MIN 7, KC 2: Rosario, Sano Power Twins Win in KC

[Thiéres Rabelo]

The Twins bats showed up in support of Randy Dobnak on Saturday night. Eddie Rosario provided the first inning jolt, and then Miguel Sano did the work later in the game with a couple of big, loud hits. Dig into the details below.Box Score

Dobnak: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Home Runs: Rosario (7), Sano (5)

Top 3 WPA: Tyler Duffey 0.227, Eddie Rosario 0.126, Miguel Sano 0.104

 

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs):

 

Good pitching, good defense and bombas. Everything worked out for Minnesota on Saturday night, as they snapped a five-game losing streak at Kauffman Stadium dating back to the last game of last season. They even this current series and can win it this Sunday. That would also avoid a season series loss for Minnesota against the Royals.

 

With injuries piling up, the Twins could have had morale affected. Hours before tonight’s game, the club announced that Jake Odorizzi (chest contusion) and Zack Littell (right elbow) had been placed on the 10-Day Injured List, making it seven key players sidelined now. However, if that was the case, they sure managed to hide it very well.

 

Minnesota put together a nice lead in the top half of the first. Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco opened up the game with back-to-back hits, Max’s being a double. Then came Eddie Rosario with a swing at the first pitch he saw, homering to the fountains at Kauffman Stadium.

 

 

The Twins got at least one piece of good news regarding player injuries. Luis Arráez was back at the lineup after missing three games due to a sore knee. He helped turn two inning-ending double plays that helped Randy Dobnak to quickly pitch through the first two innings with only 20 pitches, keeping the Royals scoreless.

 

Sanó stays hot, Dobber in trouble

 

Dobnak this year isn’t used to a lot of run support, but he got some more of that in the fourth. Having a great month of August, in which he was having a .947 OPS before this game, and a 1.184 OPS in the previous seven games, he blasted his longest (458-feet) and hardest (115.8 MPH) home run of the year, with a solo bomb to lead off the inning.

 

 

The Twins starter induced yet another double play in the bottom half of the fourth, his third of the game, a career high. But he was roughed up a bit in the fifth, giving up a lead off home run to Alex Gordon and later an RBI-double to Nicky Lopez. Overall, he gave up four hits in the 19-pitch inning and saw his comfortable four-run lead be cut in half.

 

Although his pitch count still looked good (79 pitches), Dobnak’s evening was done early in the sixth. Two Kansas City runners reached to start the inning, with a catcher interference on a Jorge Soler swing, followed by a Ryan McBroom single. Tyler Duffey took over and, in spite of hitting a batter to load the bases, came through big to get out of the jam, striking out two.

 

The offense ambushed reliever Ian Kennedy to break the game open. After Alex Avila and Kepler reached, the Royals chose to walk Rosario and face Marwin González with the bases loaded instead. Command wasn’t there for Kennedy, who walked Margo. Sanó stepped up and hit another rocket (106.6 MPH), which this time stayed in the park, but was enough to bring home a couple more runs.

 

 

Veteran lefty Danny Coulombe, whose contract was selected by the Twins after the recent IL moves, had a good outing. He pitched the final two innings of the game and did not allow a run. He did give up a hit and a walk in the bottom of the ninth, causing Sergio Romo to start warming up, but he finished it off and secured the win.

 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

 

 

Postgame Pint

Immediately following the Twins 7-2 win over the Royals, Nick Nelson, John Bonnes and Cody Pirkl were joined by a virtual crowd and attempted to identify the player of the game amid several worthy candidates.

 

 

Download The Postgame Pint Podcast

You can also listen to the Postgame Pint and never miss another one. Just head over to our iTunes page and subscribe. Every morning you'll have a new episode waiting for you. Or listen wherever you download your favorite podcasts.

 

Click here to view the article

[IndianaTwin]

So apparently if last week was the 4-2 weekend, this is the 7-2 one? 

[Darius]

Sano heating up right now is huge. With all of the injuries, it could save the Twins hopes to win the division. The HRs are nice, but the walks and singles/doubles back up the middle are very encouraging.

