Metrodome Memories

During the Twins’ recent winning streak, the bullpen had been one of the most important parts, holding down leads and keeping the team in the game. However, such was not the case tonight as the bullpen blew a lead and the Twins lost 5-4.

The team built a 4-1 lead by the 7th in part due to 3 Tiger errors. 2 of the errors benefited Joe Mauer, as he was able to knock in a run on one and score a run himself on the other. The Twins tagged Tigers starter Armando Galarraga for 2 more as they built their lead. His Twins counterpart fared much better. Glen Perkins was solid, giving up 2 runs in 6 1/3 innings of work, including one in the 7th. The bullpen was not able to hold the lead as they allowed 3 Tiger runs to make it a 5-4 ballgame.

It was a tough loss for the Twins. The bullpen didn’t accomplish what they set out to do, but every team has nights of this kind. However, the Twins’ bullpen is too good to let this affect them. They’ve been through these kinds of downturns before this season and will get back on track.

The Twins got back on the winning track behind starter Kevin Slowey, who pitched a shutout in a 5-0 victory. It was all Slowey as he stymied the Brewer hitters all night long.

What is most impressive about the Twins’ 5 runs was that they all came with two outs. It started in the 4th with Joe Mauer’s double and Jason Kubel would later knock him in with a single. That would be all the offense Slowey would need, but the Twins put 4 more on the board, including a 2 run homer by Delmon Young.

Whatever way the Twins scored their runs, it took a backseat to Slowey. He allowed only 3 hits the entire game and had a career high 8 strikeouts. It was his 2nd complete game of the season and a gem that is sure to motivate him to try and match it.

The Twins themselves couldn’t have imagined that they’d get back to winning in such a fashion. The offense held up their end, but Slowey was masterful in one of the best, if not the best, start by a Twin this season. It boosts the Twins’ confidence in so many ways and is a good start to another long winning streak.

The magic of the past 10 wins for the Twins came to an end today, as they fell to the Brewers, 5-1. All the hallmarks of the streak, timely hitting and solid starting pitching, were not to be seen in this game.

The Twins struggled all night long to get any sort of offense. They were held in check by the Brewer pitchers and only got 3 hits total in the game. The lone run came on a Jason Kubel solo shot in the 9th. Starter Livan Hernandez did not continue the streak’s trend of good starting pitching. He allowed 4 walks, and all 5 runs he gave up came in the 1st 3 innings. However, he did last through the 7th.

This kind of game was looming for the Twins. After being so good for so long, they were bound to have a game where nothing seemed to work. Now that the pressure of continuing the winning is off, they can work on starting another streak.

The Twins aren’t known as a team that mashes alot of homers, with Justin Morneau being their only true power threat. However, that label was non existent tonight as the team rode 3 homers to a 7-6 victory over the Brewers and their 10th straight win.

The ‘barrage’ started in 1st, when Alexi Casilla hit a solo homer to make it 1-0. Jason Kubel added another solo shot in the 4th, in addition to hitting a sac fly and scoring a run himself. Tied 6-6 in the 8th, Joe Mauer completed the solo homer hat trick by launching one of his own for the go-ahead run.

However much offense the Twins got from their home runs, starter Nick Blackburn was victimized by the Brewer hitters. He allowed 6 runs, all on 4 homers, in 4 2/3 innings of work. The bullpen was able to cool off the Brewers, giving the offense the chance to come back.

One can bet the Twins are enjoying the ride they’re on, the streak having reached double digits. One major takeaway from tonight’s win is although Blackburn struggled, the offense and bullpen were able to pick up the slack and give the Twins the chance to win.

Hat tricks in hockey are a great offensive accomplishment, but hat tricks of sweeps in baseball are even better. That’s exactly what the Twins did earlier today, as they beat the Padres 4-3, to sweep them and get their 3rd sweep in a row, extending their winning streak to 9.

Faced with another early deficit, the Twins did not falter, charging back to take the lead. Justin Morneau hit a 2 run homer in the 4th and he would add an RBI single in the 5th. More importantly he scored starter Scott Baker, who got his 1st career hit. Brian Buscher’s bloop hit in the 6th scored Jason Kubel and the Twins took the lead for good.

