Twins Off to a Bad Playoff Start

So first I have to get my confessions out of the way.  I failed to blog on my last few season ticket home games.  I just found the games uninspiring particularly the Sept. 30th game in which we got blown away by Toronto.  The thing I remember most was a kestrel swooping down from the sky catching a moth in mid-air.   You can only see that if you're in the upper, upper decks folks.  Not in those expensive seats.    (There are videos of this kestrel's escapades on UTube.) But overall, the Twins were in sort of a post-clinch malaise and I suppose I was too.

View from Section 318, 13th row, Seat 11.

But it's playoff time.  The counter is reset to zero and off we go.   Yankees again only this time the Twins have a home field advantage.  Our seats are in section 318 behind home plate but way, way up in the nosebleed world.  Those of us with a 20-game series didn't get a lot of choice in playoff seats.

You couldn't have asked for a better evening weather-wise.  Game-wise, definitely could have wished for a better evening.  We lost to the Yankees 6-4.    But let us revisit the game a bit, shall we?

Thome gets bonked and goes down

Cuddy sends one to the seats

Frankie was our starting pitcher.  There was a lot of pre-game speculation about whether Liariano could keep it together well enough to give us a chance.  And he did for the most part.  He looked dominating right into the 5th inning.   The Twins had a 3-0 lead.  Hubby was starting to BELIEVE.   I was concentrating 150% on every pitch just as the Twins needed to do.    Mr. C.C., on the other hand, had a few cracks showing.  First he had the nerve to bean the beloved Mr. Thome.  Knock him to the ground even.   That shook C.C. up enough that he let one get away.  On the next at bat, Michael Cuddyer delivered one into the centerfield shrubbery.  Two ahead.   Next inning we put one more up due to some fancy (some might say chancy) base running by Orlando Hudson.  The O Dawg stole 3rd while the rest of us were busy watching Mauer and Teixeira slide into 1st base.  The Yankee won that one for an out.  But, one wild pitch strike later and Hudson had scored.   Three ahead.

Then Frankie faltered.  By the time he left the game, the Yankees had put up four runs.  We came back and tied it up so we were still feeling hopeful.   Then, the normally solid, Jesse Crain came in for relief.  I took this opportunity to buy some hot chocolate.  (While the weather was great, the 2nd to last row in the 3rd tier got a bit chilly when the breeze picked up.)   Note, this means I was not focused 150% on every pitch as I should have been.   Before I got back in my seat, Crain had given up a two-run homer to the Yankee's Taxman.    We had our chances after that to tie or go ahead but the big hit just didn't come.  Frustrating for the Twins and for the crowd.

Tonight is game two.  The statisticians say a team that loses the first game on the home field doesn't go on to win.  But the stats also say that the Yankees have a losing record as a wildcard entry.

So, I'll get my popcorn and peanuts ready and plop myself on the couch and keep hope alive, concentrating 150% on every pitch.

King Thome Brightens the Day For a Twins Win Over The Royals

It was a dark and dreary day. The clouds threatened rain and occasionally made good on those threats throughout the day. Then, like a ray of sunshine, all was made well.

KUUUB! After missing a few games because of a swollen wrist Kubel was back in the lineup as the right fielder. Now admittedly I am not a huge Kubel fan, but today he came up with a big two-run homer. Then, as if he missed the limelight, Thome (aka Mr. Incredible)blasted another one out to right field. It hit the flag pole or it might still be going. I think this one broke the record he set yesterday for the longest hit ball at Target Field.

Slowey started the game and managed to complete only four innings. He was back in the lineup after going on the DL. Unfortunately, he didn't look too sharp. Despite the Royals hitting Kevin pretty easily they didn't string enough together for many runs so we were still in the game when Manship came in. Manship did a great job handing the ball over to Flores who sucked. He gave the ball to Mattie who then gave the ball to Crain. Now if I didn't lose track I think we went ahead when Manship was on board in the fifth. Capps closed things in the ninth. By then we had a 5-4 lead, not enough for the Capster usually, but he pulled through today. Good thing too because those Sox won again today.

Back in our seats Wednesday for the third game of the series. Let's hope it's sweep time!

Thome and Tolbert Make Toast of Texas

It felt a little bit like football weather to me, but overall, a pretty good day for a baseball game.  Particularly a good day to WIN a baseball game.

And it was all about Jim Thome, with a little Matt Tolbert thrown in for good measure.  Together they accounted for 9 RBI's.  Yup, we clobbered the Rangers today winning 12-4.    

Scoreboard shows Thome's accomplishments for the day

But let's talk about Thome.  Hubby loves when Thome comes to bat.  Thome always points his bat to right field, then pulls on his pants leg, getting himself ready for the pitch.   On his second time to the plate, Hubby asked me, has he pointed to right field yet?  At that moment he did.  Then the next moment, the ball was sailing over the fence.  It was a beauty.  I read today in the Strib, it was the longest home run hit ball in Target Field so far.  As if that wasn't enough, he came back up later and hit a three-run homer for good measure, putting him past the steroid popping Mark Maguire in most home runs hit.

Thome points to Right Field (taken at a Yankees game)

Tolbert was no slouch either.  He came into today's game substituting for Danny Valencia.  I've become quite a Valencia fan since he came up so was very disheartened to hear he had a tight hammy.  (Don't you just love these baseball expressions...tight hammy!)  Anyhow, Tolbert was kept very busy at 3rd base fielding flawlessly.  And he had TWO base-clearing triples.   Triples, I've decided, are as exciting if not more exciting than home runs.

