Twins gut one out

TWINS 5

ANGELS 4

J.A. Happ had given up 4 runs. He had recorded 4 outs.

I'm sitting there Friday night at one of the hottest Twins games I've ever been to, and probably the most humid one since 2009 in St. Louis. And I'm lamenting the fact I picked this game to go to, which meant having to see Happ pitch. And in the 2nd inning it's over, both because the Twins already rather feeble bats have only been further weakened by the trade of Nelson Cruz and the shutting down of Alex Kirilloff, but also because with 23 outs to go, this pitching staff certainly will surrender more runs.

But Happ, a failed free agent signing who has given up roughly a run an inning for 3 months, never gave up another run in his 6 total innings. Alex Colome, another failed signing, tossed a 0 up in the 7th. Juan Minaya, who has been in St. Paul most of the year, put the 1st 2 on in the 8th but left both stranded.

The Twins bats were hardly potent, but they were able to pick away. Trevor Larnach drove in a run here. Nick Gordon drove in a run there. Josh Donaldson (on a night they gave away his bobblehead, clearly meant for 2020 distribution since it has him wearing #24) grounded into a double play that scored a run.

The failure of the Angels to tack on runs meant it was 4-3 into the 8th.

Miguel Sano drew a walk. Two batters later Gordon singles. Up comes Ryan Jeffers, who already had 2 hits. He laced another single here. Sano ran around 3rd, and from my vantage point he was dead to rights with a good throw home. But the throw wasn't good. At all. It was way off line. The catcher comes up to grab the throw, then fires the ball to 3rd to nab Gordon, but that throw ALSO is terrible, and Gordon faces home with the go ahead run. And there was much rejoicing.

Taylor Rogers had a pretty easy 9th for the save, and the Twins had achieved one of their pluckier wins of the year.