The Twins have lost three straight games, including their first series loss since the home opener versus the Tampa Bay Rays.
The series loss came at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, who beat them by one run on Friday and did it all over again 5-4 on Saturday.
One thing about this Twins team: the bullpen isn’t good enough to win close games, so if the Twins don’t put some runs on the board, it’s going to be very challenging.
Case in point: The Twins on Saturday took a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning, then watched as the Reds scored in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings for the win. It never should have been that close, but the Twins went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11. They really need to get Royce Lewis back so he can provide a little spark at the bottom of the order.
I also disagreed with a move manager Derek Shelton made to remove Justin Topa and bring in Kody Funderburk in the 7th inning. Topa entered the game and allowed a single, but then got two quick outs and was ready to face the light-hitting but left-handed hitter Will Benson.
Baseball is obsessed with its righty-lefty matchups, so Shelton called on left-handed reliever Funderburk to face Benson. Sometimes, though, you have to stick with the hot hand and I felt confident that Topa would have no problems with Benson and his .188 batting average.
It’s not my call, of course, so in came Fundy — and I have no idea how Fundy can focus on baseball right now considering what he and his wife are going through — and he proceeded to hit a batter and give up a hit, and the Reds cut the lead to 4-3 from 4-2.
The game unraveled from there. Reliever Eric Orze blew the save and reliever-closer Cole Sands absorbed the loss.
The Twins will try to salvage one game from the series on Sunday. Bailey Ober gets the ball.
Extra innings…
–Starting pitcher Taj Bradley made another quality start in the loss. He allowed two runs on five hits across six innings with two walks and five whiffs.
–Starter Joe Ryan accomplished the same in the Twins’ 2-1 loss to Cincy on Friday. Ryan fanned six across six innings with two runs allowed (one earned) on just three hits. He was tagged with the tough-luck loss and is now 2-2 with a 3.29 ERA.
–Manager Shelton earned his second ejection of the season on Saturday after he argued about a check swing he felt should have been called a strike. His beef wasn’t with the home plate umpire, but first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. The Twins and Hunter have some history. Just ask Ron Gardenhire.
–Starter Simeon Woods Richardson apparently was ill during his previous start and he might still be feeling queasy after looking at his pitching line against the Red Sox on Wednesday.
He allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits, including a dinger, across just five innings with three walks and three whiffs. He remains winless on the season and has a 6.10 ERA.