Game Recap: Athletics 7, Twins 6

[David Youngs]

After an electric win on Saturday, the Twins were plagued by a rough fifth inning and late-game error in a rubber match deficit to the Athletics. 

Boxscore
Kenta Maeda: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 ER, BB, 2 K
Home Runs: Kepler (4), Simmons (2)
Bottom 3 WPA: Rogers -.298, Maeda -.224, Polanco -.149
Win Probability Chart (via  FanGraphs)

Despite some early offensive action, the Twins were plagued by a tough fifth inning and a costly eighth-inning error that eventually cost them the game to Oakland. With a runner on first and one out, Taylor Rogers fielded a grounder and threw to second in an attempt to get the Twins out of the eight with a double-play. Rogers' throw was solid, but was muffed by 3B Josh Donaldson at second base. The ball trickled into CF, allowing baserunner Ramon Laureano to advance to third. Laureano scored the game-winning run two at-bats later on a wild pitch from Rogers.

Kenta Struggles

Coming off two quality starts, Kenta Maeda had one of his shakier starts of the year, plagued by a rocky fifth inning. After only giving up one run through the first four, Maeda gave up four consecutive hits that would lead to a four-run inning for the Athletics. 

Maeda now has a 5.26 ERA through his first eight starts of the year. He’ll have a chance to redeem himself when he takes the hill against Cleveland on Friday night. Maeda suffered an April 27th loss in his only other appearance against Cleveland, giving up five runs (four ER) on seven hits in addition to three HR in a 7-4 defeat.

It’s clear that Maeda isn’t off to the same start that landed him second in Cy Young voting in 2020. Still, it’s likely that Maeda will get out of this rut at some point given his reputation for consistency. The righty leveraged a 4.03 ERA through eight starts in 2019, 4.75 in 2018, and 5.08 in 2017. None of these numbers are spectacular, but the point is, Maeda has turned out fine by the end of the year. He’ll be okay, it’s just taking a bit longer.

Fifth Inning Blues

Maeda’s crumble in the fifth wasn’t the sole proprietor to the A’s massive inning. With the bases loaded and one out, A’s CF Ramon Laureano chopped a weak grounder to Andrelton Simmons. Simmons then came home with ball prompting a run down involving baserunner Elvis Andrus and Twins C Ben Rortvedt. 

As Rortvedt tracked Andrus back to third base, he prematurely threw the ball to 3B Josh Donaldson, allowing Andrus time to retreat towards home. With Rortvedt in close proximity, Andrus channeled his inner-Lebron James and made contact with the Twins catcher. The play resulted in an interference call, scoring Andrus and prolonging the inning. 

Bats Activated

Max Kepler has had a lackluster year at the plate thus far. That wasn’t the case on Sunday for the acting Twins CF, who played in a part in five of six Twins’ runs. 

Kepler put the Twins on the board in the second with a three-run shot to right-center field, giving the Twins a 3-1 lead. An inning later Kepler skied a bases-loaded pitch to right field to score Jorge Polanco on a bang-bang play. 

Kepler added to his big day at the plate with an eighth inning double. He would later score on Andrelton Simmons game-tying home run. Kepler exited the game after the eighth inning for unconfirmed reasons.

Up Next

The Twins will look to clean up their act when the White Sox come to town tomorrow night. J.A. Happ (2-1, 4.26 ERA) will face off against Dallas Keuchel (2-1, 4.53 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:40p.m. CST.

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN	TOT
Anderson	54	0	0	0	11	65
Thielbar	0	0	29	0	28	57
Law	13	0	35	0	0	48
Duffey	16	0	0	0	26	42
Rogers	0	20	0	0	12	32
Robles	0	12	0	17	0	29
Colomé	15	0	0	7	0	22
Alcala	0	16	0	0	0	16

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[h2oface]

Lots of details to moan about. One that will get lost in it all.... Duffey - three inherited runners. Three inherited runners scored. It never ends. 

Donaldson - just wow. Simmons can't throw now (4 errors so far this year) and Donaldson can't catch an easy throw. That was a double play and out of the top half of the 9th. Instead, that's the loss and the ball game.

