The White Sox showed why they’re 7.5 games ahead of the Twins. They keep coming and coming, and are willing to do what it takes to add a run here, a run there. The Twins are largely “long ball or nothing”; tonight it was long balls then nothing. And Dean Kremer stank. Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Wouldn’t you know it, the first ball in play goes to Walker Jenkins in CF; now he’ll get his own BRef page! A two-out single by Miguel Vargas (no relationship to Kennys Vargas) ends Dean Kremer’s no-hit bid;
a wild pitch sends Vargas to second. He’ll score on an Andrew Benintendi single (and leads MLB in runs scored). Two batters later, Colson Montgomery’s gonna homer; great, this game has ended in the first inning.
Maybe not over just yet… a leadoff single to Luke Keaschall and a dinger by Brooks Lee. Klobberin’ Kody Klemens says “I would also like to hit a dinger” and does so. Now if the pitcher can get out of his own way, this might yet be competitive game. We’ll calls those first-inning jitters Kremer vs. Kremer. White Sox 4, Twins 3
2: That’s more like it; the Sox go down 1-2-3.
Good news: Trevor Larnach has a leadoff double. Bad news; he’s followed by two rookies. Kaelen Culpepper and Jenkins can’t knock him in, although Jenkins does hit a flyout long enough for Larnach to tag up and advance to third; Brooks Lee knocks him in. This baby’s all tied up 4-4
3: Good grief, Kremer. Leadoff double to Munetaka Murakami. He scores on a Benintendi double. No more subsequent damage, but this 15.00 ERA stuff ain’t helping the cause.
Leadoff single for Clemens; guys are swinging early tonight. Josh Bell hits into the GIDP. ChiSox 5-4
4: More good grief, a leadoff single then a walk to the .144-hitting Drew Romo. Kremer does induce a GIDP… and then Ryan Jeffers lets one get by him and the man on third scampers home. As an ex-Twins fan (or one whose fandom is in hibernation) recently told me, it’s infuriating that the ownership was praised for “buying” at the trade deadline when what they bought wasn’t very good at all.
The two rookies again; this time, both get on, Culpepper with a walk and Jenkins with his first hit. Hooray! The Twins then make three straight outs, none productive, less hooray. SouthSiders 6-4
5: Kremer is still in for some damn reason and he immediately walks Miguel Vargas, good Lawd. That finally gets him hooked; Taylor Rogers comes in. The next hitter grounds into a FC; the Twins challenge the slide at second and say it was illegal, aiming at the players rather than the base. This replay challenge lasts ten hours and the Twins lose it anyways.
The ChiSox bring in a lefty reliever, meaning I get to take a beer break; nothing of note will happen with the Twins batting. (Nothing did.)
6: TayTay walks two straight guys with two outs; Travis Adams comes in, gets the third out, dances with Angelica Huston while his daughter lays waste to a Thanksgiving festival at summer camp.
Trevor Larnach singles to lead off. Then tags up on a flyout to left; he advances to third on a wild pitch. Jenkins walks.
And then Keaschall hits into a double play; right to the first baseman, who steps on the bag and throws home.
7: An uneventful ChiSox batting inning, except for a replay challenge that wasn’t really close because the Sox hate me and want this game to last forever.
The good news is this is the fastest inning in a while. The bad news is the Twins have little hope against the Sox bullpen.
8: Another leadoff double for Chicago; the runner tags on a fly to second and advances to third. Whatcha wanna bet Their Team doesn’t hit into a 3-2 DP? They don’t. A passed ball lets the runner score instead.
Josh Bell leads off with a single; two batters later, the GIDP erases him. PierzynskiThomes 7-4
9: Culpepper gets the leadoff single against lefty Bryan Hudson. Jenkins strikes out, but Keaschall gets a hit; that brings Lee up as the tying run. He hits one hard; it’s right at the CF. Ryan Jeffers grounds out; Twins lose.
The loss leaves the Twins 4.0 GB in the chase for the last wildcard spot, with four teams ahead of them.
Studs: Lee and Clemens with dingers, Larnach 2-4, Jenkins entering the record books.
Duds: Kremer, of course: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO. The Twins will have “Bark at the Park” in a few days and it’s a pity Kremer won’t be starting; that guy’s pitching tonight was WOOF. 0-5 and two passed balls for Jeffers; being the primary catcher has maybe worn him down a bit.
(Oh, radio says he went to the State Fair today. That’s the reason. The State Fair is cursed and I’ve always said so.)
COTG go to Minnesota1952 with “The Twins apparently think it is hospitable to spot the visiting team a nice lead. Makes it more challenging,” and Name-Game with “The little things add up! Scratching runs accross efficiently, playing guys at natural defensive positions, good bullpens. Wow stuff the Twins just don’t bother with.” Thanks to everybody who joined in.
Tomorrow’s game is at 1:10, featuring an Erick Fedde against our own Bailey Ober. Catch y’all next time!
