After the nightmare scenario that unfolded on Saturday, the Twins bullpen got its act together and gave the team eight-plus innings of relief and held on at the end to secure the 4-3 win and a split of the four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Why more than eight innings? Starter Joe Ryan gestured to the dugout after just nine pitches on Sunday and then exited the game with right elbow soreness. Fingers crossed that it’s no worse than that, although when it comes to the elbow it’s cause for concern.
Andrew Morris pitched in long relief and picked up the win, followed by Taylor Rogers, Eric Orze and Kody Funderburk who allowed no more than a run over the next four innings, then the job of closing out the game fell to Justin Topa who made things very interesting.
The Twins held a 4-1 lead until Topa served up a two-run dinger in the 9th inning to make it 4-3. What’s the pitcher’s best friend? The double-play, and that’s exactly what Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens turned to get the Twins out of the inning and win the game.
The Twins are in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Taj Bradley gets the ball.
Extra innings…
–Sunday’s win was the Twins’ first one-run victory of the season.
–The Twins are 15-20. They remain in last place in the division after the Royals swept the M’s.
–The Twins are done playing the Blue Jays for the remainder of the season. They finished 4-3 against the defending American League Champions.
–Matt Wallner can hit after all. The slumping Wallner came through with two hits on Sunday, including a double, his third of the season. Now, about Royce Lewis…
–More doubles: Keaschall hit two and Clemens cracked one as well to make it four on the day.
–Old friend Chris Paddack remains winless on the season with five losses after he was roughed up by the Phillies, 7-2, on Sunday. Paddack, pitching for the Marlins, allowed seven runs on six hits across just two-plus innings. Ugh.