Both teams missed out on some offensive opportunities, but the Cubs’ misses ended up hurting more. Some nice defense by the Twins tonight helped Bailey Ober escape some jams, and Ryan Jeffers’s bomba proved to be enough offense.
Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Colin Rea, whose name sounds Irish but who’s actually from Iowa, walks leadoff hitter Trevor Larnach, whose name sounds more Scottish. Two fielder’s choice outs and a strikeout means no runs for the Twins, who would be called “Efeilliaid” if they were Welsh.
A leadoff walk issued by Bailey Ober, too, except this one actually comes back to haunt. Selya Suzuki walks, and Michael Busch knocks the lead runner in. Wrongly, Twins RF Alan Roden tries throwing home, and that lets Suzuki scamper to third. But Alex Bregman strikes out, and Ian Happ grounds into a 3-6 DP, nicely started by Royce Lewis. So Ober escapes without any more damage. Cubs 1-0
2: The Twins don’t do anything, and Roden loses one of the teams’ ABS challenges. The dude’s got an OPS of .494 — buddy, your problems go deeper than ump calls.
With Bailey Ober throwing that mighty 87-MPH stuff, the Cubs begin with two singles, the second advancing the runner to third. And then —-the same thing happens! Strikeout followed by DP! Wow, that’s some real BAbip luck right there.
3: Luke Keaschall with a leadoff infield hit. Then Tristan Gray hits it to first, and 1B Michael Busch makes a wonky throw that glances off Keaschall and hits Dansby Swanson right in the mouth; radio said he was bleeding pretty visibly, ouch!
Then, bam-bam, Larnach single and Ryan Jeffers dinger!
Followed by a single, DP, and flyout, but we’ll take it.
And Ober, still throwing 87, strikes out the side. Crazy! Twins 4-1
4: Two-out single by Keaschall, he’d have stolen second if Gray hadn’t struck out on the same pitch.
A two-out single by Nico Hoerner that becomes a double when Kody Clemens airmails the throw, but Ober gets the next guy to harmlessly pop up.
5: Twins down in order, Rea at 82 pitches. Same for Cubs; Ober at 78. Nice diving/rolling play by Brooks Lee for the second out.
6: Leadoff double into the LF corner by Suzuki. A FC advances Suzuki to third and chases Ober. Recent acquisition Tommy Nance comes in. He throws a wild pitch that bounces off the backstop and allows Suzuki to score. Then Nance walks Bregman. Then Happ singles. Finally Nance get a groundout and a deep flyout to end the inning. Lake Superior 4 Lake Michigan 2
7: RP Drew Pomeranz in for Chicago; he does not start well. Two walks and an RBI to PH Ryan Kriedler; second and third with no outs!
IT’S A TRAP. Trevor Larnach hits one out of the ballpark, but it’s a foul ball; then he lines out to first. Gavin Pomerall comes in and strikes out Jeffers, then Josh Bell. Hope leaving those RISP doesn’t come back to bite our boys on the butt.
Nance still in there. He gets the first two guys, and Taylor Rogers enters to face LH Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is the son of Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong except I am lying about one or both of those. Pete C-A pops out on the second pitch, ‘cause every day is a winding road or something. Non-windy city 5-2
8: Ryan Rolison in to pitch; Brooks Lee gets a two-out single and tries stealing. He’s thrown out, and starts walking off the field; the Twins challenge the call. When even the guy called out thinks he was out, he was probably out; that’s the case here.
Andrew Morris for side Us, working on a 16-inning scoreless streak. Suzuki smacks one to left-center but Keaschall is able to run it down. Then two less-dramatic groundouts. Make it 17 innings.
9: Tyler Fergusfalls Ferguson pitching; the Twins go down quickly.
And it’s Yoendrys Gómez for the Twins; he walks the leadoff guy. Lewis ALMOST turns a nifty DP; still, gets the lead runner. Michael Conforto strikes out; Carson Kelly hits one deep, but there’s Keaschall again to grab it before crashing into the ivy. Twims wim! (We spell it wrong here sometimes.)
That brings the Twins to 49-49; it’s the first time they’re at .500 since April 22nd.
Studs of the game: Ober, lucky or not; Jeffers for the bomba and Keaschall for the defense. Dud: no duds, Twins win, but we’re sorry about Dansby Swanson’s mouth, hope his teeth are okay. I’ve had someone break one of my teeth and it SUCKS.
COTG to sandwiches for a great story about family and co-workers, and BobbyDarwinFanClub for mishearing a famous KISS song: “‘(At one point) I literally thought the lyrics were “Rock and Roll all night and part of every day.” I believe in moderation in all things, especially moderation.’” Thanks to everybody who joined in a pretty fun thread.
Tomorrow’s game is at 1:20, featuring lefty Matthew Boyd against our own Taj Bradley. Catch ya next time!