Baker had struggled early, giving up 3 runs to the Padres in the 1st 3 innings he pitched, but he settled down, and more then likely gained confidence from his own hit. He was helped by some stellar defense. In the 6th, with the tying run on 3rd, Buscher made a great grab and across-the-body throw home to prevent a run from scoring. The bullpen put the clamps on the Padres, including Joe Nathan’s 21st save of the season.

The Twins have been playing so good lately, it almost seems automatic. Every component of their game is in perfect working order and they are getting production from many different players. Their dominance has them on the verge of taking over the AL Central division lead. Now they will try to best their last great winning streak, which was 11 games back in 2006.

It is said all good things must come to an end, but the Twins are certainly enjoying their recent trend of good baseball. They extended their winning ways once again, by besting the Padres and Greg Maddux last night, 9-3. The fact that they’ve faced 4 Cy Young winners in the last 5 games hasn’t fazed them at all.

In a 3-0 hole early, the Twins surged back to tie it behind a pair of 2 out hits. Alexi Casilla hit an RBI single and Joe Mauer doubled in a pair to pull even. Then the offense really took off. The Padres series has been particularly good to Brendan Harris. In the 4th, he hit his 2nd homer in as many games, this one a 2 run blast off of Greg Maddux. Carlos Gomez hit a 2 RBI single in the 6th and also added two stolen bases in the game. In the 8th, Craig Monroe hit a 2 run, pinch hit home run.

Starter Glen Perkins struggled early, spotting the Padres a 3-0 lead after 2 innings. He never really seemed to get into a rhythm, but he never allowed more then those 3 runs. He hung in there, giving up those 3 runs on 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 2. He was helped by some strong defense, included a great stop by Casilla to save a hit.

Not only has the continued winning bolstered the team’s confidence, but the more recent winning has come against several former Cy Young winners. If the Twins can beat them, then they feel like they could beat anyone. Randy Johnson, Brandon Webb, Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux and even all time saves leader Trevor Hoffman fell before the Twins’ bats.

What looked like a game where the Twins were struggling to score runs turned into a dramatic finish, as a huge 9th inning won it for them 3-1. The heroics came in a most unlikely form for the Twins.

The team had been struggling all game long against Padres ace Jake Peavy. Their only run off him came in the first, when Michael Cuddyer singled home Alexi Casilla. Peavy would shut down the Twins for the rest of his start. With the game tied 1-1, heading into the ninth, the Padres sent out the all time leader in saves in Trevor Hoffman. All the Twins did was get back-to-back home runs with two outs from Brendan Harris and Brian Buscher.

Opposing Peavy was Kevin Slowey and the starter matched Peavy’s start. He didn’t allow a run over 6 innings, while giving up only 4 hits, no walks and striking out 7. The lead Slowey gave the Twins would be no more after Jesse Crain surrendered a run in the 7th. Joe Nathan would shut down the Padres in the 9th for his 20th save of the season.

It’s not everyday you can best the all times saves leader in such a dramatic way. Even more surprising is that the production came via the home run, something the Twins have been struggling to get this season. Their winning streak is now at 7, and with the way things are going, who knows when it will end.

The Twins won the first two games of the series with big innings, so why not go for the hat trick? Yet again, a multi-run inning propelled the Twin to a 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks for the sweep.

The run scoring started with an interesting play. With Jason Kubel on first, Delmon Young hit a fly ball that left fielder Conor Jackson lost in the white Metrodome ceiling. The ball fell right in front of Jackson, giving Young a double. Brain Buscher then singled them both home. The Twins would score three more runs, including a 2 run single by Alexi Casilla.

Starter Livan Hernandez seems to have gotten out of the earlier funk he was in, and turned in a solid outing. He went 7 seven innings, giving up 9 hits and 3 runs, though only 1 was earned. The start also come against his former team, perhaps giving in him a little extra motivation.

It’s a great time to be a Twins fans. The team is rolling, getting the right ingredients for each win, solid pitching and lots of runs. The big innings have been the key in the Arizona series, but the offense has proven it can win behind runs scored in many innings as well.

What certainly seemed like an end to the Twins winning streak in the beginning turned into an offensive outburst for a 6-1 win. The offense got hot at just the right time and a big inning carried the Twins.

