After the Twins struggled with runners in scoring position on Thursday, they outdid themselves on Saturday by mustering a grand total of three hits in a 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. They will now try to avoid the sweep on Sunday with Bailey Ober on the mound.
Although the offense went missing, starter Joe Ryan pitched pretty well, allowing just a run over five innings with five strikeouts. However, the bullpen went missing, too, which is a concern for a relief corps touted as one of the deepest in baseball.
Jorge Alcala could not get an out in the sixth inning and allowed three runs on two hits. The artist formerly known as Louie Varland pitched a scoreless frame by striking out the side and Danny Coulombe blanked the Cards as well.
Closer Jhoan Duran, though, who didn’t have the most encouraging spring training, could only get one out, despite throwing 24 pitches. He allowed an additional run in the loss.
Extra innings…
-Mickey Gasper finally recorded his first major league hit in Saturday’s game.
-The Twins also lost 5-3 to the Cards on Thursday. And once again Pablo Lopez struggled early before settling down. He served up four runs (two earned) on eight hits across five innings. Who committed the error? Lopez did, trying to make a throw to second base.
-Reliever Griffin Jax, one of the Twins’ most reliable middle-men last season, had a very un-Jax-like appearance by allowing a walk and home run.
-The Twins were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Thursday’s loss and left seven men on base.
-The Washington Nationals’ MacKenzie Gore struck out 13 batters on opening day, which is impressive but not a record. The record for opening day strikeouts is 15, a mark set in 1960 by former Senators/Twins pitcher Camilo Pascual.
-There’s a reason they call the Yankees the Bronx Bombers because they absolutely teed off on former Pinstriper Nestor Cortes by hitting nine homers, including three from Aaron Judge, in a 20-9 blasting of the Brewers on Saturday. Judge’s line: Four hits in six trips to the plate with four runs scored and eight RBI.
-The Cortes line, which is UGLY: Eight runs allowed on six hits, including five of the nine dingers, with five walks across only two innings on 64 pitches. His ERA now stands at 36.00.