Game Score: Cleveland 3, Twins 1

[Jamie Cameron]

The Twins fell to Cleveland 3-1 in the first game of Tuesday's double header. Any reflection on the outcome paled in significance to Joe Ryan sustaining an injury after taking a line drive off his pitching hand. Game two starts at 6:40 CST.

Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Ryan 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Homeruns: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Coulombe -.401, Arraez -.147, Buxton -.125

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

After a frustrating loss in the Bronx on Monday, the Twins returned home for a double-header against Cleveland. Anticipation was as high as it could be for a losing team so late in the season, as Joe Ryan looked to follow up his exceptional previous start. Here is how the Twins lined up for game one.

Any doubts that seeing him last week would suddenly render Cleveland more able to see Joe Ryan’s fastball were quickly erased by his first two innings of work. Aside from a Harold Ramirez double, Cleveland managed four fly-outs and two strikeouts against Joe Flow, lowering his ERA to 1.93. The Twins, however, established little threat of their own, with a Max Kepler walk providing their only baserunner through two innings (before he was picked off at first base).

As Mike Petriello noted, however, Ryan’s pitch mix was significantly different from his last outing. He mixed in more breaking and off-speed pitches, keeping Cleveland’s hitters off balance.

After Ben Rortvedt led off the third inning with a single, Andrelton Simmons doubled him home on a line drive to the outfield which was badly misjudged by Harold Ramirez. The Twins took a 1-0 lead after a failed Cleveland challenge. 

Bradley Zimmer tied the game in the top of the fifth, crushing an off-speed left up over the plate into the second deck in right field. Disaster struck for the Twins in the sixth. Myles Straw hit a 93 mph line drive right back at Joe Ryan, striking him on his pitching hand. Ryan couldn’t field the ball and immediately walked off the mound and field of play. Although Ryan was able to walk off under his own power, he looked visibly frustrated, slamming his glove into the dugout. Twins fans will anxiously await news on a player who has been one of the few bright spots in a season marred by underperformance and injury. 

Ryan was replaced by Jorge Alcala in the sixth inning. Alcala quickly retired the side, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth. The Twins unraveled defensively in the top of the seventh. Harold Ramirez singled on a ground ball which Jorge Polanco missed. He advanced to second on a passed ball by Ben Rortvedt before an Austin Hedges double and a Luis Arraez error at third base gave Cleveland a 3-1 lead. Emmanuel Clase came on to close the game for Cleveland, dropping the Twins to 63-82. Shortly after the game, Rocco Baldelli that x-rays performed on Joe Ryan came back negative.

Bullpen Usage Chart

	FRI	SAT	SUN	MON	TUE	TOT
Minaya	40	0	17	0	0	57
Coulombe	0	23	0	0	27	50
Duffey	11	0	0	38	0	49
Farrell	0	12	0	34	0	46
Colomé	12	0	0	27	0	39
Moran	0	0	37	0	0	37
Thielbar	0	26	0	11	0	37
Alcalá	9	0	18	0	8	35
Barraclough	0	0	0	23	0	23
Garza Jr.	0	0	11	6	0	17

Next Up
Game 2 of the double header begins at 6:40 CST. On Wednesday, the Twins continue their series with Cleveland. Griffin Jax will take on Cal Quantrill. First pitch is at 6:40 CST

Postgame Interviews - Coming soon

 

 

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[Dortmunder]

I have tried to survive this lost year by focusing my attention on the few bright spots that might mean good things in the season(s) to come. When I learned about Ryan getting hit on the wrist, I thought once again about how snakebitten this team is. Yesterday the Yankees felt so bad about playing the Twins, they spotted us five runs to start the game and the Twins still couldn't win. I'm glad Ryan's x-rays were negative, but I don't know how much more of this I can take.

[RpR]

26 minutes ago, Dortmunder said:

I have tried to survive this lost year by focusing my attention on the few bright spots that might mean good things in the season(s) to come. When I learned about Ryan getting hit on the wrist, I thought once again about how snakebitten this team is. Yesterday the Yankees felt so bad about playing the Twins, they spotted us five runs to start the game and the Twins still couldn't win. I'm glad Ryan's x-rays were negative, but I don't know how much more of this I can take.

I take it you were not watching the Twins during the seventies.

I will admit that frustration started after less than ten years from a World Series appearance but then started with the Twins being swept in the play-offs in 1969-70, AND back then they dominated the Yankees.

[mikelink45]

Here is the good news - Ryan might be okay!  Yes we need him.

Here is the bad news - the objective of creating a better defense did not work.  The Twins bats do not work.  We did get three hits-  one from 163 BA Rortvedt and one from 224 hitting Simmons.   And one more thing - Coloumbe is not really the answer.

And who really wants the DH to have more than 7 innings?  I am happy to get these games over quickly.

But we still have one more game to go.

 

[wabene]

Dang this kid is something else. Pissed for not protecting himself. I think we got a good one here.

[Longdistancetwins]

2 hours ago, RpR said:

I take it you were not watching the Twins during the seventies.

I will admit that frustration started after less than ten years from a World Series appearance but then started with the Twins being swept in the play-offs in 1969-70, AND back then they dominated the Yankees.

  The mediocre Twins of the 1970s were pretty bad against the mediocre Yankees of the early 1970s.  I went (as a Twins fan in the New York area) to some doubleheaders where the Twins would lose both games.  

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Longdistancetwins said:

  The mediocre Twins of the 1970s were pretty bad against the mediocre Yankees of the early 1970s.  I went (as a Twins fan in the New York area) to some doubleheaders where the Twins would lose both games.  

You are right, it was only the sixties where the Twins won more than they lost, over the decade, and the nineties when they were close to even.

I do know some years the Twins dominated but only one decade and not by much; it was after Tom Kelley left that the Twins became an embarrassment playing the Yankees.

In 1971 & 1979 are the only two years of the ninties the Twins came out on top.

I am AMAZED that in 2013/14 the Twins won the series in New York but got their butt kicked at home.

 

[Trov]

The way Joe walked off mound it sure looked a lot worse than just a bruise.  He walked off without even having it looked at.  I wonder if he makes another start this year.?

[jmlease1]

So happy to hear that the x-rays were negative. Maybe he'll only have to skip a start and can finish the season strong and healthy.