Game Thread 4/26/2020: BOS (15-14) @ MIN (15-13) 1:10pmCT

[thuuuuney]

Catch-Up
After back to back pitcher's duels, we head into game three with the series on the line and another prospective pitcher's duel on our hands as former Twin Martin Perez squares off against Kenta Maeda. Congrats to the winner's of the SotaStick giveaway yesterday with TWINGO and for those who missed out TWINGO will be coming back when the Twins are back at Target Field on May 4th.

 

Pre-game
12:45pm

 

Where to watch
https://www.twitch.tv/thuuuuney/

 

AL Central Standings

1. Cleveland 17-13 
2. Minnesota 15-13 
3. Kansas City 14-13 
4. Chicago 11-18 
5. Detroit 7-21 

 

Starting Pitchers

• Boston: Martin Perez 3-1, 2.12 ERA, 34.0IP, 25 K's
• Minnesota: Kenta Maeda** 1-1, 2.31 ERA, 23.1IP, 41 K's

**= Kenta Maeda: 8th in AL, Strikeouts (41).

 

Boston Batting Order

1. RF Alex Verdugo .286 BA, 0HR, 5 RBI
2. SS Xander Bogaerts* .352 BA, 6 HR, 18 RBI
3. 3B Rafael Devers .253 BA, 5 HR, 18 RBI
4. DH J.D. Martinez** .328 BA, 8 HR, 21 RBI
5. LF Andrew Benintendi .183 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI
6. CF Jackie Bradley Jr. .145 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI
7. 2B Jose Peraza .257 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI
8. 1B Mitch Moreland .149 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI
9. C Christian Vazquez .155 BA, 2 HR, 11 RBI

*= Xander Bogaerts: 1st in AL OBP, (.469). 3rd in AL, OPS (1.095)
**=J.D. Martinez: T-2nd in AL, Runs Scored, (23).

 

Twins Batting Order

1. C Mitch Garver .273 BA, 6 HR, 13 RBI
2. SS Jorge Polanco .276 BA, 3HR, 16 RBI
3. 3B Josh Donaldson .267 BA, 2 HR, 9 RBI
4. DH Nelson Cruz .248 BA, 4 HR, 15 RBI
5. RF Max Kepler* .219 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI
6. 1B Miguel Sano .250 BA, 6 HR, 11 RBI
7. LF Marwin Gonzalez .281 BA, 1 HR, 2 RBI
8. 2B Ehire Adrianza .250 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI
9. CF Byron Buxton .244 BA, 5 HR, 9 RBI

*=Max Kepler: T-3rd in AL, Doubles (9).

 

Bomba Tracker
- 2019 through 28 games: 50
- 2020: 38

 

Storylines
1. Back to back 2-1 ballgames pit the series down to the final game. Although your broadcaster doesn't think this will end 2-1 as well, both starters enter the game with sub 2.32 ERA's and the Twins have shown this year they have been boom or bust against a Lefty on the mound.
2. After Xander Bogaerts lost his 22-Game Hitting Streak, it was prevalent that Boston thus far has leaned on his bat for success. Of the 98 combined RBI's in Boston's starting lineup today, 58.1% of the runs have come from three bats: Devers, Xander, and Martinez. For Boston to come out on top today, they'll need a more balanced distribution of runs out of the lineup card.
3. After today's game the Red Sox begin an ever-important battle with the 17-11 Blue Jays as Boston early in April are trying to claw back into the AL East picture. Meanwhile the Twins have a day off on Monday, and then on Tuesday will begin a two game series with the best team in baseball, the 23-5 Dodgers.

[thuuuuney]

Because of schoolwork the full post-game won't be up until tomorrow, so for now here's the highlight of the day!

• https://www.twitch.tv/thuuuuney/clip/GenerousBrightMagpieEleGiggle

Also if you want to watch today's game here is the link, start at 22:10 if you would like to skip the pre-game.

• https://www.twitch.tv/videos/603410329

[thuuuuney]

Miss the game? 

• https://www.twitch.tv/videos/603410329
• Want to skip the pre-game? Time Stamp 22:10

So this would be the game to not only decide the series, but the homestand as well. With the Indians dropping a game earlier today, a win would put the Twins a half game back of the AL Central lead which seemed impossible about a week ago. So we enter Sunday's contest, after back to back 2-1 games, with another pitcher's duel on paper set for the contest. The forecast for the game called for 70 degrees and clear skies, but it was "Sanoing" early.