[Mill1634]

2 of the worst losses on the season against the A's, starting with the high scoring extra innings affair, and then today. Twins were in absolute control of the ball game, and then the young stud defensive catcher makes a play a middle school catcher would get pulled for. Absolutely and utterly inexcusable, and anyone who defends it or blames it on Andrus for "flopping" needs to get a reality check. It's not about the flop, but that your catcher looks lost under pressure. Get Jeffers up now and don't look back.  And then Donaldson drops a tailor made double play in what would've been a no run inning. The at bats were fine, but Kenta and the defense were atrocious today. Another clear example of TSF 2.0. 

[Mill1634]

2 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Lots of details to moan about. One that will get lost in it all.... Duffey - three inherited runners. Three inherited runners scored. It never ends. 

And only one was his “fault” (and it wasn’t really, weak ground out) when he came in in literally the most difficult situation. 

[Vanimal46]

Gotta go 6-6 over the next 12 games, otherwise the dream of being the 2019 Washington Nationals is dead. 

[cHawk]

This is a loss where you blame the players. 
 

Donaldson - I have nothing. A major leaguer catches that, DP and out. He’s a good fielder, so WTF.

Rortvedt - Oh FFS. What an idiotic move. A middle school catcher would get benched for that, but we didn’t enough bench depth to take him out. D!ck move by Andrus for sure, but Rortvedt let it happen to him.

I thought we would be able to rely on Duffey. How foolish of me. How do you regress that much in one offseason?

[SoDakTwinsFan4]

Mitch Garver's game needs an overhaul. His coming out party in 2019 was a one-time courtesy. SITUATIONAL HITTING...He needs to check his ego and hit for contact, hit the the ball the other way, and "grind out" an at-bat for crying out loud. And...he's a liability behind the plate in my opinion. 

[h2oface]

17 minutes ago, Mill1634 said:

And only one was his “fault” (and it wasn’t really, weak ground out) when he came in in literally the most difficult situation. 

3 inherited runners, 3 inherited runners scored. If it ain't about the flop, it ain't about any other excuses. 

[USAFChief]

Does this manager spend ANY time at all, spring training or regular season, drilling the basics of how to play the game of baseball into his team?

 

 

[USAFChief]

And personally, I hope Garver goes on a hot streak, so he can be dumped at the deadline.

 

His defense is just too bad. 

[blindeke]

Duffey actually pitched great today. I am so pissed about that play. 

[Tom Froemming]

 

[h2oface]

If a batter moves his arm into the pitch, is it the pitchers fault for throwing it inside over the plate and it is still a strike, if not for the batter moving elbow into the ball? Rortvedt doesn't touch Andrus. Andrus reaches out and touches Rortvedt. The umpire never should have made that call. Flopping Andrus should have been called out, as he was. 

Sometimes players like to cheat to win. Anything to win. Hrbek comes to mind.....

[Platoon]

8 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

And personally, I hope Garver goes on a hot streak, so he can be dumped at the deadline.

 

His defense is just too bad. 

He still has not learned to square up his body on a low pitch. Nor has he learned to "smother" a pitch.  Finally, while I know that one legged catching is the rage, there are just some guys not athletic enough to pull it off. He is one of them. You simply cannot block balls that low if you are tied up like a  pretzel. That leaves you relying on your glove, definitely not Garvers forte! 

[tony&rodney]

The Twins have plenty of problems, it is true. MLB has more problems, many more. The umpires are struggling more than I can recall in my lifetime and the number of errors from NYC umpires have piled up even with totally conclusive evidence. Additionally, from high school rules in doubleheaders to Covid 19 rules in extra innings to a lack of clarity on what is or is not reason to go to the headset, MLB is deeply flawed. This follows a winter where DH "discussions", among other problems, were fumbled. 

The real error on the rundown was a failure of a teammate to VERY loudly yell for Rortveldt to just hold the ball and run Andrus to 3B where another runner created an automatic out. The Twins did not communicate at all on that play. Lastly, you can see Andrus laughing and demonstrating how he acted his way to a poor call. There was no interference, only incidental contact on the grass. It was a poor call and the Oakland announcers felt that too and just called it smart baseball and poor umpiring.