 

When he’s in one of these hot streaks, Sano is incredibly fun to watch.

[GNess]

When Sano is hitting the ball up the middle and to right-center he isn't as vulnerable to down and away locations. Right now he is dong just that and is on a tear.

[Channing1964]

That Eddie Rosario is such a slug...man i wish we could get somebody to take him off our hands....JUST KIDDING

[bighat]

Since August 10, Sano's hitting .353....

 

Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler are having nearly identical offensive seasons (Both hitting around .230 with 6-7 HRs, 10-15 walks, 16-18 K's, and even their OPS is nearly the same).

 

Dobnak is 5-1 and leads the team in wins. Kenta Maeda could be 5-0, but Rogers has blown 2 games where Maeda was in line for the win.

 

Lost in this short season is the pennant race. With MLB handing out playoff spots to half the league, the Twins are all but guaranteed a playoff spot and many of us have stopped paying attention to the standings. Go ahead, peek at the AL Central standings, they might surprise you....and maybe scare you a bit.

 

Twins are currently ranked #9 out of 15 in team batting in the American League.

 

 

[mikelink45]

It is fascinating to me that Rosario hits the bomb that wins the game and Sano is the big topic here and on the Pint.  Dobnak had struggles and has had to face KC three times already, but again Duffey gets more love in the Pint broadcast.  Love Dobnak's consistency.  I am sure it will blow up somewhere a long the line, but this is quite a streak that Dobs has put together. Career 7 - 2, 1.69 era, 1.074 WHIP.  

 

With all the Twin starter issues I give Randy the team MVP for the season to date (2 games from the half way mark.

[jmlease1]

Dobnak has been fantastic for the Twins this year and they've really needed him with their starting depth being tested. Sure hope Berrios' last start was indicative of where he really is right now so they can get a 3rd starter they can count on: Dobnak & Maeda have been the stalwarts.

 

I've really grown to hate seeing Whit freakin' Merrifield at the plate. It just always seems like he's launching another hit. Would be perfectly happy for him to get a day off on Sunday.

 

Interesting to see Cave getting more run in CF this year. Rocco must be more comfortable with him filling in there to leave Kepler in RF; nice advantage for us if Cave can hold up in CF defensively (and frankly great for Cave's career too; he's got a lot more value if he can legitimately play all 3 positions in the OF)

[adjacent]

 

Since August 10, Sano's hitting .353....

 

Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler are having nearly identical offensive seasons (Both hitting around .230 with 6-7 HRs, 10-15 walks, 16-18 K's, and even their OPS is nearly the same).

 

Dobnak is 5-1 and leads the team in wins. Kenta Maeda could be 5-0, but Rogers has blown 2 games where Maeda was in line for the win.

 

Lost in this short season is the pennant race. With MLB handing out playoff spots to half the league, the Twins are all but guaranteed a playoff spot and many of us have stopped paying attention to the standings. Go ahead, peek at the AL Central standings, they might surprise you....and maybe scare you a bit.

 

Twins are currently ranked #9 out of 15 in team batting in the American League.

And yet the Twins are 1st in the American league in run differential (2nd to the Dodgers overall) and 2nd in the AL only behind Cleveland in run against (even with a lot of injuries in the starting rotation) Go figure....

[strumdatjaguar]

Either injuries, here are some interesting things to ponder:

1. The Twins pick up Vargas on waivers rather than bring Nick Gordon (Royce Lewis or someone else) from CHS/St. Paul.

2. The Twins bring up Lamont Wade Jr rather than elevate Kiriloff, Larnach or Rooker.

3. (Less interesting) They pick up a veteran lefty rather than elevate another fro the CHS stable.

[strumdatjaguar]

I meant - WITH injuries. Nevertheless, I am perplexed at the lack of using any prospects. Last year, they went the Arraez

[PDX Twin]

 

I meant - WITH injuries. Nevertheless, I am perplexed at the lack of using any prospects. Last year, they went the Arraez

 

I get your point. But unlike any other year, we don't have any minor league statistics to tell us whether the players we want to see are in good form or slumping. The team, on the other hand, knows because they are watching them every day. We just have to trust their judgment (or not) this year.

