Twins Statement Series Game 4: The Death Blow

Indians 7
Twins 3
10 innings

Where to even begin? (Well that would be with the other blog post I had like 90% done before this game became something else entirely)

Jesus this one hurt. If you designed a game to elicit maximum emotional carnage you might come up with something like this.

What was for 8 innings one of the most lifeless, passive losses of the year in a blink turned almost into the biggest comeback win of the year, then in another blink turned into one of the most crushing regular season losses I can recall.

(Alright I'll just include some of the first blog rather than recount it differently)

With 1st place on the line, with any chance to salvage this series and this homestand on the line, with your best pitcher matched up against a rookie in his 3rd career start...

That's what you put out on that field?

Early on it looked like Jose Berrios was going to be the goat today. Homerun to the 2nd batter. Another 1st inning run. Giving up a 3rd immediately after we scored a run. But he settled in after that and got into the 7th, and might have gone further if Gonzalez could have made a catch in RF. (Funny how opponents have made every possible diving catch on us for weeks, but the only ones we ever get put Buxton on the IL)

But this lineup, which has run infuriatingly hot and cold all summer, served up one of its absolute lowest grade efforts today. 6 innings against Aaron Civale, 1 run on a sac fly. Only 1 other runner to 2nd base. Tons of ugly swings and strikeouts.

Cleveland goes to the bullpen and suddenly gives us a shot. Garver walks, Arraez slaps a single. And we get NOTHING out of it. Cron and Gonzalez pop out, and that utterly useless sack of dog shit Johnathan Schoop strikes out.

(Okay back to new blog)

So we get to the 9th and Brad Hand, and the chronically late arriving bats finally show. Rosario doubles. Arraez singles to score Eddie. Cron singles and Adrianza runs for him. Then Marwin Gonzalez hits one in the gap. Arraez scores to tie it, but even in what should have been one of the most exciting moments any Twins fan has seen in a long time, the Twins themselves can't get out of their own way. 3rd base coach Tony Diaz sends Adrianza too, who is out easily. It's the sort of first guess, unforced mistake that have been all over the place with this team the last 2 months. You don't send that runner with less than 2 outs unless it is a fucking guarantee that he makes it.

And naturally the next batter is Schoop again, who grounds out, and we're off to extras. And given the fact this team can never hit in extras I knew we were fucked.

But like this?

Taylor Rogers comes in for the 10th, and goes single, 4 pitch walk, bunt single, grand slam. I literally had to leave the house I was so disgusted.

Shit like this is why, as a fan, I would always rather lose in blowout fashion than lose close. 3-1 was not good. But what this game became was a catastrophe. It is the death blow to the season.

I keep being told how resilient this team is. Well if they can somehow rebound from this, well, I'll believe it when I see it. This dagger today was a culmination of just a depressing, humbling stretch of ball. 11.5 game lead gone since June 4th. 6.5 game lead gone since 4 weeks ago today. 4 game lead gone since that Sano walkoff(which might as well have taken place in the Obama era). 13-14 since July 14th, including 5-12(5-11 at home) against good teams, which I think the Mets can be included with now.

I keep hearing all this about the easy schedule left, and how Cleveland's schedule is so tough. But Cleveland is also a MUCH better team than the Twins at this point. It's delusional homerism to say anything else.

These last couple homestands have been big, bold proof that this Twins club is just not capable of beating the best when it counts. The same issues and mistakes have been hounding them for this whole collapse. They just are not being fixed. If anything they're getting worse. The Twins will probably still get a bunch of wins against the creampuffs, and I wouldn't even be stunned if they have a decent road trip to Milwaukee and Texas since they seem to play better on the road anyway.

But it will all be a mirage. This Twins team is destined to tease, to make you hope, but to ultimately let you down.