The team could absolutely not get anything going against Diamondbacks starter Micah Owings through the first 6 innings, but the 7th was when the floodgates opened. Joe Mauer started the inning by taking a gamble and laying down a bunt. He just barely beat the throw at 1st. The rally would take off and include run scoring hits from Justin Morneau, Delmon Young and Brian Buscher. The 6 Twins runs were all scored during this inning.

The big inning did steal a bit of the spotlight from starter Nick Blackburn, who had been dueling Owings. He finished with 7 innings, giving up a run on 7 hits. He was particularly confident in throwing his pitches, which can only mean good things.

The team has won 5 straight and 7 of their last 8. Every facet of their game just seems to be producing, whether it’s the hitters or the pitchers. Two big innings in two straight nights have given the Twins offense extra confidence. They now know they can drop several runs on an opponent at any time. Who knows, they might bust it open again tomorrow night.

The production just keeps coming and coming for the Twins, as their winning ways continued with a 7-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. They were able to get to the Big Unit often and Scott Baker turned in a yet another solid start for the Twins rotation.

The team scored a majority of their runs in the 3rd inning. The scoring started with Matt Macri hitting a 2 run single. The Twins did gamble a few times against Arizona left fielder Jeff Salazar, but both Macri and Alexi Casilla beat throws home. Craig Monroe capped off the 6 run inning with a 2 run blast on the 1st pitch he saw.

Although the Big Unit outlasted Baker in terms of innings pitched, it’s safe to say the latter had the better start. Baker was sharp, going 6 innings while striking out 7 and giving up only 1 run. The bullpen surrendered a run, but like last night, the Twins were already too far out in front.

The hitters keep hitting and the pitchers keep pitching, so it’s safe to assume that the Twins are on a roll. The win tonight against one of the better NL teams in Arizona is a huge confidence booster. The team will look to continue their winning and go for the series win tomorrow.

Sustaining the momentum of the first two games of the series, the Twins capped off the sweep with a 9-3 win. It was a game where everything seemed to be working, the hitters and pitchers both doing what was needed to seal the victory.

Michael Cuddyer did everything in the game it seems. He went 2 for 2 with a triple, 2 RBIs, 2 walks and 2 runs scored. But he also helped out starter Glen Perkins in the field by making a couple of leaping catches in the outfield. In addition to Cuddyer, Joe Mauer, Brian Buscher, Jason Kubel and Brendan Harris each had two hits. The Twins jumped all over Nationals starter Shawn Hill, tagging him for 7 runs on 10 hits in only 3 2/3 innings.

Perkins went 8 innings, which would make one think it was a great start. While it was a solid start and he kept the Washington offense mostly reined in by only giving up 3 runs, he surrendered 10 hits and didn’t seem happy with his overall performance.

This is huge for the Twins. Of course a sweep is huge for any team, but this comes during a time when the Twins offense is starting to get started. What they need to do now is to keep the momentum going as they continue Interleague play.

Unlike last night where the Twins were unable to get any sort of offensive advantage going, tonight they did the complete opposite, battering the Nationals pitchers in an 11-2 win. The team was able to capitalize on a number of mistakes by Washington to fuel the surge.

The hitters worked Nationals starter Jason Bergmann for longer at-bats, making him throw over 100 pitches in 6 innings. They tagged him for 3 runs, only one of which was earned due to 2 Washington errors. Leading 5-1 heading into the 8th, the Twins decided they weren’t done, piling on 6 more runs. The big stars were Carlos Gomez, who had 3 hits, Justin Morneau, with 2 hits and 3 RBIs and Brendan Harris, who had a double and a triple.

Starter Kevin Slowey was solid on the mound, going 6 strong, allowing 7 hits. The lone run he surrendered come on a solo shot by Felipe Lopez in the 5th. Boof Bonser did give up a run in the 9th, but by that time, the Twins were too far ahead.

Gaining the series win has to be energizing for the Twins. They were able to avoid the mistakes of last night, while taking advantage of their opponents mistakes, something that every good team does. They have all the momentum going for the sweep tomorrow.

In a tight game mostly about solid pitching, the Twins emerged victorious, 2-1 over the Washington Nationals. Offense of any kind was hard to come by as each team’s pitchers were able to mostly shut down their respective opposing hitters.

