In what was most likely veteran Brad Radke's (4.32 ERA) last regular season Major League start, he pitched five outstanding innings for the Twins, allowing only one run on three hits, walking two and striking out one with a broken shoulder, making a great case for a spot in the postseason starting pitcher's rotation.
Kansas City got their lone (unearned) run after Mitch Maier singled to center and advanced to second on a rare Torii Hunter fielding error before Paul Phillips blasted a line drive double to left, scoring the first run of the game.
Radke held the Royals scoreless over the next three innings and was replaced by Pat Neshek (2.19 ERA) pitching the sixth and seventh, striking out three batters and allowing only one hit.
Luke Hudson (5.12 ERA) kept Minnesota's bats silent for seven long and scoreless innings, giving up only four hits. In fact, Jason Tyner was the only base runner to even make it to second during his outing.
Jesse Crain (3.58 ERA) came in to pitch the top of the eighth and gave up a one-out single to Jeff Keppinger and a fielder's choice to Angel Sanchez before being replaced by Dennys Reyes (0.90), who got David DeJesus to strike out swinging. Joel Peralta (4.46 ERA) pitched a perfect bottom half for the Royals. Juan Rincon (2.95) then came in to toss the ninth and loaded the bags with two walks and a single before forcing an infield pop out and a ground-out doubleplay. Way to keep things interesting, Juan.
Joe Nelson (4.32 ERA) replaced Peralta in the ninth to close the game, getting Nick Punto and Jason Kubel out quickly.
It was all up to our hometown hero Joe Mauer, now. This is who you want at the plate in this situation, right? It was the last chance for the Twins when their possible history-making, future batting champion took a pitch the opposite direction and carried it over the left field wall to tie the game and send it into extras.
Bonus baseball courtesy of Joe Mauer: Automatic Joe Nate (W 7-0, 1.60 ERA) held the Royals to one hit in the tenth and left it up to the big dogs to take it down. Justin Morneau led off the bottom of the frame with a base hit before Torii Hunter (trying to redeem himself for the run-causing error in the second) was robbed of a single with a snowcone catch by DeJesus.
Rondell White then moved Justin over on a single after a bunch of defensive nonsense up the middle that should have been a double play to end the inning. After Scott Dohmann (L 2-4, 6.99 ERA) intentionally walked Jason Tyner to get to Jason Bartlett, (why?) JB smashed the ball to center and it dropped for a hit behind DeJesus, scoring the winning run. Nathan gets the win, and the Twins finally tie the Tigers for the Division Lead.
Kansas City got their lone (unearned) run after Mitch Maier singled to center and advanced to second on a rare Torii Hunter fielding error before Paul Phillips blasted a line drive double to left, scoring the first run of the game.
Radke held the Royals scoreless over the next three innings and was replaced by Pat Neshek (2.19 ERA) pitching the sixth and seventh, striking out three batters and allowing only one hit.
Luke Hudson (5.12 ERA) kept Minnesota's bats silent for seven long and scoreless innings, giving up only four hits. In fact, Jason Tyner was the only base runner to even make it to second during his outing.
Jesse Crain (3.58 ERA) came in to pitch the top of the eighth and gave up a one-out single to Jeff Keppinger and a fielder's choice to Angel Sanchez before being replaced by Dennys Reyes (0.90), who got David DeJesus to strike out swinging. Joel Peralta (4.46 ERA) pitched a perfect bottom half for the Royals. Juan Rincon (2.95) then came in to toss the ninth and loaded the bags with two walks and a single before forcing an infield pop out and a ground-out doubleplay. Way to keep things interesting, Juan.
Joe Nelson (4.32 ERA) replaced Peralta in the ninth to close the game, getting Nick Punto and Jason Kubel out quickly.It was all up to our hometown hero Joe Mauer, now. This is who you want at the plate in this situation, right? It was the last chance for the Twins when their possible history-making, future batting champion took a pitch the opposite direction and carried it over the left field wall to tie the game and send it into extras.
Bonus baseball courtesy of Joe Mauer: Automatic Joe Nate (W 7-0, 1.60 ERA) held the Royals to one hit in the tenth and left it up to the big dogs to take it down. Justin Morneau led off the bottom of the frame with a base hit before Torii Hunter (trying to redeem himself for the run-causing error in the second) was robbed of a single with a snowcone catch by DeJesus.
Rondell White then moved Justin over on a single after a bunch of defensive nonsense up the middle that should have been a double play to end the inning. After Scott Dohmann (L 2-4, 6.99 ERA) intentionally walked Jason Tyner to get to Jason Bartlett, (why?) JB smashed the ball to center and it dropped for a hit behind DeJesus, scoring the winning run. Nathan gets the win, and the Twins finally tie the Tigers for the Division Lead.
VS. 
The Minnesota Twins will welcome the Former World Series Champion Chicago White Sox to the Metrodome on Friday for the last regular season series of 2006. Boof Bonser (7-5, 4.15 ERA) will take the hill for the Twins against Freddy Garcia (16-9, 4.65 ERA), a rematch of the August 18th game in which the Twins won 7-3, but Boof did not get the decision. Bonser went 5.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walking two and striking out one, while Garcia went 6.1, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits, striking out four. The Royals head to Detroit to take on the Tigers and will hopefully continue to play hard, after suffering their 100th loss to the Twins on Thursday.
Batting Title Race: Joe Mauer went 1 for 4, batting .349 during Thursday's win over Kansas City while Robinson Cano hit 1 for 4 in the Yankees' 7-1 loss to Baltimore, batting .343 on the year.
Batting Title Race: Joe Mauer went 1 for 4, batting .349 during Thursday's win over Kansas City while Robinson Cano hit 1 for 4 in the Yankees' 7-1 loss to Baltimore, batting .343 on the year.
MVP Action for September 28, 2006...
Justin Morneau: 1 for 4 | .322 avg | 129 RBI | 34 HR
Johan Santana: 19-6 | 2.77 ERA | 245 K | 233.2 IP
Derek Jeter: did not play | .340 avg | 96 RBI | 14 HR
2 comments:
You know what...I didn't get to see Radke's whole performance, Joe Mauer's homerun, or Jason Bartlett's game winning hit. But you know what, I don't care because it was still one of the best games ever and I am crazy happy about the whole thing! Brad Radke did AMAZING(!) and the Twins tied the Tigers for first place. Oh how I love this team!!!!
Me tooooooo! I get more and more fired up with every game. This weeken is going to be HUGE! I have a feeling Detroit will lose at least one to Kansas City, withthe way they manhandled the Twins. We just have to take care of the White Sox! Go Twins!
Post a Comment