Pavano, always the trouper, pitched seven innings and broke his three game losing streak.   He started giving up a few too many hits late in the game, but the Twins had such a lead that Gardy stuck with him until he hit the magic 100+ pitch count.

Had my binoculars and spent some time checking out the comings and goings in the Twins dugout.  It really is amazing how many of our starters were sitting on the bench.  Lots of "day-to-day" injuries.

Players congratulate Thome after his 2nd homerun

I'll be back in my seats on Labor Day, but today the radio will have to do.  Hoping for the SWEEP because the Sox are not giving us any breaks.

Twins Squeak By the Tigers

The night started out on a good note.    Our handy weather radio reported that the storms had passed us by and we found a free parking space, albeit a bit of a walk.   But the Duensenator did not start out so well, giving up three runs in the first two innings.

To be fair, they were not earned runs, but runs are runs in the game of baseball.  He battled back, putting up a lot of goose eggs until he came out of the game in the 7th inning.    In the bottom of the 7th the Twins came back with two runs.  It looked like we were on our way to a sure tie.  Cuddy and Young were at 2nd and 1st, respectively.  Valencia hit a long ball,  Cuddy scored and Young also crossed the plate.  But gosh darn it, the dang ball hopped over the fence for a ground rule double.  Young had to come back to 3rd.    We had to wait until the bottom of the 8th to get the go ahead run.

Used a lot of pitchers after Duensing came out.  They all make me nervous, especially Capp.  He came in to close in the 9th.  Before it was over, the Tigers had a runner at 3rd with two out.  But Capp did what he was supposed to do, getting a big swinging K for the final out.  Twins win 4-3.

No camera tonight.  I'll have to improvise.  Here's a picture of the lady who sits in front of us and reads the newspaper during every game.  Drives me batty...oooh,  that's a pun, get it?

Twins Creamed by White Sox

I am so behind on my blogging these days. Apologies to my follower. I think the poor outing of Carl Pavano probably sucked the blogging enthusiasm right out of me.

The Twins took a major beating by the White Sox failing to win the series. Mr. Pavano, up till now, has been the lone consistent pitcher in our lineup. But I guess it was his turn to turn in a cringer. He gave up 15 hits, his worst outing. The Sox won 11-0. What that says is that our offense was equally bad.

Usually I am happy to stick it out the full nine innings, but not this game. We made a beeline to the exit after the 7th inning.

On a non-baseball note. It was diversity night for the pre game show. Rather hokey I think but I took a few photos from our lofty setting anyway.

Let's hope Carl and the Twins are ready to go next time up.

The Duensenator Shuts Down the A's

I'm a bit tardy with my write up from the last game I attended. All my followers are probably on pins and needles. All one of them.

Well let me not delay the news any longer. The Twins won beating the Oakland A's in a shut-out thrown by our former relief pitcher Duensing. I've now christened him The Duensenator.

The game was a pitching duel with the Twins scoring only two runs. Sometimes a pitching duel is very exciting. This one though was a little boring. I think it was because there weren't a lot of strike outs and the A's just never threatened. Fast game too. Just over two hours.

We did get a special season ticket holder treat. Bobbleheads! Kent Hrbek and Kirby Pucket. Since I had to walk almost half way around the stadium to get them, I just did the whole circuit. Kind of fun to see the game from different angles. I'd like to get some seats in the outfield and see how that looks. Maybe I'd get a foul ball.

Duensing's win put us two up on the Sox. We ended up sweeping the A's with a win the next day and the Sox lost so now we are three up.

Coming up, a home stand with Chicago. Big series. I'll be in my usual place. Go Twins!

Twins Are Flying Now-Six in a Row!

I was a little nervous about the Twins winning this one.  So much is being written about them facing all the worst teams in baseball, that I felt the jinx might be on.   But Baker and the bullpen managed to beat Seattle   and take their winning streak to six in a row.


Hubby and I went by car to the game because it looked a lot like rain.  We found a free parking space on the west side of the stadium about 45 minutes before the game.  Add that to all the money I saved shopping at Kohls on game day and I should be rich.

Our row in Section 320 was a little cramped tonight.  The gentleman to my right was a little large and my Hubby is a husky man too, so I was squeezed in between, staying pretty warm.   Since we were so early we got to see some pre-game activity.  Little did I know that it was possible to have FOUR ceremonial FIRST pitches, the last by Ken Burns, baseball documentary maker extraordinaire.    Apparently he's making the PR rounds for a new one.  

Baker took the mound, supposedly healthy, but I think he struggled quite a bit.  Still he kept the Mariners scoreless until the 6th inning so can't complain about that.     Thome got his 13th homer right after I said, "hit a homer" so he was obviously listening.  Really good ears that Thome.   The most interesting hit of the night was by Alexi Casilla.  He hit a long fly ball to right centerfield over the fence.  The fireworks went off and he began to round the bases.   Then the umps stopped him at 3rd saying the ball was still in play.  After a review of the hit, they gave him his home run.  Guess that'll teach future long ball hitters to ignore the fireworks or the scoreboard folks to hold off just a little bit before firing them up.

Morneau and Mauer Ready to Fly

Mauer Looking a Little Frightened Before Take-Off

After Baker gave up three runs in the sixth, the bullpen came in.  Crane continues to be impressive.  We also got a first look at the new closer, Capps.   He threw a lot of strikes but they weren't overpowering.  Let's hope after a bit more rest he'll be able to fan a couple more.

Didn't take my camera to the game.  Just got lazy.  But I'm not without some entertaining photos to share.  Morneau and Mauer took a different sort of flight last weekend, into the Mississippi River.  The Twins were the inspiration for a Flugtag flying machine.

Let's hope the back half is more successful than the flugtag flight!