Article: MIN 9, TB 4: Twins Shell Blake Snell

[Andrew Thares]

Coming off their first losing week of the season, and the lead in the division down to seven and a half games over the Cleveland Indians, the Minnesota Twins were looking for a big win to start a new week tonight, and that is just what they got. After being held to just one run against Homer Baily and the Kansas City Royals their last time out, the bats bounced back scoring nine runs on fifteen hits against reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.Box Score

Gibson: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 61.2% strikes (60 of 98 pitches)

Home Runs: Schoop (13), Garver (12)

Multi-Hit Games: Garver (3 for 5, HR); Rosario (4 for 5); Astudillo (3 for 4)

WPA of +0.1: Gibson .187, Rosario .117, Astudillo .111

WPA of -0.1: None

 

Download attachment: vs Rays 6-25-2019.PNG

 

(Chart via FanGraphs)

 

After a 1-2-3 first inning, Eddie Rosario got the bats going to lead off the second when he pulled a two-strike curveball into right field and hustled his way into second for a double. After a flyout to centerfield by C.J. Cron and a groundout by Max Kepler, it looked like Rosario might get stranded on the bases. That is until La Tortuga stepped up and drove in Rosario on a first pitch infield single. In the top of the third, Willins Astudillo showed off his athleticism in right field, making this spectacular catch.

 

 

Jonathan Schoop leadoff the bottom of the third with an upper deck blast. Statcast projected the home run to travel 408 feet, with a 104.1 exit velocity and a 27-degree launch angle.

 

 

The Twins kept the bats rolling after that Schoop home run, with four of the next five hitters (Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver, Eddied Rosario and C.J. Cron) all singling to drive in a couple more runs. The inning came to an end on a bad-luck double play, when Max Kepler lined out to Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi with him practically standing on first, allowing Choi to easily double-off Cron.

 

After putting up three runs in the third inning, the Twins were able to blow the game open in the fourth with three more runs. Astudillo got the inning started with a double off the left-center field wall, and advanced to third on an infield single from Miguel Sano. Then, after a Schoop strikeout and a Polanco walk, both Astudillo and Sano came around to score on another single from Mitch Garver. Nelson Cruz reloaded the bases three pitches later with a single of his own, and that was the end of the night for Blake Snell. The Rays brought in Hunter Wood to try and get out of the inning, but it was more of the same as Rosario greeted him with an RBI single. The inning came to an end the next batter, with yet another inning ending double-play, this time by C.J. Cron. This closed the book on Snell, who gave up seven runs, all earned, on 11 hits in just 3 and 1/3 innings of work.

 

The Twins were able to score for the fourth inning in a row in the bottom of the fifth, but it came at a price, as Max Kepler had to leave the game after being struck on the elbow with a 95 MPH fastball. They are currently calling the injury a right-elbow contusion, so hopefully Kepler can avoid being added to the ever-growing list of Twins players on the injured list. Jake Cave came in to the game to pinch-run for Kepler, and later came around to score on a Jorge Polanco sac fly. In the inning, Astudillo picked up his third hit of the night.

 

Kyle Gibson was rolling along through the first five innings of the ballgame, and was on his way to an excellent bounce-back performances after a terrible start his last time out. Through that point, Gibson hadn’t allowed a run and had only given up one hit, while striking out four. However, Gibson started showing signs of cracking in the sixth when he gave up a leadoff home run to Willy Adames. Gibson was able to get through the inning without giving up any more runs and was looking sharp striking out both Avisail Garcia and Kevin Kiermaier to begin the seventh, before the wheels absolutely fell off the wagon. Gibson proceed to give up three runs on four straight hits, and the once insurmountable eight-run lead was trimmed to four. Gibson was able to finally get out of the inning by striking out Guillermo Heredia, which was Gibson’s seventh strikeout of the game.

 

Ryne Harper came out of the bullpen in the eighth, giving the Twins an easy 1-2-3 inning, which put a lot of people at ease. Mitch Garver was able to tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, when he belted his 12th home run of the season over the left-center field fence. Rocco Baldelli called upon Tyler Duffey to get the final three outs of the game, and just like Harper, he worked a smooth 1-2-3 frame to seal the Twins victory.

 

Postgame with Baldelli

 

 

Bullpen Usage

Here’s a quick look at the number of pitches thrown by the bullpen over the past five days:

 

Download attachment: 6-25-2019 vs Rays.PNG

 

Next Three Games

Wed vs TB, 7:10 pm CT (Morton-Odorizzi)

Thu vs TB, 1:10 pm CT (TBD-Perez)

Fri at CHW, 7:10 pm CT (TBD-TBD)

 

Last Game

KC 6, MIN 1: Bad Inning Spoils Awesome Uniforms

 

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[Monticore]

Eddie and The Turtle shine!

