Despite Boof Bonser (3-5, 5.17 ERA) and the Twins efforts, Minnesota found themselves with the series lost to Kansas City Wednesday night in a 4-3 heartbreaker at the Dome. Boof pitched 5.1 very good innings, giving up 3 earned runs on 7 hits and striking out eight batters. He has truly improved in his last few starts, but for the second night in a row, the Twins' starting pitcher was without enough runs behind him to get the win.
Minnesota took a fairly early 2-0 lead in the third, when Luis Castillo singled on a ground ball to second. He moved to second on a Nick Punto groundout, then took third on a wild pitch with Michael Cuddyer at the plate. Cuddy then blasted one to right-center field (19), scoring Castillo. Honestly, I thought the game was in the bag at this point (even in the third inning) with the way Boof was pitching. He was lights out with 6 K's by that inning!
But, the Royals answered in the sixth. It started with a harmless David DeJesus single. Then all of a sudden, there's a runner on second and third with nobody out after Mark Grudzielanek hits a ground-rule double. Two batters later, Mike Sweeney hit a double to score them both.
The Royals tying the game at this point was not Twins' main concern. On an Emil Brown single to second, Castillo fielded the ball and from the looks of it, rolled his ankle. He exited the game and was replaced by Luis Rodriguez playing third, moving Punto to second. No word on Castillo's status, but hopefully he'll be able to shake it off by the New York series.
This was a little too much for Boof apparently, because he was replaced by Jesse Crain (4.10 ERA) mid-inning. On Crain's very first pitch, Ryan Shealy singled to bring home Sweeney, with the run credited to Boof. Crain got out of the inning and Dennys Reyes (0.89 ERA) pitched a no-hit scoreless seventh, then one batter into the eighth. Juan Rincon (2.61 ERA) came in to retire the last two batters in the inning.
Luke Hudson (7-5, 5.60 ERA) pitched a decent seven innings, allowing 5 hits and only those 2 runs from Cuddyer's homer in the third. He walked only one and struck out five. Jimmy Gobble Gobble (4.32 ERA) came in for relief and pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out 2 batters.
With Rincon pitching into the ninth, Shealy doubles to right and moves to third on a passed ball by Joe Mauer, before Andres Blanco lays out a Texas leaguer infront of Torii Hunter out in short center to add an insurance run. This was the second mistake by Joe in the game, including when he threw the ball out into center field in the third. This time unfortunately, it cost the Twins a run.
In the bottom half of the frame with Joe Nelson (3.98 ERA) closing, Cuddyer clobbered another one (20) to left, bringing the Twins within a run, but it proved to be too little too late for Minnesota after Justin Morneau struck out swinging, Hunter grounded out, and Jason Kubel lined out to center fielder Joey Gathright, who made atleast two outstanding catches in the game. Amazing effort by Michael Cuddyer, though. He went 3 for 3 with a walk, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
Minnesota took a fairly early 2-0 lead in the third, when Luis Castillo singled on a ground ball to second. He moved to second on a Nick Punto groundout, then took third on a wild pitch with Michael Cuddyer at the plate. Cuddy then blasted one to right-center field (19), scoring Castillo. Honestly, I thought the game was in the bag at this point (even in the third inning) with the way Boof was pitching. He was lights out with 6 K's by that inning!
But, the Royals answered in the sixth. It started with a harmless David DeJesus single. Then all of a sudden, there's a runner on second and third with nobody out after Mark Grudzielanek hits a ground-rule double. Two batters later, Mike Sweeney hit a double to score them both.
The Royals tying the game at this point was not Twins' main concern. On an Emil Brown single to second, Castillo fielded the ball and from the looks of it, rolled his ankle. He exited the game and was replaced by Luis Rodriguez playing third, moving Punto to second. No word on Castillo's status, but hopefully he'll be able to shake it off by the New York series.This was a little too much for Boof apparently, because he was replaced by Jesse Crain (4.10 ERA) mid-inning. On Crain's very first pitch, Ryan Shealy singled to bring home Sweeney, with the run credited to Boof. Crain got out of the inning and Dennys Reyes (0.89 ERA) pitched a no-hit scoreless seventh, then one batter into the eighth. Juan Rincon (2.61 ERA) came in to retire the last two batters in the inning.
Luke Hudson (7-5, 5.60 ERA) pitched a decent seven innings, allowing 5 hits and only those 2 runs from Cuddyer's homer in the third. He walked only one and struck out five. Jimmy Gobble Gobble (4.32 ERA) came in for relief and pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out 2 batters.With Rincon pitching into the ninth, Shealy doubles to right and moves to third on a passed ball by Joe Mauer, before Andres Blanco lays out a Texas leaguer infront of Torii Hunter out in short center to add an insurance run. This was the second mistake by Joe in the game, including when he threw the ball out into center field in the third. This time unfortunately, it cost the Twins a run.
In the bottom half of the frame with Joe Nelson (3.98 ERA) closing, Cuddyer clobbered another one (20) to left, bringing the Twins within a run, but it proved to be too little too late for Minnesota after Justin Morneau struck out swinging, Hunter grounded out, and Jason Kubel lined out to center fielder Joey Gathright, who made atleast two outstanding catches in the game. Amazing effort by Michael Cuddyer, though. He went 3 for 3 with a walk, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored.
The Chicago White Sox widen their gap in the Wild Card lead to 1.5 games with their 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay D'Rays Wednesday night.
By the way, (even though it wasn't for an out) sweet bare-hand, behind-the-back play by Nick Punto to Morneau, eh? He gets style points and an A for effort.
By the way, (even though it wasn't for an out) sweet bare-hand, behind-the-back play by Nick Punto to Morneau, eh? He gets style points and an A for effort.
VS. 
Thursday afternoon, the Twins will look to Johan K. Santana (15-5, 3.01 ERA) to avoid the homefield sweep by Jorge De La Rosa (3-3, 8.13 ERA) and the Kansas City Royals.
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