for-50 with one extra-base hit hit (double by Garver). The Twins have now lost 8 of their last nine games. This is the second time in Twins history that they have been shut out in both games of a same-day doubleheader, the other coming May 21, 1961 vs. Cleveland (0-9 & 0-2). Box Score game two

Jose Berrios
Hansel Robles

 

 

 

 

 

2020 – The Twins would have been home today playing the Seattle Mariners, but we all know the season thus far has been postponed due to COVID-19. Counting today it means we have missed 23 games so far. 

2019 – The Twins win both games of the doubleheader at Camden Yards, winning game one by a score of 6-5, followed by a 16-7 victory in the night game. Twins hitters go on a home run rampage hitting 11 home runs on the day falling one short of the club record of 12 (in one day), done August 29, 1963 versus Washington. Eight home runs in game two tied a club record.  Nelson Cruz, Mitch Garver and Jonathan Schoop each had multi-homer games, tying a club record for most players with multiple homers in same game (July 12, 2001 at Milwaukee – Jacque Jones, Corey Koskie and Torii Hunter). Eddie Rosario also had a multi-homer game in game one, making the Twins the first team in baseball history with four multi-homer games in one day. Outfielder Max Kepler and closer Blake Parker sat out the DH with the Flu.

Game oneJose Berrios started and won game one going six inning to bring his record to 3-1. Taylor Rogers had the two inning save giving up a single run and striking out his last four batters. The red-hot Eddie Rosario had 3 hits, two home runs and a double, scored twice and knocked in two. This is the second day in a row that Rosario has hit two home runs. Box Score

Eddie Rosario hits one out with credit to Michael Layton_Getty Images
Jose Berrios
Taylor Rogers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Game two – The Twins show Baltimore no mercy scoring in every inning but 5-7. Catcher Mitch Garver hits lead-off and goes 3 for 6 with two homers and a double, knocks in 5 and scores twice. DH Nelson Cruz goes 4 for 5 with two homers and a double knocking in three and scoring four times. Jonathan Schoop also has two homers and a double going 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI. Eddie Rosario and C.J. Cron could only manage one home run each. Twins starter Martin Perez went six innings for his second win of the season against no losses and allows four runs. Orioles position player Chris Davis is brought in to pitch one inning for the O’s and gives up a home run to former teammate Jonathan Schoop. Box Score

Mitch Garver
Nelson Cruz – Credit – Photos by Anthony Souffle
Jonathan Schoop with credit to Hannah Foslien 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018 –  The Twins lost to the Rays last night by a score of 8-7 in 10 innings. Lance Lynn was the starter but did not factor into the decision. The Twins only get seven hits but three were home runs, solo shots from Logan Morrison and Max Kepler and a grand slam from Eddie Rosario. The walk-off winning run was scored on an error on Twins pitcher Zach Duke when he failed to touch first base on a throw from Joe Mauer. Fernando Rodney blew his second save and Duke got his first loss in a Twins uni. Box Score 

Logan Morrison
Max Kepler
Eddie Rosario

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zach Duke

2009 – No Game today, scheduled day off.

1990 – Instead of playing their Season Opener at the Metrodome on April 3 they are playing their Home Opener today at the Metrodome because of the “lockout”. The Kevin Tapani had starting honors for the Twins and Jim Abbott had the same for the visiting California Angels. The Twins had a 2-0 lead after four innings but put up a 9 spot in the fifth inning to take a commanding lead. The 9 runs was the most the Twins had scored in an inning since April of 1985. The score was 13-0 after eight innings and Twins manager Tom Kelly thought that Tapani had done enough and didn’t send him out for the ninth to complete the shutout and that drew boo’s from the fans. There were even more boo’s when reliever Gary Wayne allowed a run and spoiled the shutout. Tapani (2-1) got the win throwing 82 pitches in 8 innings allowing just 4 hits and no walks. Twins pitchers allowed no walks and Angel pitchers allowed ten walks and 11 hits including home runs by Kirby Puckett (1) and Brian Harper (1). Gene Larkin had 3 hits and Harper and Carmen Castillo had two each. Jim Abbott (0-1) took the loss. With the victory the Twins record now stands at 5-6. A nice game considering the fact that their flight arrived from Seattle about 5AM local time. Box Score

Kevin Tapani
Brian Harper – credit Getty Images
Gene Larkin

 

 

 

 

 

 

1988 – The Twins and starter Frank Viola had a 5-2 lead at the Metrodome after 5 innings but a Greg Gagne error in the top of the sixth and a walk put two runners on for slugger Dave Winfield who delivered a three-run homer and the game was tied at 5-5.  The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome experienced the 10,000th home run in New York Yankee history as Claudell Washington went deep off Jeff Reardon with a pinch-hit home run in the top of the ninth but the Twins tied it up in their half of the ninth. The Yankees went on to win 7-6 in 10 innings when Reardon gave up another home run, this time to Jack Clark. An oddity in the game was that Yankee hurler Tommy John and Twins pitcher Jeff Reardon were each called for two balks. Box Score

Jeff Reardon
Frank Viola

 

 

 

 

 

1979 – No game today, scheduled game against the Seattle Mariners at Met Stadium was called on account of wet grounds and rescheduled as part of a DH on July 3. 

1978No game today, scheduled day off.

1972No game today, scheduled day off.

1970No game today, scheduled day off.

1969 – The Twins score early and often and put a serious beating on the visiting California Angels at Met Stadium. When the game was done the scoreboard showed the Twins with 12 runs and the Angels with 1 run and the Twins have won six straight games. An ill Dave Boswell started for Minnesota and pitched a complete game five-hitter for the victory although he walked six in the process, the only run he gave up was unearned. Six Twins including Boswell himself had at least two hits with Rod Carew leading the hit parade with three. One of Boswell’s hits was a triple. Tony Oliva hit the games only home run. Box Score

Dave Boswell
Rod Carew
Tony Oliva – credit: James Drake

 

 

 

 

 

 

1965No game today, scheduled day off.

1964No game today, scheduled day off.

1962 – The Twins jump on Los Angeles Angels starter Eli Grba at Dodger Stadium and knock him out of the games with six runs in the first two innings. Twins starter Jack Kralick doesn’t fare much better and is gone after two innings after he allows 7 hits and 3 earned runs. The Twins lead 7-5 after three innings but the Angels tie the game at 7-7 in the seventh inning off reliever Lee Stange and the game goes to extra innings. Bob Allison and Earl Battey get RBI’s off Angels reliever Art Fowler in the top of the tenth and hold on for the 9-7 win and break a five game losing skid. Dick Stigman who pitched the final two innings gets his first win as a Minnesota Twin. Harmon Killebrew and Bernie Allen (first career home run) each hit their first home runs of the season while Allison went 3 for 4 with two doubles. Box Score

Dick Stigman
Bob Allison
Bernie Allen

 

 

 

 

 

 

1961No Game Today as the Twins prepare to play their first ever home game at Met Stadium against the Washington Senators. Twins players, coaches and Twins management take part in a two-hour motorcade through Minneapolis and St. Paul while riding in convertibles.

 

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