WHAT A WIN!!!
This year's Twins team is only 7-7 but their fans have gotten their money's worth on this homestand. Wednesday night's come-from-behind 12-10 win over the LA Angels of Anaheim (Whatever happened to the California Angels?) was just the latest installment of great late inning heroics.
The Twins trailed 2-0, 8-4, 9-4 and 10-9 but they kept coming back, getting key hits from this off season's acquisitions and farmhands alike.
Ruben Sierra, their last free agent signee, singled and scored in his first plate appearance of the season (he's been rehabilitating a muscle strain injury in Ft. Myers) before walking in the ninth. Second baseman Luis Castillo went 2 for 4 with two walks, two RBI's and a stolen a base. By the way, that's before he scored the game-winning run. Third baseman Tony Batista walked and scored in the four-run second inning rally, too.
Mix in Lew Ford's dramatic 2 out, bases loaded walk off super-reliever Francisco Rodriguez after falling behind 0-2 in the count, Michael Cuddyer's game-winning pinch-hit walk-off, line drive homerun to straightaway center field that just kept carrying and carrying.
Add it all up and you'd have the Twins 7th come from behind win of the season. It's worth noting that (a) the Twins are averaging almost 6 runs a game on this homestand, (b) Luis Castillo has been in the middle of most of the rallies and (c) the last two Twins late inning wins have been against Francisco Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera. Rivera is the best closer of our time and Rodriguez looks like the next Rivera.
I've been raving all season about the Twins infield defense. Twins announcers Bert Blyleven and Dick Bremer have said that Twins first basemen haven't had to dig a ball out of the dirt all season. Of course, that's exaggeration but it's a tiny exaggeration. Juan Castro's, Luis Castillo's and Tony Batista's throws have been accurate and chest high. Castro and Castillo have looked so smooth that I consider them the best double play combination in Twins history.
The past couple years, I've said that Johan Santana was worth the price of admission. He's that a dominant pitcher. Now, he's just one of the players that's worth the price of admission. I'm referring specifically to Francisco Liriano who's been dominant pitching from the bullpen. I'm referring specifically to Luis Castillo, who's been in the middle of all the big rallies.
That isn't even counting Joe Mauer, who didn't start last night's game. Instead, he entered as a ninth inning pinch hitter and reached on an infield single, then scored the game-tying run when Ford drew the bases-loaded walk. He's just 22 and is the best defensive catcher in Twins history. That and he's poised like a 10 year veteran.
Get out and watch these Twins. They're a strong team who will give it everything they've got until the last out is recorded.
Or until they score a dramatic last-inning run to complete a heart-stopping rally.
Posted Thursday, April 20, 2006 10:36 AM
No comments.
The Twins trailed 2-0, 8-4, 9-4 and 10-9 but they kept coming back, getting key hits from this off season's acquisitions and farmhands alike.
Ruben Sierra, their last free agent signee, singled and scored in his first plate appearance of the season (he's been rehabilitating a muscle strain injury in Ft. Myers) before walking in the ninth. Second baseman Luis Castillo went 2 for 4 with two walks, two RBI's and a stolen a base. By the way, that's before he scored the game-winning run. Third baseman Tony Batista walked and scored in the four-run second inning rally, too.
Mix in Lew Ford's dramatic 2 out, bases loaded walk off super-reliever Francisco Rodriguez after falling behind 0-2 in the count, Michael Cuddyer's game-winning pinch-hit walk-off, line drive homerun to straightaway center field that just kept carrying and carrying.
Add it all up and you'd have the Twins 7th come from behind win of the season. It's worth noting that (a) the Twins are averaging almost 6 runs a game on this homestand, (b) Luis Castillo has been in the middle of most of the rallies and (c) the last two Twins late inning wins have been against Francisco Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera. Rivera is the best closer of our time and Rodriguez looks like the next Rivera.
I've been raving all season about the Twins infield defense. Twins announcers Bert Blyleven and Dick Bremer have said that Twins first basemen haven't had to dig a ball out of the dirt all season. Of course, that's exaggeration but it's a tiny exaggeration. Juan Castro's, Luis Castillo's and Tony Batista's throws have been accurate and chest high. Castro and Castillo have looked so smooth that I consider them the best double play combination in Twins history.
The past couple years, I've said that Johan Santana was worth the price of admission. He's that a dominant pitcher. Now, he's just one of the players that's worth the price of admission. I'm referring specifically to Francisco Liriano who's been dominant pitching from the bullpen. I'm referring specifically to Luis Castillo, who's been in the middle of all the big rallies.
That isn't even counting Joe Mauer, who didn't start last night's game. Instead, he entered as a ninth inning pinch hitter and reached on an infield single, then scored the game-tying run when Ford drew the bases-loaded walk. He's just 22 and is the best defensive catcher in Twins history. That and he's poised like a 10 year veteran.
Get out and watch these Twins. They're a strong team who will give it everything they've got until the last out is recorded.
Or until they score a dramatic last-inning run to complete a heart-stopping rally.
Posted Thursday, April 20, 2006 10:36 AM
No comments.