There were 10 total hits between the 2 teams, with the decisive one for the Twins coming in the 6th. Joe Mauer hit a sort of bloop single through the legs of Nationals starter John Lannan. Morneau then come up and blasted a two run homer. On the mound for the Twins was Livan Hernandez, who has struggled of late, but turned in a solid outing, going 7 innings and giving up 1 run and 5 hits. This might be just what he needs to turn the bad luck around. Joe Nathan pitched the 9th for his 18th save of the season.

Probably the most important takeaway for the Twins was Hernandez’s performance, as it is hoped he will turn in more starts like this one in the future. While Morneau’s homer won it for the Twins, it also highlighted the general lack of power the team has with Morneau being its only true home run hitter and also the the times where the offense struggles for runs.

The Twins, despite what everyone thought, are keeping their heads above water and they’re definitely in the playoff mix as interleague play continues.  Next up is a solid three game series at the Metrodome against the first place Diamondbacks.  I’d really like to go to one of the games but I didn’t find tickets to my liking at the Twins box office.  I’ll most likely go with one of the many baseball ticket brokers since they provide a much better selection.

The Twins 6 game losing streak ended tonight, with an 8-5 win over the Cleveland Indians. Unlike during the streak, all facets of the Twins game were working together to snap the streak.

The Twins scored early and often to jump out in front. A Mike Lamb sac fly got it started in the 2nd, but it was the 3rd that was really the highlight of the night. Justin Morneau commenced the volley of runs with a 2 RBI double and was then brought home by Michael Cuddyer’s own double. Jason Kubel decided he wanted to join in and belted a 2 run homer to score himself and Cuddyer. The Twins added 2 more in the 9th on an RBI single by Alexi Casilla and an RBI double by Morneau to put the game out of reach.

Along with the great offense, Nick Blackburn gave the Twins their 2nd straight quality start, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits over 6 innings. But Boof Bonser and Dennys Reyes almost blew it in relief, when Bonser got the runners on and Reyes gave up a 3 run homer to Grady Sizemore in the 7th. The bullpen settled down to secure the win, including Joe Nathan’s 17th save of the season.

Well the Twins can rest a tad, now that their losing streak is over. They got the offense and the pitching they needed to win, and more importantly, got them both in the same game, something that didn’t really happen during the streak. Now the Twins hope to capitalize on this win and get many more heading into the resumption of Interleague Play.

For the first time in what seems like a very long while, the Twins got a solid outing from their starting pitcher. Unfortunately, the other guy outpitched them and the Twins lost a tight game 1-0. Scott Baker broke the recent string of pitching woes, but Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia was even better.

The Twins were shutout despite getting several hits, but it was baserunning mistakes that really did them in. They got doubled up twice and got caught stealing due to misreads. The lack of production spoiled what was a good start, at least in recent Twins pitching terms. Baker gave up 1 run on 8 hits while walking and fanning 1 each over 7 innings. But alas Sabathia was in his dominant, Cy Young-winning form, pitching a complete game shutout.

Over the Twins 6 game losing streak, every facet of their game has not been able to pull though. The starting pitching finally got a solid start, but the baserunning failed in this game. It just seems like lately, the team hasn’t been able to get everything clicking. Even though tonight was a loss, it was encouraging nonetheless as they continue their series against the Indians.

The Twins’ losing streak continued today as the White Sox busted out the brooms, as well as the bats to complete the 4 game sweep with a 7-5 win. The Twins actually had a sizeable lead at one point, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it and the bats couldn’t complete a comeback.

The Twins were able to build a lead for a short time. In the 4th, Micahel Cuddyer hit an RBI single and was then brought home, along with Justin Morneau, by a Jason Kubel double. Cuddyer drove in 2 more with a double in the 5th. The Sox then made that 5-2 deficit a 7-5 lead in their favor. The Twins had an excellent opportunity to come back in the 9th with runners on the corners and no outs, but a double play and a groundout would end that chance.

It sure seems like a long time since a Twins starter has been able to get a quality outing, but Glen Perkins certainly gave it a shot, giving up 3 over 5 1/3. It was the bullpen that did the Twins in. Jesse Crain gave up a 2 run homer to Nick Swisher in the 6th and Matt Guerrier gave up 3 runs in the 7th.

