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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)
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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