[AceWrigley]

Hooray for the 2-out 0-2 count base hit by Sano to score 2 runs.

[DocBauer]

I meant - WITH injuries. Nevertheless, I am perplexed at the lack of using any prospects. Last year, they went the Arraez

 

They did, however turn to Jeffers when they lost Garver for a time vs Astudillo (even if he's still ramping up) or Telis. They not only like Jeffers, but have acknowledged he's probably the primary catcher at this moment. Difference from filling in to daily play.

 

If Kepler or Rosario were out for a time, or the season, you could see one of Rooker, Kirilloff or Larnach up. Cave and Wade have experience, are solid reserve options, and already on the 40 man. It would be a shame to start service time, burn an option and lose someone off the 40 man to add one of those guys for a temporary fill in. (And baseball gods help us if the season suddenly got cancelled).

 

But another injury or two changes the whole complexion.

[IndianaTwin]

 

Since August 10, Sano's hitting .353....

 

Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler are having nearly identical offensive seasons (Both hitting around .230 with 6-7 HRs, 10-15 walks, 16-18 K's, and even their OPS is nearly the same).

 

Dobnak is 5-1 and leads the team in wins. Kenta Maeda could be 5-0, but Rogers has blown 2 games where Maeda was in line for the win.

 

Lost in this short season is the pennant race. With MLB handing out playoff spots to half the league, the Twins are all but guaranteed a playoff spot and many of us have stopped paying attention to the standings. Go ahead, peek at the AL Central standings, they might surprise you....and maybe scare you a bit.

 

Twins are currently ranked #9 out of 15 in team batting in the American League.

 

Yes, with the Orioles returning to being the Orioles, it feels like the AL playoff field is set, with only the seedings to be determined. Six teams are at a .407 percentage or lower and the Orioles are sliding. Six are at better than .600, and the Astros are climbing. And the Blue Jays are in the middle at No. 8. Sure, a five-game winning or losing streak can change things, but the list of which team is in which group is pretty much what we expected. 

 

But what I'm most struck by is that most of us can probably point to all the places where we're not playing up to potential, yet we're in first place in the division, a game off the best record in the league, and have the league's best run differential. To me, one of the best marks of a good team is when you are winning despite not playing well. 

 

[bighat]

 

To me, one of the best marks of a good team is when you are winning despite not playing well. 

Agreed.

[jimbo92107]

Small note of congrats to Danny Coulombe, who looked like he expected a Monty Python 10,000-pound anvil to smush him, yet managed to pitch through a look of certain doom to finish his inning. 

 

We had all grown accustomed to Tyler Duffey's expression of low self-esteem, but now this season that has disappeared in favor of a sliver of self-forgiveness for not being perfect. Now that Danny Coulombe has fought through his first appearance for the Twins, I hope he looks a bit more optimistic for his next outing. Bad stuff's gonna happen, guys. Go out there with a py-rate grin, laugh in the face of dane-gair - HA! -then make 'em earn it by hitting your best stuff. See? No pressure!

[Channing1964]

Dobnak has been fantastic for the Twins this year and they've really needed him with their starting depth being tested. Sure hope Berrios' last start was indicative of where he really is right now so they can get a 3rd starter they can count on: Dobnak & Maeda have been the stalwarts.

 

I've really grown to hate seeing Whit freakin' Merrifield at the plate. It just always seems like he's launching another hit. Would be perfectly happy for him to get a day off on Sunday.

 

Interesting to see Cave getting more run in CF this year. Rocco must be more comfortable with him filling in there to leave Kepler in RF; nice advantage for us if Cave can hold up in CF defensively (and frankly great for Cave's career too; he's got a lot more value if he can legitimately play all 3 positions in the OF)

I Know Right? Maybe we can convince them to trade Merrifield to us now that we are done playing them this year. That dude is Awesome!