Getting swept, especially in a 4 game series, is always a bad experience. The bats were not able to get enough hits the whole series and the starters just couldn’t get quality outings. Now the bullpen faltered in the finale. The Twins are too good of a team for this to continue. This is just one of those rough stretches that even the best teams go through every season. Perhaps a change of scenery and opponent will be what turns this team around.

The White Sox outplayed the Twins in every way yet again and got a 12-2 win earlier today. The Twins offense could not get anything going, the same problem they’ve had all series long and the inexperience of the young pitching staff was exposed once more.

Despite the Twins getting the first run again on an RBI groundout by Justin Morneau in the 1st, the Sox roared right by them on the scoreboard, a constant theme of this series. The only other Twins run was a Jason Kubel solo shot in the 7th that didn’t mean much, as the Sox were so far ahead by that point.

Kevin Slowey was the latest Twins starter to be victimized by the Sox hitters. He lasted only 3 innings, giving up 8 runs, 3 in the 2nd and 5 in the 3rd. Juan Rincon would give up 4 more in the 5th. This continued the rotation woes as it’s been 5 straight starts a Twins starter has failed to last more then 5 innings.

The pitching problems, particularly those of the starters, is something that needs to improve, and very soon. The bullpen can’t handle pitching 5 or so innings a game on a consistent basis. The team is hoping that this is just one of those bad stretches during the season and that they can right the ship soon.

The bounceback the Twins were hoping for after yesterday’s loss didn’t happen, as the South Siders got several big innings en route to a 11-2 win. Twins starter Livan Hernandez struggled yet again and the offense couldn’t keep pace with their opponents.

The 2 runs that Twins were able to score came late in the game, well after the White Sox had established their huge lead. In the 7th, Delmon Young hit his 1st home run of the season, a solo shot, perhaps showing the beginning of the power potential he’s always had. Brendan Harris singled in a run in the 9th, but that was all for the Twins.

Hernandez had to endure a rain delay in the 1st inning, but after that just couldn’t seem to get anything going. He gave up 4 runs in the 2nd and 3 in the 4th. The Sox didn’t stop there, as they tagged Boof Bonser for 4 more in the 8th to really seal the victory.

The Twins got outplayed, plain and simple. Hernandez needs to get better and soon, given that he is being depended on as a veteran prescence on this young staff. The team has tomorrow to at least salvage something after two blowouts and will try to avoid another loss.

The first game for the Twins in their series against the White Sox started off well with them jumping out in front, but the South Siders blew past the visitors to pick up a 10-6 victory. It was a game some Twins would want to forget, especially starter Nick Blackburn, who picked up the loss.

The Twins drew first blood in the 3rd, starting with Carlos Gomez’s solo shot and then back-to-back RBI doubles by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Michael Cuddyer would add a solo home run in the 6th, but entering the 9th the Twins found themselves down 10-4, as the Sox looked to shut them down to close out the game. Not if Alexi Casilla had anything to say about it, as he launched a 2 run homer to cut the lead to 4, but alas that would be all.

Blackburn, in his first start since getting nailed in the face, started off alright, but then fell apart in the 5th, where he gave up 5 of his 7 runs and didn’t even record an out. He left the game with two on and Juan Rincon would then come in and give up a 3 run homer to Carlos Quentin. Rincon would give up another homer in the 6th as the Sox hitters battered the Twins pitchers all night long.

This certainly wasn’t the start the Twins wanted to this road trip. This loss is especially hard to take because the team is battling the White Sox for the AL Central lead and these are crucial games in that race. In other news, the Twins wrapped up their 2008 draft with a myriad of selections.

Day 1 of the 2008 MLB Draft is done and 6 rounds and 2 compensation rounds worth of players have been chosen. Although the big talk was prep shortstop Tim Beckham (cue the Bend It Like Beckham references) being taken 1st overall, the Twins had a good first day. They made 8 total picks and here they are:

Aaron Hicks, OF, Woodrow Wilson HS, CA 14th overall

Carlos Gutierrez, RHP, University of Miami 27th overall

Steven Hunt, RHP, Tulane University 31st overall

Tyler Ladendorf, SS, Howard College 60th overall

Robert Lanigan, RHP, Adelphi University 92nd overall

Daniel Ortiz, CF, Benjamin Harrison HS 126th overall

Nicholas Romero, 3B, San Diego State University 156th overall

Brett Hermsen, RHP, West Delaware HS, IA 186th overall

Hicks was one of the outfielders the Twins were rumored to be targeting at 14 and he brings his great athleticism and tools to the outfield. Hunt has command issues but great stuff. Ladendorf, who sports athleticism as one of his traits, has developed many more tools over the last year.