[Dantes929]

Nice win coupled with an Indians loss.     I have no problem whatsoever with Gibson's performance and take a little issue on his behalf about the wheels coming off.    How often do we hear that he nibbles too much and needs to attack the zone and how often have I commented that all the big innings against us have at least one walk contributing to the mess.    In this case, Gibson struck out the first two batters and then proceded to throw strikes which is exactly what I want him to do with a 7 run lead.   Four hits in a row for three runs may have involved some not so great pitches but I give credit to the Rays batters rather than any problems with Gibson.     Wheels coming off usually involve walks, wild pitches and hit batters.    He gave up 3 runs?  Good on the Rays.    Twins win comfortably?  Good on the Twins.

[Post-Concussive Blues]

I like Rocco

[Aerodeliria]

He did the La Tortuga spin move there at the end. I think that'll show up on the Best of the MLB on NHK in a couple of weeks.

 

Hand had quite a meltdown against the Royals.

[terrydactyls]

Yesterday was Tuesday, June 25 and it was the 78th game of the year.  The Twins are now 48%  of the way through the season.  Out of 59 years, the current team ranks 21st on the all-time list of Twins' home runs in one season and are on a pace to hit 309 home runs this season.

[MMMordabito]

Anyone have the stats on all the hits that Gibby gave up in the 7th? Do Buxton/Kepler make outs on any of those? Astudillo's foul catch was good, if not a little goofy, but he is in over his head out there.

[mikelink45]

I love watching the turtle out there and looking at the team reactions, it is obvious that he is also a team favorite. That's worth a lot.

[bighat]

Indians melt down in the 9th and lose, Twins cruise.

 

Garver and Schoop go deep, Eddie gets 4 hits, Astudillo goes 3-for-4 and has a great defensive play.

 

Sano K's three times. He's got 53 strikeouts in 109 ABs this year.

 

Kepler, gotta assume he sits tonight. Tough loss. Hope that guy gets an All-Star reserve pick, dude's on pace for 38 HR and 100 RBI.

[Dman]

Man it was nice to see the bats come alive again.  It feels like it has been a long time since we have hit like that.  I was surprised Snell threw so many fastballs to such a good fastball hitting team.  Seemed like his slider was effective I would have thought he would throw it more.  Anyway glad got some hits and home runs.

 

Was also nice to see two relievers come in and not struggle to get out of their inning.

 

Can't believe Cleveland lost.  I had them penciled in winning another over the Royals then I look back and they lost.  Couldn't believe it. That rarely happens especially to them.  At any rate it was nice to get a game back and keep that lead around 8.  We will need to find allot of wins the next three series to keep from being reeled in.

[rdehring]

Looks like the Twins are getting that 'swagger' back.  At least for one night.

 

Isn't La Tortuga a perfect 13th man?  A utility player with an interesting bat who can actually play catcher...not just in an emergency.  Should be great next year when the team will actually carry 13 players all year.

[KFEY93]

 

I love watching the turtle out there and looking at the team reactions, it is obvious that he is also a team favorite. That's worth a lot.

I dont, guy is going to be an error/ run allowing machine out in the field. Needs to be on the bench where he belongs. Buxton and Kepler need to be back ASAP. 

[ashbury]

Willians wrung absolutely every drop out of his ability, to make that foul catch. A faster man would likely have been under it, perhaps without even a need for a leap. Not a totally easy play, but as the saying goes, "he makes the tough plays look difficult."

 

I too enjoyed the fond reactions from his teammates, although I couldn't help inferring a little tinge of surprise when a less-than-gifted companion accomplishes something that most others take for granted. It's like Gibby's mom had told him before the game, "now, you boys have to let Willians play too. It's the nice thing to do."

[james2334]

Great win, but if Buxton is going to continue to be out and Kepler is going to miss time they have to call up another outfielder, right? I mean they can't just run Cave, Austudillo, and Rosario out their with no back up on the bench? Am I the only one that sees a problem?

[Dantes929]

 

Great win, but if Buxton is going to continue to be out and Kepler is going to miss time they have to call up another outfielder, right? I mean they can't just run Cave, Austudillo, and Rosario out their with no back up on the bench? Am I the only one that sees a problem?

Rooker?

[MN_ExPat]

It'll be fine.   The Twins will have it all sorted out and they'll make any moves they need to when they need to.

[Vanimal46]

Rooker?

Wade is on the 40 man. I doubt they create an unnecessary roster crunch trying to add Rooker to the 40 right now.

[ashbury]

Wade is on the 40 man. I doubt they create an unnecessary roster crunch trying to add Rooker to the 40 right now.

