Crossing The Bridge | Minnesota Twins

[beamerball811]

Twins Outlast Royals in Series Opener

Minnesota's bullpen earns their way to the win against the Royals.
By Aaron Ferguson
Kansas City, MO
Ervin Santana pitched well through his first four innings of work. He limited the Twins to three base runners in that amount of time. Mike Pelfrey would run into some trouble in the second inning, where he'd allow two runs. Pelfrey's pitch count was high all game as he would leave the game after throwing 92 pitches in 5 innings of work.

Santana could only record one out in the fifth inning after being pulled by Royals' manager, Ned Yost. Santana allowed five runs, three of which were earned in the fifth inning. Santana allowed six total base runners in the inning and committed an error on a muffed catch from Billy Butler to prolong the inning.

Pelfrey left the game with a 5-3 lead, but the story was all about the bullpen. Casey Fien was pushed to the test in the sixth inning, but he allowed allowed one run in the inning. He'd come back out in the seventh and get two strikeouts before turning the ball over to Michael Tonkin. Tonkin would go two full innings of work and turn the ball over to Glen Perkins. Perkins had pitched in the previous two games, so he came in to get the last out and earn a save. It took Perkins just one pitch to get Salvador Perez to ground out to close the game out.

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals
Apr 8, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota (5-1)	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	5	11	2
Kansas City (4-2)	0	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	4	11	1
W: Mike Pelfrey (2-0) L: Ervin Santana (0-1) S: Glen Perkins (3)

Minnesota Twins
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
3B Jamey Carroll	5	0	3	1	0	0	.370
CF Aaron Hicks	5	1	1	1	0	0	.324
C Joe Mauer	5	1	2	1	0	0	.379
1B Chris Colabello	4	0	1	1	0	0	.182
LF Josh Willingham	3	0	0	1	0	0	.417
RF Ryan Doumit	3	0	1	0	1	0	.321
DH Chris Parmelee	4	1	0	0	0	0	.333
2B Brian Dozier	4	1	1	0	0	0	.296
SS Pedro Florimon	4	1	2	0	0	0	.333
TOTALS	37	5	11	5	1	0
BATTING 2B: Doumit (2) RBI: Hicks (9), Mauer (5), Willingham (5), Colabello (1), Carroll (1) SF: Willingham
BASERUNNING SB: Hicks (6)
FIELDING E: Carroll (1), Hicks (2)

Minnesota Twins
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Mike Pelfrey (W, 2-0)	5.0	9	3	2	1	3	3.09
Casey Fien (H, 1)	1.2	2	1	1	1	4	3.38
Michael Tonkin (H, 2)	2.0	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
Glen Perkins (S, 3)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	15.00
TOTALS	9.0	11	4	3	2	8

Kansas City Royals
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
RF Jerrod Dyson	4	1	1	1	1	0	.185
SS Alcides Escobar	4	0	0	1	0	1	.208
1B Billy Butler	5	1	3	1	0	1	.310
LF Alex Gordon	4	0	1	0	1	1	.345
C Salvador Perez	5	0	1	0	0	2	.200
DH Eric Hosmer	3	0	1	0	0	2	.350
3B Mike Moustakas	4	1	3	1	0	0	.429
CF Lorenzo Cain	4	1	1	0	0	0	.091
2B Irving Falu	4	0	0	0	0	1	.182
TOTALS	37	4	11	4	2	8
BATTING 2B: Butler (1) RBI: Butler (4), Escobar (3), Moustakas (3), Dyson (1) HBP: Hosmer SF: Escobar
BASERUNNING SB: Dyson (2)
FIELDING E: Santana (1)

Kansas City Royals
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Ervin Santana (L, 0-1)	4.1	8	5	3	1	0	2.19
Bruce Chen	3.2	2	0	0	0	0	0.00
Louis Coleman	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	9.00
TOTALS	9.0	11	5	3	1	0

[beamerball811]

I'm still experimenting with the format I want to go with, so please bare with me on that. Hope y'all are enjoying this franchise so far.

[Deuce2223]

Looking good, you absolutely destroyed the Tigers SP's in the Season opener. The way Morneau is hitting the ball, it looks like he wants a contract extension.

Also good to see Hicks with 3 HR's already. Looks like he is going to be a solid #2 for you. I hope he can for me as well in my M's Franchise.

[beamerball811]

Quote: Originally Posted by Deuce2223

Looking good, you absolutely destroyed the Tigers SP's in the Season opener. The way Morneau is hitting the ball, it looks like he wants a contract extension. Also good to see Hicks with 3 HR's already. Looks like he is going to be a solid #2 for you. I hope he can for me as well in my M's Franchise.

