The Twins have got some work to do now
A few weeks ago, ESPN flexed Minnesota Twins versus Detroit Tigers into the prime time Sunday Night Baseball slot. It certainly wasn’t because of our crew. No—ESPN wanted to see the surprising AL-leading Tigers up close. They even got front-runner-to-start-the-All-Star-game-in-Atlanta Tarik Skubal on the mound under the Comerica Park fluorescents.
It played out exactly how The Walt Disney Company imagined—with the Tigers for all intents and purposes tossing the last handful of dirt on the Twins’ Central crown competitiveness.
After Skubal set the Twins down in order in the first half inning, Chris Paddack looked to do the same—until a 3-2 changeup to Kerry Carpenter was sent over the RCF wall for a 1-0 Detroit lead.
Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
Thanks in large part to a tremendous leaping grab from Willi Castro in RF, Paddack settled down and kept further Detroit damage off the board through the third inning.
Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
The problem? Skubal was busy striking out 8 of the first 9 Twins batters. Yes, you read that correctly—Tarik whiffed everyone but Ryan Jeffers his first time through the order.
Yikes.
Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
The yikes continued in the bottom of the fourth, when Riley Greene ruined Paddack’s run by sending one to the same general area as teammate Mr. Carpenter—2-0 Tigers.
Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
A teensy morsel of good news: Ty France broke up Skubal’s perfect game and no-hit bid with a clean single to right field in T5. At very least, no history would be made on this night.
But the DET lead grew another digit in B5 when Colt Keith was plunked by Paddack and proceeded to pound sand around the bases when Castro played Carpenter’s line drive down the RF line like a pinball plunking off a bumper.
Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
That’s all, folks. I’m serious. Other than an approximate metric ton of Skubal strikeouts, nothing changed on the line score the rest of the night.
Your Final: Detroit Tigers 3, Minnesota Twins 0
I’m not going to concede a playoff spot yet. MLB’s Wild Card setup is now forgiving enough that the Twins certainly have a chance to nab a berth if they can right the ship a bit. But in this final June contest for both clubs, the AL Central crown certainly seems decided.
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Up next: a South Beach off day, then 3 (T night, W night, H 11 AM) with the Miami Marlins.
Studs
- Gee—let me think: Skubal (7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 13 K)
Duds
- Every Twins player who touched a bat, was in the general vicinity of a bat, or even dreamed about lugging some lumber against Skubal last night.
Comment of the Game
- The Jake Cave & Fernando Rodney update from Kirillofffan19 was the highlight here.