A real-deal Twins lineup took the field on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, including shortstop Carlos Correa, who made a fine spring debut with a nice play at short and a single at the plate.
The other starters were just as good: Miguel Sano singled, Gary Sanchez earned two free passes and Gio Urshela walked and singled. But it was the bench and a five-run eighth inning that did the real damage in the Twins’ 6-3 win over Boston.
Most of these names you won’t recognize: Curtis Terry doubled, Jose Godoy singled, Matt Wallner walked and finally Oregon State man Trevor Larnach crushed a three-run home run off Boston pitcher Hirokazu Sawamura, formerly of Japan’s Chiba Lotte Marines.
Sawamura had a long afternoon. He allowed five runs, all earned, in just two-thirds of an inning to blow up his spring ERA to 27.00.
Twins pitching was much better. Speaking of the real deal, starter Joe Ryan cruised through three innings with a walk and five strikeouts, one of six pitchers who limited the Red Sox to two earned runs on five hits. The third run was unearned after Derek Fisher replaced Byron Buxton in the outfield and promptly dropped a ball. Buxton’s job is safe, folks.
Although Ryan pitched well, the game was scoreless until the fourth inning, so the win ultimately went to left-handed reliever Devin Smeltzer, who struck out two over two innings with a hit.
Extra innings…
-The Twins are off Monday, then face Tampa on Tuesday.
-And then there was this…
The good old days. Bloomington, Minn. pic.twitter.com/3hutWaHNyg
— Ex Twins News (@ExTwinsNews) January 17, 2022