Morneau has been crushing the ball, hopefully his migraines don't shake that rhythm. Hicks has also been playing like 4-tool player so far, he could work on his arm strength though. I may move Hicks around a little bit, but for now he's a great #2 guy.

[beamerball811]

Twins Plate Nine, Beat Royals Again

Morneau adds insurance runs to ease the bullpen's pressure.
By Aaron Ferguson
Kansas City, Mo

Minnesota's Scott Diamond got into a big jam in the first inning after Pedro Florimon overran a ground ball, but wasn't charged with an error. This would eventually lead to a three-run inning for the Royals and many thought they'd never look back. But credit Diamond, he would finish with 97 pitches through five and one-third innings pitched allowing just the three runs on six hits.

In the meantime, the Twins had a big rally off of Royals' starter, Luke Hochevar. Hochevar gave up a two-run triple to Pedro Florimon that would eventually be the difference by giving the Twins a 5-3 lead. Wade Davis would relieve Hochevar in the fifth inning.

Justin Morneau was back in the lineup for the Twins after missing just one game with migraines. Morneau was hit in the head with a pitch in Baltimore and exited the game following the incident. Morneau's bat was big tonight in hitting his league-leading seventh home run off of Tim Collins. Collins hung a curveball and Morneau rounded the bases while watching it fly out. "It felt good to be back tonight," Morneau said, "the ball just kept carrying out, I originally thought it was a routine fly ball."

Minnesota will have Cole De Vries pitch against Kansas City's Felipe Paulino. Paulino is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his only outing of the season, which came against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Twins will try and sweep their divisional rival before heading back to Minnesota for a six-game homestand.

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals
Apr 9, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota (6-1)	0	0	0	5	0	0	4	0	0	9	13	0
Kansas City (4-3)	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	9	0
W: Scott Diamond (2-0) L: Luke Hochevar (0-1)

Minnesota Twins
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
SS Jamey Carroll	5	0	0	0	0	1	.313
CF Darin Mastroianni	5	2	4	0	0	0	.500
C Joe Mauer	4	1	2	1	0	0	.394
1B Justin Morneau	4	2	2	3	0	0	.571
LF Josh Willingham	4	1	2	1	0	0	.429
DH Ryan Doumit	4	1	1	2	0	0	.313
3B Trevor Plouffe	4	0	0	0	0	1	.310
RF Chris Parmelee	4	1	1	0	0	0	.320
2B Pedro Florimon	3	1	1	2	1	0	.333
TOTALS	37	9	13	9	1	2
BATTING 2B: Doumit (3) 3B: Florimon (1) HR: Morneau (7) RBI: Morneau (14,15,16), Doumit (5,6), Florimon (1,2), Mauer (6), Willingham (6)
BASERUNNING CS: Mastroianni (2)

Minnesota Twins
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Scott Diamond (W, 2-0)	5.1	6	3	3	2	4	4.05
Jared Burton (H, 3)	1.2	2	0	0	0	1	6.00
Caleb Thielbar	2.0	1	0	0	0	1	0.00
TOTALS	9.0	9	3	3	2	6

Kansas City Royals
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
RF Jarrod Dyson	5	0	0	0	0	0	.156
2B Chris Getz	5	1	1	0	0	1	.273
1B Billy Butler	4	1	1	0	1	0	.303
LF Alex Gordon	4	1	2	0	0	2	.364
C Salvador Perez	3	0	1	1	1	1	.214
3B Mike Moustakas	3	0	0	1	0	1	.387
DH Eric Hosmer	4	0	1	0	0	0	.333
CF Lornezo Cain	4	0	2	0	0	1	.154
SS Yunel Escobar	4	0	1	0	0	0	.214
TOTALS	36	3	9	2	2	6
BATTING RBI: Perez (4), Moustakas (4) SF: Moustakas
BASERUNNING SB: Cain (2)

Kansas City Royals
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Luke Hochevar (L, 0-1)	4.0	9	5	5	0	1	7.45
Wade Davis	2.2	3	3	3	1	0	10.13
Tim Collins	1.1	1	1	1	0	1	3.86
Aaron Crow	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
PITCHING WP: Hochevar (1)

[beamerball811]

Doumit's Double Key to Victory

Ryan Doumit's RBI double in the eighth gave the Twins a 5-4 lead.
By Aaron Ferguson
Kansas City, MO

Minnesota jumped out on fireballer, Felipe Paulino, by scoring a run in the top half of the first. This early lead fueled Cole De Vries to a strong couple innings. Even when De Vries ran into trouble in the third, he finished strong with a strikeout. With the game knotted up at 1, the Royals exploded for 3 runs in the fourth to give them a 4-1 lead. However, a change of events happened when Felipe Paulino walked Parmelee, gave up a single to Dozier and walked Carroll to give the Twins bases loaded with nobody out. Minnesota would strike for 3 runs to tie the game up at 4.

