April 13th, 2009
Twins Drop a Tough One in Extras, 7-6
Minnesota (AP) - Anytime you force extra innings after facing a closer like B.J. Ryan anything less than a win feels like a huge letdown. The Twins got a taste of that tonight as their 9th inning rally ultimately wasn't enough to get them a victory in this one. Skipping ahead to the top of the 9th, the two teams were tied at 5-5. Matt Guerrier walked himself into major trouble. He issued free passes to both Joe Inglett and Lyle Overbay. McDonald and Rios both grounded out setting up 1st and 2nd with 2 outs to Vernon Wells. Wells singled back through the box to give the Jays a 3-2 lead before Rolen K'd on a 1-2 fastball.
The Twins would quickly answer back against B.J. Ryan as Span led the bottom of the 9th off by fisting one in over the 3rd baseman's head to give the Twin's a leadoff single. Delmon Young's attempted sacrifice bunt turned into a bunt single as he popped it up into no man's land in the "bermuda triangle" between the 3rd baseman, pitcher, and catcher. Neither of the 3 were able to get to it. Joe Mauer flew out to deep right center narrowly missing a 3 run walkoff bomb but did advance Span to 3rd. Span would score on a Morneau single to left tying it up. Cuddyer and Kubel both lined out to end the inning.
The Twins had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the 11th to bring up a win as Denard Span and Joe Mauer both reached base on singles with 1 out in the inning for Justin Morneau. Morneau was unable to come through that time, however, as he grounded into a 4-6-3 double play ending the Twins walk-off bid as quickly as it started. The Jays would score their winning run the following inning in the top of the 12th. A one out double by Adam Lind followed by a groundout to 2nd base put him a runner on 3rd with 2 outs. Aaron Hill would capitalize singling into center and giving the Jays the lead.
Scott Downs was super effective in relief in extras pitching three solid innings and allowing just 3 hits. The Twins grounded out to second and third to start the bottom of the 12th. Downs would lose command of a breaking pitch and beaned Crede off the hip with 2 outs. The Twins pinch ran for Crede with Gomez and pinch hit for Tolbert with Harris. The pinch hit move almost paid off as Harris doubled off the baggy in right, but hit it just a little too hard as Gomez's attempt to score the tying run from 1st base was cut down by a strong throw from Rios in right ending the ballgame.
Box Score
Code:
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
TOR 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 7 13 1
MIN 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 14 0
Toronto Blue Jays
BATTING AB R H RBI BB SO AVG
Rios, RF 5 0 0 1 0 1 .184
Overbay, 1B 5 0 2 0 1 1 .276
Wells, CF 6 0 2 1 0 0 .389
Rolen, 3B 5 1 1 1 1 1 .296
Lind, LF 6 2 3 0 0 1 .259
Barajas, C 4 1 1 0 0 0 .381
1-Scutaro, PR 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111
Barrett, C 2 0 0 0 0 0 .133
Hill, 2B 5 1 2 1 1 1 .214
Inglett, DH 4 2 0 0 2 1 .222
McDonald, SS 3 0 2 2 0 0 .333
Batting Totals 45 7 13 6 5 6
1- Ran for Barajas in the 8th.
BATTING
2B: A. Hill (1), A. Lind 3 (3), J. McDonald (2)
HR: S. Rolen (2)
RBI: A. Hill (1), A. Rios (7), V. Wells (3), S. Rolen (4), J. McDonald 2 (3)
HBP: J. McDonald
SF: A. Rios
SAC: J. McDonald
GIDP: A. Hill, V. Wells, J. Inglett
FIELDING
E: J. McDonald (1)
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO ERA
S. Marcum 5.0 8 5 5 1 2 7.84
J. Carlson 2.0 0 0 0 2 0 1.80
B. Tallet 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
B. Ryan (BS, 1) 1.0 3 1 1 0 0 4.50
S. Downs (W, 1-0) 3.0 3 0 0 0 1 0.00
Pitching Totals 12.0 14 6 6 3 3
Minnesota Twins
BATTING AB R H RBI BB SO AVG
Span, CF 6 3 3 0 0 0 .375
Young, LF 4 1 2 1 1 0 .324
Mauer, C 6 1 2 1 0 1 .290
Morneau, 1B 5 1 3 3 1 0 .375
Cuddyer, RF 6 0 0 0 0 1 .462
Kubel, DH 6 0 1 1 0 0 .368
Crede, 3B 5 0 1 0 0 1 .208
1-Gomez, PR 0 0 0 0 0 0 .185
Tolbert, 2B 4 0 0 0 1 0 .125
a-Harris, PH 1 0 1 0 0 0 .545
Punto, SS 5 0 1 0 0 0 .296
Batting Totals 48 6 14 6 3 3
a - Batted for Tolbert in the 12th.
1- Ran for Crede in the 12th.
BATTING
2B: J. Morneau (4), D. Young (2), J. Crede (1), B. Harris (1), J. Kubel (2)
RBI: J. Mauer (5), J. Morneau 3 (7), D. Young (6), J. Kubel (5)
HBP: D. Young, J. Crede
GIDP: D. Span, J. Morneau
FIELDING
E: M. Tolbert (1)
BASERUNNING
SB: D. Young (1)
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO ERA
K. Slowey 6.0 7 5 3 2 5 5.25
B. Bonser 2.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.00
M. Guerrier 1.0 1 1 1 2 1 4.15
J. Mijares 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 2.45
R. Dickey (L, 1-1) 2.0 3 1 1 0 0 1.80
Pitching Totals 12.0 13 7 5 5 6