The Nick Gordon Game

Twins 10
Red Sox 5

Sure, watching stars shine can be fun, but sometimes it's watching the role players step up and have a career game that can be just as memorable.

Twins game #5 for me this year was one of them, as on Tuesday night it was Nick Gordon, the much maligned former 1st round pick turned utility guy, who had a career game, and led the Twins to a needed win.

Gordon started right away in the 1st, following a pair of walks with a gapper that scored both runners. Jake Cave hit a towering solo shot the next inning to make it 3-0.

Chris Archer was cruising through 3 no hit innings, did get tagged for a run in the 4th before a double play ended things, and looked like maybe he would last long enough to get an elusive 3rd win.

But no, after getting 1 out in the 5th, he gave up singles to the 8 and 9 hitters, then another run scoring hit that knocked him out after 4 1/3. Thielbar came in but gave up the tying single and a walk, then Fulmer came in and on his 1st throw threw one to the backstop, handing Boston the lead.

Another ugly inning by the bullpen in a season full of them.

But the Twins responded, with some help. The Sawx RF tried to add some flair by jumping for a routine flyball and dropped it. Then Kepler walked, and after a pitching change Miranda got plunked.

The bases were loaded for Gordon, and he connected, driving the ball up into the grandstand for a grandslam, giving him 6 RBI on the night. Hell, this team was struggling to score 6 runs in a series not long ago.

Gordon even got a cool curtain call, as his teammates stayed in the dugout before the next half inning as he went out alone and got an ovation. Well deserved.

That was pretty much it. Sanchez added a 3rd deck solo blast, and the Twins added a couple runs in the 8th. Boston made a brief run against Trevor Megill but only got 1 run. And shockingly Emilio "Cleveland Sleeper Agent" Pagan pitched a scoreless 9th to finish off the Twins 5th straight win and stay 1 1/2 back of the Guardians.

If they're still going to win this division they'll need a lot more of the little guys stepping up and having big games like Nick Gordon did. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Message Board Classics: 2004 NFL Season

Preseason kickoff post (and other posts): Oh yes, it IS that time again. Training camps are open. The first preseason games are less than a week away. Players are already being idiots. It's the best time of the sports year. It is not yet the time for predictions, but I'll hit on some of the big recent stories. Ricky Williams retires. Well, we know now he did so cuz he was gonna be suspended for using marijuana. He's a little shit as far as I'm concerned. You do not abandon your team when he did. He had every right to retire, but do it at least before the draft. He's left the Dolphins with zero chance of making the playoffs. They couldn't go get Eddie George or Antowain Smith, nor could they draft a RB. The Cowboys cut Quincy Carter. I spent all offseason pleading with Dallas to go get a QB like Warner or Collins or Garcia. Instead they fail to upgrade, and now take a step back. Vinny is 80 years old and has little if anything left. My prediction is that Drew Hen...
Read more

Awful NFL season ends with awful Super Bowl

BUCCANEERS 31 CHIEFS 9 The 2020 NFL season is over. Thank god! A season that was almost across the board unenjoyable, and felt empty and largely felt manipulated, ended with the worst outcome imaginable. With a result that not only continues this 20 year nightmare but that will frankly hurt the NFL for years to come. I was not looking forward to this game. I knew this was going to happen. Maybe not in blowout fashion but I knew the NFL was going to see to it that Tom Brady got his 7th title. The house wins. The game was never fun. Right from the start the Chiefs seemed sleepy, like they weren't really in it. This team plays with swagger, but in this game they had none. Patrick Mahomes was under enormous pressure from the start. The Chiefs grabbed the 1st lead at 3-0 but then from basically the end of the 1st quarter until halftime it was a nightmare. The Chiefs offense remained lifeless. The Chiefs defense did manage a goal line stand that at the moment seemed like it could be a tu...
Read more