Carlos Silva (L 10-15, 6.07 ERA) just may have pitched himself right out of the postseason starting rotation on Wednesday. In four innings, Silva allowed 5 runs on 6 hits.The game started out promising, when Joe Mauer (2 for 4, RBI) doubled in a run after a throwing error that put Nick Punto (2 for 4) on second. The Twins remained a run ahead until Kansas City tied it up in the third on a David DeJesus two-out homer, his eighth on the season.
The worst of it came in the fourth, when Mike Sweeney led off the inning with a line drive bomb to left, his seventh of the year. After two doubles, two singles and sac fly, the Twins found themselves three runs behind. The Royals got another one in the fifth when Matt Guerrier (3.31 ERA) came in to replace Silva and walked the first batter, got the next two, then gave up two straight singles.
Mark Redman (W 11-10, 5.71 ERA) continued to pitch well, allowing only 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out four batters. Minnesota tried to battle back in the seventh with a lead-off base hit by Mauer, a single by Michael Cuddyer (2 for 4, RBI) and with two outs, a line drive smash by Rondell White (2 for 3, 2 RBI) to bring them home. But Phil Nevin ended the comeback on a forceout.
After about a million substitutions, Cuddy blasted his 23rd homer of the year off of closer Joe Nelson (4.20 ERA) in the bottom of the ninth. The Dome was going crazy with everyone on their feet with rally caps on, but Justin Morneau struck out swinging, Jason Kubel grounded out and Mike Redmond was called out on strikes. The end.
The Twins found themselves losing a two-run game to a last place team, ending the Royals' eight-game losing streak and missing the chance to tie the first place Tigers, who own the tie-breaker. Lucky for Minnesota though, they remain one game behind Detroit, who fell to Toronto on Wednesday, 7-4.
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Brad Radke (12-9, 4.46 ERA and the toughest man in baseball) is back to start his first game since he pitched only two innings on August 25th against the White Sox, leaving due to pain from a stress fracture in his right shoulder. Luke Hudson (5.49 ERA) will take the hill for Kansas City in the series finale and last meeting of the season on Thursday.
With Johan Santana (2.77 ERA) and Boof Bonser (4.15 ERA) expected to start the first two games of the Division Series, we might be watching Radke vying for the third spot in the postseason rotation.
Luis Castillo may miss Thursday's game with a sore right knee and Torii Hunter left Wednesday's game after fouling a ball off his left big toe, his status remaining unclear. Since he has played all year with a hurt ankle, he will most likely suck it up like he always does.
Batting Title Race: Joe Mauer went 2 for 4 raising his batting average to .350 in Wednesday's loss while Robinson Cano went 1 for 3 (.343) and Derek Jeter hit 1 for 4 (.341) during the Yankees' 16-5 destruction of the Orioles.
With Johan Santana (2.77 ERA) and Boof Bonser (4.15 ERA) expected to start the first two games of the Division Series, we might be watching Radke vying for the third spot in the postseason rotation.
Luis Castillo may miss Thursday's game with a sore right knee and Torii Hunter left Wednesday's game after fouling a ball off his left big toe, his status remaining unclear. Since he has played all year with a hurt ankle, he will most likely suck it up like he always does.
Batting Title Race: Joe Mauer went 2 for 4 raising his batting average to .350 in Wednesday's loss while Robinson Cano went 1 for 3 (.343) and Derek Jeter hit 1 for 4 (.341) during the Yankees' 16-5 destruction of the Orioles.
MVP Action for Wednesday, September 27th...
Justin Morneau: 2 for 4 | .323 avg | 129 RBI | 34 HR
Johan Santana: 19-6 | 2.77 ERA | 245 K | 233.2 IP
Derek Jeter: 1 for 4 | .341 avg | 96 RBI | 14 HR
2 comments:
So a few things made me sad, not gonna lie. 1) Carlos Silva - As much as I love the guy personally, he is stinking it up out there. I don't really trust him for the postseason, let alone right now. 2) Changes in the line-up... I understand people need and deserve days off, but we have a job to do. And switching the players on and off and moving Bartlett to the top I think ruins the flow. We had something going, something working.
And dang, we had a chance to gain a game with Detroit losing theirs...lol.
Let's hope we get another chance.
Oh, AND GOOD LUCK BRAD RADKE!! YOU DESERVE THE BEST.
I am so excited to see Radke pitch tonight. I was extremely disappointed in Silva last night as well. Not only last night, but the outing before that and the outing before that, and so on. He does not have my vote for a post season starting position. We could use him in the bullpen maybe, but that's the extent of it.
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