Cole De Vries pitched a very quick sixth inning after escaping the fifth without allowing a run. Michael Tonkin was ready to come in from the bullpen in the sixth, but had to wait until the seventh because of De Vries' great sixth inning. Tonkin, pitching on short rest, came in and got four outs in a strong performance. Ryan Doumit stepped up to the plate in the top of the eighth with Josh Willingham on first and delivered a double to deep, right-center field off of Bruce Chen to give the Twins a 5-4 lead.

Josh Roenicke came entered the game with one out in the eighth inning. Roenicke would end up preserving the lead by getting four outs. Manager, Ron Gardenhire, would turn the ball over to Glen Perkins for the last out. Perkins, pitching for a fourth consecutive day, struck out Kansas City's Billy Butler to seal the three-game sweep over the Royals.

After this six-game road trip, the Royals return home with an 8-1 record. The Twins hold a 3.5 game lead in the American League Central over the Chicago White Sox. Upon returning home, the Twins will have an off day on Thursday before hosting the New York Mets for a weekend series. As the rotation turns over Saturday, the Twins will have their work cut out for them against Matt Harvey and Johan Santana. Following the series with the Mets, the Angels come into town for a three-game set.

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals
Apr 10, 2013	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota (7-1)	1	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	0	5	10	0
Kansas City (4-4)	0	0	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	4	13	0
W: Michael Tonkin (1-0) L: Bruce Chen (0-1) S: Glen Perkins (4)

Minnesota Twins
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
SS Jamey Carroll	4	1	1	0	1	0	.306
CF Aaron Hicks	5	0	0	1	0	0	.282
C Joe Mauer	4	0	2	1	0	0	.405
1B Justin Morneau	4	0	1	1	0	0	.520
LF Josh Willingham	4	1	2	1	0	0	.437
DH Ryan Doumit	4	0	3	1	0	0	.361
3B Trevor Plouffe	4	0	0	0	0	2	.273
RF Chris Parmelee	3	1	0	0	1	1	.286
2B Brian Dozier	4	1	1	0	0	0	.290
TOTALS	36	5	10	5	2	3
BATTING 2B: Doumit (4,5), Willingham (1) RBI: Morneau (17), Hicks (10), Mauer (7), Willingham (7), Doumit (7) GIDP: Willingham

Minnesota Twins
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Cole De Vries	6.0	11	4	4	0	5	6.75
Michael Tonkin (W, 1-0)	1.1	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
Josh Roenicke (H, 1)	1.1	2	0	0	0	0	0.00
Glen Perkins (S, 4)	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	13.50
TOTALS	9.0	13	4	4	0	7

Kansas City Royals
HITTERS	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	AVG
RF Jarrod Dyson	5	2	2	1	0	0	.189
SS Alcides Escobar	5	0	2	1	0	1	.242
1B Billy Butler	5	0	1	0	0	1	.289
LF Alex Gordon	4	0	1	1	0	1	.351
C Salvador Perez	4	0	1	0	0	2	.219
DH Eric Hosmer	4	1	1	0	0	1	.321
CF Lorenzo Cain	4	1	3	1	0	0	.233
2B Irving Falu	4	0	2	0	0	0	.267
PR/2B Chris Getz
3B Miguel Tejada	4	0	0	0	0	1	.000
TOTALS	39	4	13	4	0	7
BATTING 2B: Hosmer (2), Cain (1) RBI: Gordon (2), Escobar (4), Cain (1), Dyson (2) GIDP: Tejada
BASERUNNING SB: Dyson (3,4), Escobar (1)

Kansas City Royals
PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
Felipe Paulino	4.2	8	4	4	2	1	6.52
Bruce Chen (L, 0-1)	2.2	2	1	1	0	0	1.08
Louis Coleman	1.2	0	0	0	0	2	4.91
TOTALS	9.0	10	5	5	2	3

[royals19]

Dude, you absolutely DESTROYED my Royals... I can't believe all of our starters only went 4 innings each... wait, yes I can. Hochevar was in the rotation.

[beamerball811]

Quote: Originally Posted by royals19

Dude, you absolutely DESTROYED my Royals... I can't believe all of our starters only went 4 innings each... wait, yes I can. Hochevar was in the rotation.

Don't feel bad, 8 of the 9 starters I've faced haven't made it past the fifth inning. Part of it is large pitch counts because of my patience at the plate. I know that pitchers are getting relieved early to preserve their arms. That's what I've been doing too. I can't believe that I'm 8-1 to be honest. I was planning on doing poorly, but this offense is just clicking with me.