The Twins didn’t really address any organizational needs, except for their lack of depth at 3rd with the selection of Romero, but that’s not really what they sought. More often then not, teams will take the best player available. With many more rounds to go, it can be assured the Twins will keep trying to find hidden gems in the later rounds.

There were no large leads to overcome earlier today as the Twins and Orioles played a close game, with the Os ending up with the 3-2 win. The team trailing was never far behind, but the Twins ultimately could not do a repeat performance of last night.

The Twins got on the board first via a Mark Redmond RBI double in the 1st. Alexi Casilla would drive in a run in the 5th to tie it at 2, and later be on 3rd, but could not be brought home. That would be all the offense the Twins could generate, despite totaling 12 hits. The team had a chance to tie in the 8th with a runner in scoring position and 2 outs, but yesterday’s hero Joe Mauer grounded out to snuff that chance.

Scott Baker, in his 1st start since coming off the DL, pitched 5 innings. His only mistake was a 2 run homer he gave up to Nick Markakis in the 3rd. The decisive run was a solo shot Brian Bass surrendered to Adam Jones in the 7th. Otherwise the bullpen was effective in keeping the Twins in the game.

These kinds of games are always downers. Being so close to a win, yet not being able to achieve it is not exactly encouraging. The Twins played a good game, it was just due to a few mistakes that put the game away for the Orioles. The team now embarks on a 10 game road trip that pits them against the White Sox and Indians and features the resumption of Interleage play as the Twins visit the Brewers.

Last night, the Twins were unable to stage a comeback for a win. There was no such repeat tonight, as they stormed back for a 7-5 victory over the Orioles. Joe Mauer was the offensive focal point, as the Twins scored 5 times over the span of 3 innings to complete the comeback.

The team fell behind 3-0 entering the bottom of the 2nd, but were able to pull back into contention. Jason Kubel singled home Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer was able to advance to 3rd. Cuddyer would later score on a wild pitch by Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera to make it a 3-2 game. The Os would put two more across in the 4th, to make it look like it was headed to a repeat of last night. Nay said the Twins as the comeback started in the 5th. Mauer hit a sac fly that scored Nick Punto from 3rd and even Carlos Gomez from 2nd. In the 6th, Kubel hit an RBI triple and then was brought home by Delmon Young’s sac fly. The surge was capped off with Mauer’s solo shot in the 7th.

Starter Glen Perkins did not fare as well as the offense, allowing the Orioles to jump out in front by giving up 5 runs on 9 hits over only 4 innings. Recently demoted Boof Bonser then came in and pitched 2 2/3 innings of one hit ball for the win. Joe Nathan pitched a perfect 9th for his 16th save of the season.

It certainly was an encouraging outing for Bonser, whose struggles in the rotation led to his demotion. Such a performance might be a portent of things to come. After the Twins failed at a comeback in the first game of the series, then got it in the 2nd, one has to wonder what will happen in tomorrow’s series finale. Nevertheless, the team has the obvious momentum and who knows, this could be the start of a Cubs-like winning streak.

Another attempted comeback fell short and the Twins dropped their opener to Baltimore 5-3. The team fell behind early, and did pull back into contention, but as has been the case several times this season, they could not finish off the rally.

Behind by 4 heading into the the bottom of the 6th, the bats came alive, as Alexi Casilla and Joe Mauer hit back-to-back RBI doubles and Brendan Harris singled in a run in the 7th, but that would be all the offense the Twins put on the board. Down by 2 in the 8th, they had runners on 1st and 2nd, but Delmon Young flied out to end the inning.

Kevin Slowey turned in a so-so start, giving up only 7 hits and and no walks, but allowing 4 runs on 2 homers. Juan Rincon didn’t even record an out, as he allowed a double, threw a wild pitch and then gave up an RBI single to Adam Jones. Newcomer Crag Breslow struggled, throwing a wild pitch of his own, but Jesse Crain did keep the Twins in the game with solid relief.

