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  • White Sox 9, Twins 8: In a Wild Game, Chicago Walks Off the Twins in 10


    Thiéres Rabelo

    The Twins gave up the lead five times throughout this game and ended up being walked off in the 10th inning. They fail to complete the sweep and lose their first game against the White Sox of the year.

    Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

    Twins Video

     

    Box Score
    Starting Pitcher: Joe Ryan, 4.0 IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 3K (85 pitches, 56 strikes, 65.8%)
    Home Runs: Jorge Polanco, 2 (12), Gio Urshela (8)
    Bottom 3 WPA: Trevor Megill (-.350), Emilio Pagan (-.230), Jovani Moran (-.195)
    Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
    1987185001_chart(1).png.dc639a323c52539d2f8da059eeef3f98.png

    For the third consecutive game, the Twins managed to load the bases in the first inning and came up empty-handed. Well, at least we thought so at first. After a Luis Arraez leadoff single and a couple of walks, from Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler, Alex Kirilloff grounded in what was first ruled as an inning-ending double play. However, someone at the Twins dugout noticed that Tim Anderson didn’t have the ball in his glove when he tagged Kepler at second, so the call on the field was overturned and Arráez run scored.

    The lead didn’t last long, though, as Joe Ryan struggled with his command in the first inning. Despite getting first-pitch strikes against four of the five batters he faced, it took him 29 pitches to get through the first. He lost Anderson to a leadoff walk and he scored shortly after that on a Jose Abreu double. Fortunately, that was all Chicago got in that inning.

    Minnesota got back on top in the second inning on three consecutive one-out hits. Gio Urshela hit a single to center and scored at the next at-bat on a long Ryan Jeffers double to deep center. Then, Arráez got his second hit of the afternoon with an RBI single to shallow center, making it 3-1 Twins. Arraez even moved to second after a wild pitch from old friend Lance Lynn, but the former Twin struck out Polanco and Byron Buxton to end the threat.

    The game continued to go back and forth. Ryan settled down after the long first inning, pitching a couple of scoreless with almost the same number of pitches (31) it took him to complete the first. But he failed to remain sharp during the fourth, which would end up being his final inning in this game. After Lynn retired eight consecutive Twins, Ryan began the fourth giving up a leadoff single to Gavin Sheets. Facing Eloy Jimenez next, Ryan managed to get an 0-2 count but ended up allowing a game-tying two-run homer.

    The Twins provided quick response in the following inning. Seemingly unstoppable right now, Arráez got his third hit of the day on the second pitch he saw to lead off the fifth. Then Polanco also jumped on an early pitch and smashed it to right field for a two-run dong, putting the Twins back on top, 5-3. Ryan has now allowed three or more runs in four of his last starts. He didn’t come back to pitch in the bottom of the fifth, with Emilio Pagán taking over in his relief – and he soon blew the lead. Three of the first four hitters he faced reached safely, including Andrew Vaughn, who hit a leadoff single, and Luis Robert, who hit a rocket for a game-tying two-run shot.

    This went on for a couple more innings. In the seventh, Polanco hit his second home run of the night, a leadoff shot against reliever Kendall Graveman. This is Polo’s first multi-HR game of the season. But the White Sox would naturally tie the game again in the bottom of the inning. Griffin Jax allowed three hits, including an RBI single to Jiménez, making it 6-6.

    Minnesota regained the lead in the eighth – because of course they would. Jose Miranda hit his 12th double of the season to lead off the inning. Then, Urshela went yard for the Twins’ third home run of the afternoon. It was 8-6 Twins with six outs to go. Could the bullpen hold on to this lead? Not really. In the bottom of the inning, Vaughn crushed a two-run bomb off Trevor Megill and the game was tied for the fifth in the game, 8-8.

    Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth, becoming only the second Twins pitcher not to allow a run to score in the whole game, alongside Caleb Thielbar's clean sixth. The game went to extra innings and Minnesota put some pressure when Miranda drew a leadoff walk, but they couldn’t capitalize. Jovani Moran pitched in the 10th and he allowed Josh Harrison to walk and ghost runner Adam Engel to move up to third on a passed ball. Then, Leury Garcia brought home the winning run on a single to end the game.

    What’s Next?
    Minnesota has a day off on Thursday when they will be traveling to Texas. On Friday, they start a weekend series against the Rangers in Arlington, with Sonny Gray (2.47 ERA) scheduled to start against Jon Gray (3.96 ERA). The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT.

    Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet

      SAT SUN MON TUE WED TOT
                 
    Cotton 38 0 0 21 0 59
    Pagán 10 0 18 0 23 51
    Jax 0 0 26 0 17 43
    Duffey 0 0 13 18 0 31
    Duran 0 0 20 0 9 29
    Moran 0 18 0 0 8 26
    Megill 0 0 0 2 22 24
    Thielbar 0 0 0 11 8 19
     

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    I liked what I saw of Megill's stuff.  He has a dynamite FB and a curve with a lot of break.  I think hitters just sit on one of those and wait for it to come.  It would be nice if he could mix in a change-up or slider once in awhile.  I think he has BP potential, but needs some refinement.

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    7 hours ago, Aichiman said:

    What about Hamilton?  He's got a 1.something era in St. Paul's bullpen.  Why isn't he in the conversation?

    He pitched really well last year in AAA too, but still never got a shot over the likes of Barraclough/Gibaut/other waiver wire fodder. Feels like a Jake Reed situation, where the numbers are good but the coaches don't think he has what it takes to get MLB hitters out. Usually they are right, but it'd be nice to give him a shot (more than one inning vs Toronto). 

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    1 hour ago, farmerguychris said:

    Same story different day.  When is the F.O. going to give Rocco some help in the pen?  Do they think it is going improve on its own?

    Until Rocco stops telling FO that he can fix it ,,,, it will continue 

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    15 hours ago, wabene said:

    You also have twice said they were going to lose in the 6th inning of games they actually won. What if they win the division? Just go silent? 

    I guess we'll find out.  Unless they fix the bullpen, they'll continue to play under .500 baseball the remainder of the season. 20-22 the last 42 games.

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    1 hour ago, bighat said:

    Absolutely. That Ian Hamilton seemed pretty good.

    Last year Hamilton walked to many  ,,, I haven't followed him at all this year but walks have been his downfall  in the past 

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    2 hours ago, Danchat said:

    He pitched really well last year in AAA too, but still never got a shot over the likes of Barraclough/Gibaut/other waiver wire fodder. Feels like a Jake Reed situation, where the numbers are good but the coaches don't think he has what it takes to get MLB hitters out. Usually they are right, but it'd be nice to give him a shot (more than one inning vs Toronto). 

    He pitched "really well" last year?

    He had a great K rate, but walked almost 6 per nine, had an ERA over 4, and a 1.44 WHIP.

    That doesn't sound appealing to me. 

     

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    3 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

    Until Rocco stops telling FO that he can fix it ,,,, it will continue  with his spread sheets 

    If this were true it means Rocco doesn't want more talent on the roster to make his job easier. There is no way that is the case.

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    6 hours ago, USAFChief said:

    He pitched "really well" last year?

    He had a great K rate, but walked almost 6 per nine, had an ERA over 4, and a 1.44 WHIP.

    That doesn't sound appealing to me. 

     

    On second inspection, that does look quite bad. Maybe it’s my memory or perhaps he had a very bad August/end of the year. But his numbers this year have been stellar.

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    19 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

    Until Rocco stops telling FO that he can fix it ,,,, it will continue 

    What evidence do you have that Rocco has done this?  Don't you think he wants better options also?

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    So Pagan read Nick's essay and went to the mound knowing he can save the day - oops.  We cannot undo the Rogers trade - I hated it, so we are stuck and have to figure out how this pen can work.  It is so hard to see the team unwind from a good series and a good offensive game.

    I still would have left Ryan in.  In the good old days (my days) they let starters figure it out and sometimes they were better at the end than the beginning.  We do not have the luxury of using 5 good arms out of the pen.  Maybe Duran can learn to pitch with both arms so we can keep him in for two innings - one right, one left.

    Days off with a days off and it is too much to ask a really good hitter to PH in the 10th????????  Come on now.  The 10th inning is when BA really counts and Jeffers is batting 192.   And yes, Rocco, it is okay to advance the runner to third!   Ryan has to figure out how to hit again, but this is not where he should get batting practice.

    I have been without internet for a few days here in Alaska so I am catching up and it is fascinating to see so many repeat issues - days off, RP, short starts.  I will be off and on for the next couple weeks - will anything change?  I hope so. 

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