None of this excuses the Twins poor play. Garver is not a catcher for starters. Terry Francona would never put him behind the plate. If Kirilloff cannot come back and Buxton is out for a long spell games like the recent debacles will continue to occur. Outside of some changes the Twins will need to crush every game to have a chance with their current defense.

[h2oface]

6 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

.......The real error on the rundown was a failure of a teammate to VERY loudly yell for Rortveldt to just hold the ball and run Andrus to 3B where another runner created an automatic out. The Twins did not communicate at all on that play. Lastly, you can see Andrus laughing and demonstrating how he acted his way to a poor call. There was no interference, only incidental contact on the grass. It was a poor call and the Oakland announcers felt that too and just called it smart baseball and poor umpiring.

Totally agree that the correct play was to run the runner all the way back to third. But in regard to blaming teammates for not yelling.... how does someone playing in the show, especially as a catcher, not know that? Or someone playing in the lowest levels of the minors, even? 

Still, the umpire made a horrible call. Flopping in baseball. These are our times.

[bighat]

This team just gives away runs like Halloween candy on October 31st. And they squander runs on the offensive side. Men on 2nd and 3rd, nobody out? For the Twins, they're lucky to score 1 run in that scenario. They can't score runs in bunches because they can't hit with runners on base. This team simply cannot make contact.

Most last place teams are likeable, if not loveable. Almost all last place teams are rebuilding and doing their best - at least you give them respect....not these guys. This is the worst team in baseball, they deserve to be, and it's pretty hard to feel sorry for them the way they are playing.

[jimbo92107]

The Andrus flop was hilarious. Most of these guys are superior athletes that you couldn't knock over if you got a full running start. Suddenly one of them falls down from the merest suggestion of contact with the catcher. Call it cheating if you want, but you can bet the A's fans were cheering and laughing. A well-executed flop is every bit as artful as a wide receiver pushing off just with his elbow. Yes, it's cheating. Yes, they sometimes get caught. Yes, it's part of the game. 

Rortvedt's error in the rundown was simple: You're supposed to run as fast as you can at the runner, with the ball held next to your cheek, wrist back. If the runner makes a full brake for third, you snap a throw to the baseman, sticking your two fingers in his eyes. Then you're supposed to circle around the play to get ready for the next round. The rookie catcher instead followed the play, allowing Andrus the opportunity to execute his flop. 

The reason the flop worked was typical sleight of hand. The umpire's attention was split between the guy with the ball and the runner. When Andrus suddenly slipped on an invisible banana peel, the ump automatically assumed that Rortvedt had knocked him down. Well played, Elvis.

[cHawk]

 

7 minutes ago, bighat said:

This team just gives away runs like Halloween candy on October 31st. And they squander runs on the offensive side. Men on 2nd and 3rd, nobody out? For the Twins, they're lucky to score 1 run in that scenario. They can't score runs in bunches because they can't hit with runners on base. This team simply cannot make contact.

Most last place teams are likeable, if not loveable. Almost all last place teams are rebuilding and doing their best - at least you give them respect....not these guys. This is the worst team in baseball, they deserve to be, and it's pretty hard to feel sorry for them the way they are playing.

They don’t have the least talent in baseball (quite far from it) but they DO NOT play as a team.

[tony&rodney]

I believe the umpire did assume but we don't know. Umpires are human and mistakes happen but unless the umpire believed Andrus was pushed and the umpire did not assume there should have been a review on the basis of not seeing the play. 

There were so many mistakes and Rortveldt made a fundamental error in throwing the ball at all. Still, right now he is our only catcher. We can see that the pitchers will not throw the ball low in the zone often enough to Garver won't be caught. 

I'm not a fan of obvious flops.

[mikelink45]

In a year when we were addressing defense - we failed.

In a year where we knew we could pick up any scrub and make him into a RP - we failed.

Sano has one good game - yesterday.

Kepler has one good game - today.

Can we get these professional hitters to do something regularly?

