stringer bell

Perkins with the call!

Flashbacks of the game in Oakland last year. Also a flashback of Harmon being injured on a similar play back in the 60s.

He also looked in when he took off.

Defensive replacement for Kirilloff. The problem was the next hitter (Gordon) fouled a ball off his knee and now has been removed from the game.

Jeffers with four very impactful at-bats. Good good, two bad. In addition, a base running mistake and a throw out on a steal attempt.

There will be heartburn (Ranger runners on base) before this game ends (IMHO).

Garver probably has one at bat remaining in his season.

Jeffers with just enough!!!

Lead off single. Bunt him over. Let’s see how old school works.

Tying the game is really not enough.

I think that is tempting fate. However, besides Duran, who is available?

Mr. RBI gets the run home (Sarcasm).

One admirable feature of the 2022 Twins has been their ability to bounce back. There are obvious flaws to this team. I've been preaching that the starting rotation is not going to produce a lot of innings and also doesn't have a bell cow at the top of the rotation. Somehow, they've avoided losing streaks and held a lead throughout since they took over late in April. I expect the Twins to bounce back until they don't.

Nobody warm.

You've missed some scoring.

Okay, how long a leash for Smeltzer?

I'm heading to Vegas.

Now if Sanchez could run into one................

And we're tied!!!

Need to get on the board here.

Odds that the Twins score with a runner on second and none out--I'm guessing less than 50-50.

Texas telecasters said that Rocco is thinking Buxton won't be in the lineup tomorrow.

Smeltzer has struggled with virtually every batter.

Throughout the entire White Sox series, the Twins benefitted from close calls and umpire decisions. In the first game and a third in Texas, not so much. This is definitely the case with the home plate ump today. He's given Perez a couple inches on the inside corner that Smeltzer has not gotten and it may be some part of the results so far.

Well, the Twins have gotten a lot of mileage out of Smeltzer. I wonder whether this is the start of his regression to the mean. Actually, all of the starters, except maybe for Bundy, have exceeded both expectations and their batted ball data. Perez is really both quite a story and quite the enigma. He has had stretches where he has been exceptional and then faded to ordinary. Remembering his time with the Twins, through June he has great numbers and then became ordinary or worse. He had a short successful run with the Red Sox as well and then faded. Now, he has been outstanding through half a season with the Rangers.