Also, while I'm not a fan of viewing Wade as a center fielder, he could be used there in a pinch, which is more than I think with Rooker. Although Rosario and Cave would rank ahead of him, that extra bit of flexibility might matter, absent the 40-man issue that likely predominates the decision.

[twinsnorth49]

 

I dont, guy is going to be an error/ run allowing machine out in the field. Needs to be on the bench where he belongs. Buxton and Kepler need to be back ASAP. 

I'll take 3 for 4 and a spectacular routine catch from a bench player all day. He's not playing ahead of those guys. 

[SirLoin]

 

I dont, guy is going to be an error/ run allowing machine out in the field. Needs to be on the bench where he belongs. Buxton and Kepler need to be back ASAP. 

 

His lack of speed in the OF definitely contributed to Gibson's "meltdown" inning.

[jmlease1]

I definitely miss Buxton these days, but the good thing about an 8.5 game lead is you can wait until a guy is actually fully recovered. If Kepler needs to miss some time, though it ramps up the need for him to return.

 

We haven't had a bunch of major injuries, but we're starting to see a few minor ones pile up. Those hurt too, but the depth we have should carry us through.

 

Great to see the offense get going again. Sano's 3Ks was not great, though. If he can't catch up to 95mph fastballs, he's not going to be an effective hitter. Wonder if he might get sent down once Marwin returns? Feels like he needs a reset.

[rdehring]

 

His lack of speed in the OF definitely contributed to Gibson's "meltdown" inning.

Was thinking the same thing, especially that line drive in the gap he didn't get to.  Was asking myself, "self, would Kepler have gotten that?"  Don't know.  Also don't know how they may have been positioned differently.  Of the 5 positions La Tortuga plays in addition to catcher, would have to say right field is the toughest for him...perhaps in part because he hasn't played there very much.  See him as ok at first and third, acceptable in left and at second or right only in a pinch.  But that is great flexibility for someone who is ok behind the plate.

[Don Walcott]

 

Great win, but if Buxton is going to continue to be out and Kepler is going to miss time they have to call up another outfielder, right? I mean they can't just run Cave, Austudillo, and Rosario out their with no back up on the bench? Am I the only one that sees a problem?

I'm betting Marwin will be ready tonight.

[Jerr]

 

He did the La Tortuga spin move there at the end. I think that'll show up on the Best of the MLB on NHK in a couple of weeks.

Hand had quite a meltdown against the Royals.

Got to love how he secures the ball on the way down. The Turtle is a Baller!!!

[Mr. Brooks]

I'm betting Marwin will be ready tonight.

Marwin isn't eligible to return until Saturday.

[ashbury]

His lack of speed in the OF definitely contributed to Gibson's "meltdown" inning.

I can find video for only two of the three extra-base hits, but of those two (Brosseau and Lowe), I don't think anyone would have caught those on the fly for the third out. They were scorched, and landed in a hurry.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Marwin isn't eligible to return until Saturday.

But he'll be ready tonight! Just has to wear his Tortuga disguise, and no one will ever know...

[Darius]

Massive win on multiple different levels.

 

1). The struggling offense (relative to earlier in the year) put a beat down on the reigning Cy Young award winner. Huge confidence booster.

 

2). Similar to the above, but on an individual level, Rosario and Garver had huge games. Getting those guys hot again solves a lot of problems (pitching well doesn’t matter a whole lot when you’re scoring 7-8 runs).

 

3). If things do continue to fall apart (again, relative to earlier in the year), the Rays are the direct competition for a wildcard spot. Conversely, if things don’t, doing as much damage to Rays as possible isnt a bad thing. Not sure I’d like to see Snell, Morton, and Glasnow (maybe) in a playoff series.

 

4). Capitalized on an Indians loss, which is a rare occrrence lately. Building the lead back up before their pitching staff gets healthy is imperative. With all of the games we have left with them, a lead in the ballpark of 4-6 games scares me.

 

5). People are blasting Gibby, but I think it was a great performance for the team. Didn’t have to work the bullpen. K’d 7, which means his stuff is working. Kept the lead comfortable. Would it be nice to see more from him? Sure. But, going 7 and getting a win is big.

 

Winning tonight and taking the series would really put a nail in the coffin of that bad week.

 

The only negative in my mind is potentially losing Kepler (maybe news has broken, Im under a rock). That would hurt.

[Monticore]

I like to see The Turtle do well. In German mythology there's a creature called a *dummling. He looks maladroit and falls asleep under a tree, whereupon a branch falls on him and breaks his leg and he is laughed at. But, on that very day government soldiers are rounding up all the young men for war. The Turtle is a talisman, a Spirit, a *luck factor which this team in particular needs.