Once I thought my innocence was gone—now I know that happiness goes on
Before this afternoon’s Minnesota Twins versus Cleveland Guardians contest began, I had the thought that it had been awhile since I’d recapped a Twins victory. So, I went to the Twinkie Town game recaps section and started scrolling—and kept scrolling—and kept scrolling—and, well, would you look at that: Sunday, June 8 was the last time I recapped a mark in the lefthand column.
Yikes.
In honor of the excellent Billy Joel documentary I watched on HBO MAX earlier this week, it truly has felt like The Longest Time since I got to enjoy a Sunday recap…even if Cleveland nearly made be burn it all down in the 9th.
The Twins got out to a fast start in this one, going single-single-single-double (Martin-Jeffers-Wallner-Lewis) off Guardians starter Joey Cantillo to go up 2-0. Then after two whiffs (Clemens & Lee), Trevor Larnach cleaned up the scraps with a two-run RBI single, upping the lead to 4-0.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Of course, lest Twins fans have too much fun, Jose Ramirez popped a two-run bomb off MN starter Jose Urena in Cleveland’s first-ups, cutting the deficit in half.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The score stayed 4-2 in favor of MIN for a looooong time—meaning one good thing (Twins pitching was solid) and one bad thing (Twins bats were silent).
But in T8, Wallner blasted a ball off the CF fence and the Moose galloped to 3B for a stand-up triple! After a Lewis pop-up failed to advance pinch runner DaShawn Keirsey Jr home, Clemens resorted to some small ball—dropping down a perfect squeeze bunt that plated Keirsey and finally changed the number. 5-2 MIN.
Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images
After a deep drive from Ramirez—it just never ends with that guy—sent hearts a-flutter in B8, it nestled harmlessly into the glove of new RF Alan Roden.
Ramirez would bat again in B9, which obviously would not bode well for the visitors scoreboard. I won’t recap all the events here because I have places to be this evening and CLE almost made me burn this whole recap to the ground. But suffice it to say that with the tying run on base, Jose lofted another fly ball to RF off RP Erasmo Ramirez—which Roden again snagged.
Your Final: Minnesota Twins 5, Cleveland Guardians 4.
To quote manager George Knox from Angels in the Outfield: “It just feels good to be a winner again”.
Up next: Three games at the Detroit Tigers (M night, T night, W afternoon).
Studs
- Wallner: Two hits, a BB, and a nice diving defensive dash
Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images
- Clemens: The squeeze!!!
- Funderburk-Topa-Sands out of the pen: 4 IP, 0 ER
Duds
- The Pohlads (perma-dud)
Comment of the Game
- Another Twinkie Town commenter was at Coors Field when Brandon, John, and I were!