“Break up the Twins!” Okay, let’s not get carried away. There are still 149 games left in the season, and a lot could happen. But as one surprised Minnesota fan said online. “I thought that they wouldn’t have seven wins until May 15. The team has the American League’s (AL) fourth-best record of 7-6, and they just completed a home series in which they swept Central Division contenders, the Detroit Tigers, 4-0.
Not only has the team started the new season surprisingly strong, but it has accomplished this feat with two of its best players playing subpar baseball. So, with an unfamiliar lineup to most folks, the Twins prepare to play the Toronto Blue Jays tonight in a three-game series. Enjoy the hometown team while you can, as there are no guarantees for the future success of this roster.
Twins Shock the Tigers
No one saw this result coming, so let’s break down how the Twins swept the title-contending Tigers. Minnesota rode a two-run Luke Keaschall home run to take the first game 7-3 at a very cold Target Field. Starter Joe Ryan was good, not great, as he went five innings, scattering three hits and three walks while giving up two earned runs and recording seven strikeouts. Third baseman Royce Lewis added two RBIs, and four Twins relievers pitched four innings of scoreless baseball to close it out.
Minnesota faced an uphill battle the next night, as Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal took the mound for Detroit as they looked to avenge Monday’s loss. But after four scoreless innings, the Twins got to the Tigers’ ace in the fifth inning, scoring four runs and driving him from the game.
The big blow for Minnesota was a one-out double by catcher Ryan Jeffers that scored Austin Martin and Keaschall. Taj Bradley continued his hot April, going six and a third innings, surrendering one run, no walks, while punching out 10 Detroit batters.
The Twins made it 3 for 3 against the Tigers, winning an 8-6 slugfest on Wednesday night. Minnesota’s All-Star outfielder, Byron Buxton, was the hero of the evening, going three for three and helping to ignite their six-run first inning. Lewis also had a strong night, going 2-3 at the plate and driving in two runs.
Starting pitcher Bailey Ober kept the home team in the game, allowing five hits, two runs, and adding two strikeouts. Minnesota almost threw it away in the seventh inning as reliever Anthony Banda was shredded for four runs. But three Twins relievers shut it down from there to preserve the win.
Minnesota Completes the Sweep
Twins’ manager Derek Shelton and his team were hoping for a sweep against Detroit when they sent a struggling Mick Abel to the mound on Thursday afternoon. After a terrific spring training performance, Abel had started the campaign poorly, giving up 14 hits, nine runs, and walking seven in his previous two starts, both losses.
But he restored some of the team’s faith in him, pitching six strong scoreless innings. He left the game with Minnesota up 1-0, giving up just four hits and three walks. He also showed good stuff, striking out six Tigers in the process.
The game was knotted at 1 apiece when Twins shortstop Brooks Lee walked to the plate with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning. Lee has been in a horrible funk this season, both offensively and defensively. In fact, he had only entered the game as a defensive replacement after some batting order switches. But he hit a ball that just eluded Detroit second baseman Zach McKinstry to drive home Matt Wallner and Victor Caratini to seal the game and the series for Minnesota.
The Road Ahead
The road does not get any easier for the team as they travel to Toronto for a three-game weekend series against the always difficult Blue Jays. They then head to Boston for a three-game tilt against the Red Sox at Fenway Park before returning home to play the Cincinnati Reds next Friday at Target Field.
Minnesota hopes to get the sluggish bats of Buxton and Keaschall going as they prepare to play two of the AL East Division powers.