• https://clips.twitch.tv/AliveTemperedSpaghettiMVGame

The Red Sox would answer and tie it up but as we alluded to back on Friday, the Twins were looking for a statement game to light a fuse and ignite the Bomba Squad; today might've been that day.

• https://clips.twitch.tv/PiercingCharmingTortoisePeteZarollTie

One of the things frequently mentioned in our streams this year is, "what are your favorite moments in baseball?" This next clip solidifies what I love so much about baseball. Forget all the Bomba's, forget all the strikeouts, this sequence was awesome. A walk, followed by a move me over groundball, ends with this play from Buxton. A terrific sequence and a great piece of hitting.

• https://clips.twitch.tv/ImportantAgreeableBarracudaPJSalt

So at this point the Twins are up 4-1 and things are looking good for the home nine, this is the point where I'd ask if you were paying attention. Like we've seen all year, the bad guys battle back and who else, other than Rafael Devers.

• https://clips.twitch.tv/UnusualGrotesqueHummingbirdYouDontSay

Down to his final strike, battling against Smeltzer, the thirdbaseman for the Red Sox delivers once again. So what are we guaranteed at this point: this will not for the third day in a row be a 2-1 game, and we are also guaranteed, that the Bomba Squad has awoken in Minnesota.

• https://www.twitch.tv/thuuuuney/clip/GenerousBrightMagpieEleGiggle
• https://clips.twitch.tv/PopularYummyEggplantKevinTurtle (this one is a fun one).

So five Bombas and some excellent pitching propels Minnesota to it's first winning homestand of the season as they take the finale against Boston 9-3.

 

Twins WIN (16-13) 9-3 over the Red Sox (15-15) 

 

Box Score

 

Boston

1. Verdugo, RF: 0-4, RBI .273BA
2. Bogaerts, SS: 1-4, .347BA
3. Devers, 3B: 1-3, 2 RBI-2B .254BA
4. Martinez, DH: 0-3, BB .319BA
5. Benintendi, LF: 0-3 .175BA
6. Bradley Jr., CF: 1-4, 3 K's .151BA
7. Peraza, 2B: 1-4, R .256BA
8. Moreland, 1B: 1-4, R .153BA
9. Vazquez, C: 0-2, R .151BA

Batting

2B: Bogaerts (8), Devers (4), Bradley Jr. (3)

RBI: Verdugo (6), Devers 2 (20)

HBP: Vazquez (1)

 

Fielding

E: Bogaerts, Benintendi

 

Baserunning

SB: Peraza (1), Vazquez (1)

 

Minnesota

1. Garver, C:  2-5, HR, 2 R .279BA
2. Polanco, SS: 3-5, 3-Run HR, 2 R .289BA
3. Donaldson, 3B: 2-4, RBI, BB .276BA
4. Cruz, DH: 0-4, .238BA
5. Kepler, RF: 2-4, 2 HR .229BA
6. Sano, 1B: 2-4, HR, 2 R .261BA
7. Gonzalez, LF: 0-4 .250BA
8. Adrianza, 2B: 0-4 .214BA
9. Buxton, CF: 2-3, R, RBI, BB .258BA

Batting

HR: Garver (7), Polanco (4), Kepler 2 (7), Sano (7) 

RBI: Garver (14), Polanco 3 (19) *team lead, Donaldson (10), Kepler 2 (10), Sano (12), Buxton (10)

GIDP: Cruz (2)

 

Boston Pitching

• Perez (L, 3-2). 4.0IP, 8H, 5ER, 2K's, 3.07ERA
• Weber 1.0IP. 1H, 1ER, 3.19ERA
• Hembree 0.2IP, 2H, 3ER, 1BB, 4.32ERA
• Brasier. 1.1IP. 1BB, 2K's  6.31ERA
• Hernandez. 1.0IP, 2H, 4.84ERA

Minnesota Pitching

• Maeda. 4.0IP, 1H, 1ER, 3BB, 6K's, 2.30ERA *4th in AL K's (47K's in 27.1IP)
• Smeltzer (W, 2-0). 3.0IP, 3H, 2ER, 1BB, 3K's, 5.08ERA
• Duffey. 2.0IP, 1H, 2K's, 3.00ERA