The Twins face the Tigers in a doubleheader in Detroit. Detroit and Kansas City are well behind the leaders in the AL Central. The Tigers appear better, but still aren't contenders for postseason. They face Matthew Boyd and Terik Skubal, both left handers. Boyd has struggled so far while Skubal is making his third start. 

 

The Twins open the series as co-leaders along with both Chicago and Cleveland. They still are struggling offensively and the bullpen has lost a couple of games in part because the starters aren't giving much length. They will probably go with a bullpen game in Game 2, most likely using 29th man the so-far disappointing Lewis Thorpe and new call-up (and ex-White Sox) Juan Minaya. Fourteen innings with an extra arm in the bullpen wouldn't be too much of a strain on bullpen, which is fresh with the last two games postponed.

 

Lineups for Game 1:

 

Twins (20-12)

 

Polanco  ss

Sanó 1b

Cruz dh

Gonzalez rf

Vargas 2b

Rosario lf

Adrianza 3b

Kepler cf

Avila c

 

Dobnak (p)  5-1 1.78 ERA

 

 

Detroit  (13-16)

 

Reyes rf

Schoop 2b

Cabrera dh

Candelario 1b

Goodrum ss

Jones cf

Stewart lf

Romine c

Castro 3b

 

 

Boyd (p) 0-4 8.48 ERA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's see -- Matthew Boyd is the starter we were wanting to trade for, right? Sure is a bummer we got stuck with Maeda, huh. 

My this game is going fast.

 

Heading into thr bottom of the second already.

And i expect a comma would clerify the pitching stats.

 

An 11 era vs 48 era does not bode well for a low scoring game. Though in all fairness, i don't think Boyd's era is indicative of what we should expect.

Ya know, i can't help enjoying ground balls this game, as Detroit's middle infield are ex-Twins.

 

And i expect a comma would clerify the pitching stats.

An 11 era vs 48 era does not bode well for a low scoring game. Though in all fairness, i don't think Boyd's era is indicative of what we should expect.

 

I was admiring Boyd's 0-48 record. 

Oh, and good job charging the ball, Gonzalez and keeping both the infield fly rule and triple play intact.

 

And as it played out, not allowing the run to score on a double play.

Eddie should have caught it.

I was admiring Boyd's 0-48 record.

Ah yes!

 

Quite an accomplishment to lose more games than your team has played...

 

That should put him in good HOF standing.

Eddie should have caught it.

Almost did, alas.

 

Now i wonder if he will make up for it with the bat and the base running...

Is someone vacuuming or leaf blowing in the stadium somewhere? Sounds like a construction site or something.

Kepler on second.

 

We seem to get our bounces too.

Wait, is Boyd the former Blue Jay pitcher who got given a hard time for traveling in a VW camper?

 

I got a soft spot for him!

SF!

 

Tie game!

 

(i left my heart in SF...)

Had to be gifted a run against the guy with an 8 ERA

 

Is someone vacuuming or leaf blowing in the stadium somewhere? Sounds like a construction site or something.

 

Maybe they got the wrong track in the canned sound. Perhaps a Dyson commercial sound track. (Sorry for bringing back bad memories with the Dyson reference!)

Tough crowd! Edits performed on the intro to properly format the pitchers' records and properly name the Twins 29th player. 1-1, in the 3rd.

Dobnak does not have it today

 

Is someone vacuuming or leaf blowing in the stadium somewhere? Sounds like a construction site or something.

 

Yeah, it's super irritating.

Dobnak does not have it today

Not sure how much he really “has it” anyway. Good story and certainly not a bum, but I’d guess he’s pitching over his head. Just my 2c

 

Yeah, it's super irritating.

 

The mute button takes care of it ... and Bert!

Any chance we can start another protest, mid game? Feels like we’ll be sitting in third place at the end of the weekend. Dobnak getting singled to death and so far the offense has been pretty quiet against a guy like Boyd. Not good

Do they have the fake people in the stadium here? If so, why don't they have them in the televisible seats behind home plate?

Tough crowd! Edits performed on the intro to properly format the pitchers' records and properly name the Twins 29th player. 1-1, in the 3rd.

Kudos then on making interesting errors!

This team looks like nothing special.

Dobnak is pretty lucky to have only given up 2 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings... but yikes, Detroit's hitters look better than ours.

This team looks like nothing special.

The fact that I knew you weren’t talking about the Tigers says it all. We’re lethargic, and have been for a month. Not sure where the energy is that we saw last year

2-1 with another double play leaving with a runner going to 3rd limiting the carnage.

Why is Vargas batting 5th and Kepler batting 8th? What's the logic?

What's most interesting to me is that I would have predicted regression for old man Cruz, but he's the one Twin who has not regressed much. Maybe we just had a lot of career years in 2019?