The Twins just can’t seem to get any extended winning streak going, the Royals sweep being the exception. Whether it’s due to the rigors of sustaining that kind of production or something else, it’s just that things don’t seem to be working out for them at times. The team isn’t lacking for effort, and will contain to give it their all until they start winning big and for extended periods of time.

Joe Mauer and Delmon Young led the way for the Twins as they finished the series strong with a 6-5 win over the Yankees. The team fell behind a few times, but was able to stage several comebacks and then finally triumph late.

Michael Cuddyer and Delmon Young tag teamed the Yankees pitchers, with Young hitting three doubles, each time driving in Cuddyer, including the eventual winning run in the 8th. It was a breakout game for Young, who has struggled so far this season. The home crowd was thrilled when local boy Joe Mauer hit his 1st home run of the season, a solo shot in the 7th to tie the game. The Twins’ speedsters showed off their wheels when Alexi Casilla reached on a bunt single that scored Carlos Gomez in the 3rd.

Livan Hernandez struggled again, giving up 5 runs on 13 hits in 6 innings of work, including giving up a 2 run home run to Alex Rodriquez in the top of the 1st. Hernandez’s difficulties seemed to melt into the background, given the offensive contributions of Young and Mauer. Matt Guerrier pitched 1 2/3 of scoreless ball for the win and Joe Nathan got back on the save track with his 15th of the season.

This will most likely be a game Young remembers for the rest of the season. It could be the game that starts a tear where he shows off his offensive promise. Just as important, the Twins fell behind a number of times during the game. However, unlike past games where they were not able to muster a comeback, they kept scoring to pull themselves back into the game and eventually got the win.

The Twins’ bullpen, which hasn’t performed very well recently, put in strong innings after starter Nick Blackburn was knocked down by a line drive, and held on to a 5-1 Twins victory.

Michael Cuddyer was the main offensive catalyst, knocking in 2 in the 1st with a single and one in the 7th with a triple. Justin Morneau had an interesting hit in the 6th. After coming up with what appeared to be a triple, he scored on an error by Yankee Melky Cabrera. Mike Lamb would put across another run with a sac fly in the 4th.

Blackburn started out great, pretty much breezing through the first 4 innings, but the 5th wouldn’t be so kind. After giving up a solo shot to Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu lined a pitch that hit Blackburn’s glove and smacked him in his nose. X-rays would later show no breaks, and he is listed as day-to-day. After the shocker, Brian Bass, Jesse Crain and Joe Nathan combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings, even more impressive given it was against the high powered Yankee lineup.

Blackburn’s injury was certainly a scare, but it appears to be nothing too serious and he himself expects to be ready for his next start. The fact that the bullpen was able to come in and shutdown the Yankees after not faring so good in the series so far is a huge morale boost and perhaps Blackburn getting hit was the source of their motivation as they sought to finish what their teammate started.

There must be something to the Twins, as they’ve been playing in more extra inning games then one would expect lately. However, last night’s didn’t go as hoped and they fell to the Yankees 7-6 in 12. It was a game of passed chances and a near certain demotion as the Twins just couldn’t seem to get that one big hit.

The Twins actually got on the board first, with a Justin Morneau RBI single in the 1st. The team kept the scoring going with a Nick Punto sac fly scoring Delmon Young in the 2nd and a Michael Cuddyer RBI single in the 3rd tying the game at 3. The Twins added 2 more in the 6th, starting with Delmon Young and Nick Punto pulling off a double steal. Carlos Gomez then singled in Young and Alexi Casilla hit into a groundout to score Punto. Cuddyer would tie the game in the 7th with a solo shot, but the Twins could not get the winning run to score as they had a few chances in extra innings.

Bonser had a mediocre start, giving up 5 runs, 3 of which were unearned due to a Nick Punto error in the 3rd. He started the 6th but could not record an out and is likely done in the rotation. He is winless in May with an ERA approaching 9 and Scott Baker is close to coming off the DL. Juan Rincon would Bobby Abreu to drive in the winning run in the 12th.

Bonser needs to be pulled and this should have been done earlier. Whether it’s mechanics, confidence or something else, he just isn’t getting it done and is becoming a liability to the team, who often have to score bunches of runs in his starts. He is perhaps headed to the bullpen where it is hoped he can work things out.