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Judge and Stanton Clobber Dobnak
It sure feels like a long time since the Twins threw Randy Dobnak in Game 2 of the ALDS against this Yankees lineup. In that game, Dobnak gave up four runs in 2+ innings pitched. Tonight didn’t go much better for the struggling right-hander, as Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton tee’d off on him. Together, Judge and Stanton combined to go 5-for-6 off Dobnak with three home runs and two doubles.
In the first, it was Aaron Judge who got the home run derby started, as he cleared the fence in left-center field to put the Yankees up 1-0.
The Yankees added another run in the second thanks to back-to-back two out hits, the latter being an RBI double from Brett Gardner that put the Yankees up 2-0. The third inning is where the Yankees busted things open. Aaron Judge ledoff the inning with a double that was followed by a Gleyber Torres walk. This set the table for Giancarlo Stanton who promptly blasted a no-doubter to straight away center field.
After a scoreless fourth, the Yankees lineup went back to taking batting practice off of Rany Dobnak in the fifth. The inning started with a Gleyber Torres walk that preceded Gincarlo Stanton’s second home run of the game. This one just barley clearing the scoreboard in right-center field.
Following that Stanton home run, Gio Urshela ripped a base hit up the middle, but didn’t stay on the bases long as Rougned Odor followed that up with a double-play groundout. Just as Dobnak looked like he was about to get out of the inning, he served up his fourth home run of the night, this time to Miguel Andujar.
Kyle Higashioka followed that up with a single, which finally closed the book on a rough night for Randy Dobnak. Griffin Jax came in and needed just one batter to finally get the Twins out of the inning.
Polanco and Sano Both Take Gerrit Cole Deep
In what was an otherwise shutdown start from Yankees ace, there were a couple of bright spots from the Twins lineup as both Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano connected on a Gerrit Cole fastball, taking him deep for a couple of solo shots.
Twins Bats Awaken in 4-run 9th
It was a little too late for a comeback, but the Twins bats did show a little bit of life in the bottom of the 9th, as they entered the inning trailing by a score of 9-2. Alex Kirilloff got things going with a one out triple that just narrowly missed clearing the fence in center field. He then came in to score one batter later on a Miguel Sano single. After an Andrelton Simmons groundout, which advanced Sano to second base, Gilberto Celestino picked up his first career MLB hit, as he laced a line drive up the middle.
A wild pitch from Yankees reliever Brooks Kriske brought Miguel Sano in from third, and allowed Celestino to advance to second. Later in that same at-bat, Jorge Polanco connected on his second home run of the game, this time off the foul poll in right. This was just the second career multi-homer game for Jorge Polanco, and the first since 2017.
The comeback effort fell short, however, as Josh Donaldson flew out to right to end the ballgame.
No Drama Between Cole and Donaldson
There was a lot of drama heading into tonight’s ballgame surrounding comments that Josh Donaldson made in regards to Gerrit Cole’s spin rates in light of the MLB cracking down on pitchers using illegal substances on the baseball. Well known New York sports radio personality Michael Kay shared his two cents on the situation earlier today.
In the end, nothing played out on the diamond, as Cole never threw at Donaldson. Instead Cole just shut Donaldson’s bat down, as Donaldson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Cole.
Bullpen Usage Chart
What's Next?
The Twins and Yankees wrap up the three game series Thursday Night at 7:10 pm CDT, as the Twins look to avoid the sweep with J.A. Happ facing his former team, while the Yankees will counter with Michael King.
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