By the way Larnach looks like he belongs - that is the positive.  

And Maeda is still reading last years press clippings.  

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Elvis has left the  building  baseline. 

[Monticore]

I really thought Sano would do it in the 9th. 

#FreePalestine

[Rosterman]

17 RUNNERS LEFT ON BASE!

 

Gotta play fundamental ball.

 

Bullpen can't hold the game close. And even after a battle back, who do you call?

[insagt1]

As has been the case in so many games recently, Twins had the chance to score a ton of runs. But they just cannot deliver with men on base. Opposing pitchers know this and they go full out for the strikeout with less than 2 outs. And they usually get it.

Then after an improbable comeback, they simply pee it away in the 9th. Our million dollar infielder with yet another bad error. And of course, a strikout results in a wild pitch and a winning run. Why not? Its the Twins 2021. Bad teams find ways to lose, even when they shouldn't. Todays game was a hot mess of missed opportunities and crappy 'd'..when it counted most.

The good news...the cheap run in the 9th prevented an 8th extra inning embarrassment. Silver lining.

[Mill1634]

1 hour ago, h2oface said:

3 inherited runners, 3 inherited runners scored. If it ain't about the flop, it ain't about any other excuses. 

The flop was a stupid play messed up by the twins catcher. Sure it was a flop, but never should’ve even gotten to that point. Complaining about it is stupid. Complain about the catcher for not knowing what the hell he was doing. As for Duffey, he did his job PERFECTLY in that situation. Not sure how the two are equally unless you weren’t actually watching the game

[flpmagikat]

41 minutes ago, cHawk said:

 

They don’t have the least talent in baseball (quite far from it) but they DO NOT play as a team.

 

Yeah, I don't want to hear the word "luck" used with this team again this year. The team, while filled with talented individuals, is really, really, terrible at playing mlb quality baseball. At least I'll save $85/month canceling att tv after this month!

[h2oface]

16 minutes ago, Mill1634 said:

The flop was a stupid play messed up by the twins catcher. Sure it was a flop, but never should’ve even gotten to that point. Complaining about it is stupid. Complain about the catcher for not knowing what the hell he was doing. As for Duffey, he did his job PERFECTLY in that situation. Not sure how the two are equally unless you weren’t actually watching the game

Happy for you that you think a pitcher does his job perfectly when he is called in FOR RELIEF with the bases loaded and no outs.... AND ALL THE RUNNERS INHERITED SCORE. ALL OF THEM. I know what happened and how (one can watch the game and not be part of the game thread, eh?). Miss bats and things are different. That would be perfect in my book. Relief is not letting all the runners score. I know Duffey had help. He is still on the mound called in for relief, not to open the faucet.

The ump should never have called interference. It did get to that point, and the runner should have been called out. Period. Umpire made a horrible call. Well documented. Easy to see on replay. Hate the catcher if you like, if that makes you happy. I have already adressed that he had other options, and should have done them. But the umpire made the call that was horrible, and the wrong call. And I won't call your behavior stupid, even if you call mine stupid.

[rv78]

The Bad News Bears strike again! 

Definitely one of the worst games of bumbling misfits I have ever watched try to play baseball. Highschoolers know how to execute a rundown better than the 2021 Twins. Can Donaldson make a mis-catch at anymore of an inopportune time than he did today. Can Garver not block a ball at anymore of an inopportune time than he did today. Why is Arraez in the outfield? A good outfielder makes the catch he lets bounce off the wall. Why does Rocco bring in Duffey with the bases loaded when he has proven he can't keep inherited runners from scoring? Sano had his moment in the sun yesterday. Back to his usual non-productive self today. So many wrongs again. Only bright spot was Larnach getting 3 hits. Trade the rest of the bums for a bag of peanuts and a box of cracker jacks.

[Danchat]

21 minutes ago, Rosterman said:

17 RUNNERS LEFT ON BASE!

 

Gotta play fundamental ball.

 

Bullpen can't hold the game close. And even after a battle back, who do you call?

*17 LOB, 9 total runners left on base

(still awful, just wanted to clarify)