The Twins took two of three games from the Kansas City Royals, including Sunday’s game, 5-4.
It never should have been that close. The Twins banged out 13 hits, but left 11 men on base and were 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
Still, Nelson Cruz, Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario and Marwin Gonzalez had 10 of the Twins’ 13 hits and drove in all five runs. Sano has been especially hot. Over the past seven days he’s hitting .462, which has helped lift his overall batting average from ice cold to a not-so-embarrassing .241. Rosario also has hit .333 the past week to raise his average to .248.
Now, the Twins head to Cleveland. They took three of four games from the Tribe to start the season, but the Indians have played better since then. Kenta Maeda gets the ball Monday.
Extra innings…
-The Twins are done playing the Royals in 2020. They finished their season series at 5-5.
-The Twins used seven relievers on Sunday. Tyler Clippard got the win, but he also had to suffer a comebacker off his pitching arm. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the initial X-rays didn’t show any damage, and Clippard was listed as day to day with a right elbow contusion, according to MLB.com. It certainly looked bad, and Clippard came off the mound as if he didn’t want to move his right arm at all.
-Closer Taylor Rogers allowed a run in the ninth, but still did enough to earn his sixth save of the season.
-The ageless wonder, Nelson Cruz, hit his 10th home run of the season on Sunday off a fastball traveling at 99 miles per hour, according to highlights of the game. After Cruz hit the pitch to straightaway center field, Royals broadcaster Steve Physioc said this about Cruz: “He is a monster.”
-Believe it or not, the Twins have nearly completed the first half of the 60-game season. After 29 games, the Twins are 19-10.