Rookie Connor Prielipp faced a struggling team that still has some potent hitters, and turned in the longest start of his young career. While Walker Jenkins continues coming out of his early slump. Inning-by-inning notes:
1: Leadoff target Luke Keaschall is hit by a pitch for the 22nd time this season; it’s a new Twins record. Brooks Lee singles him to third. The contact play is on, as always, and it results in the lead runner being out, as foreseen. (Runners get to second and third during the rundown.)
Ryan Jeffers does sac fly Lee home, yay. Mike Trout ALMOST makes a super catch on a Josh Bell liner, but the ball just escapes his glove, so Kody Clemens scores. Eh, they got two. That’s two more than I expected.
Zach Neto picks up his team-record 204th strikeout. It doesn’t even lead baseball; Kyle Schwarber’s 213 does. He also leads baseball with 45 homers. Aren’t the three two outcomes so great at making baseball thrilling? No. But they do make for a good song. Connor Prielipp, whose name sounds vaguely dirty, strikes out the side. Twins 2-0
2: Thunderbat Walter Jenkins has a one-out single, so that’s good for him. That’s his 50th AB, so if he gets 25 more ABs this week, and goes 9-for-25, he’s above the Mendoza line for the season. That would be cool.
After all those strikeouts, Prielipp starts things off with a walk. Nothing bad happens after this, except some people in the stands just broke up. Statistically speaking, it’s likely.
3: Lee with his second hit; as Dan Gladden is singing the praises of Clemens, he hits one right at the first baseman, unlucky double play.
Prielipp thinks “if a guy has over 200 strikeouts, I should walk him and bring Mike Trout to bat.” So that’s what he does, but luckily Trout doesn’t make him pay for it.
4: Royce Lewis has a two-out single. More importantly, an infield single for Jenkins! .176 now, he’s gettin’ there. Ben Ross, who made his MLB debut two days ago, strikes out. Fire him.
Jose Siri gets a leadoff single and also collects data on every conversation you have. He doesn’t score.
5: Keaschall hits one 102 MPH but it goes right at the shortstop. Man if you hit a ball that hard at me I would not be able to SEE it. Remind me never to play professional baseball without a hockey mask on.
Another scoreless inning for Prielipp! Normally I’d say “yank him” (the third time through the lineup is looming), but maybe the experience might be useful? I dunno enough about teaching baseball to say.
6: Despite those first-inning runs, Grayson Rodriguez has lowered his ERA a bit tonight. Good for him, as he’s coming off an injury, but you do wish the Twins would have worked him a bit harder.
Third time through and Neto dang near homers. Nice grab byEmmanuel Rodriguez in left!
Siri with only the Angels’ second hit! Wow, Connor. Still, this Halos team has 94 losses, so…
7: How about 3-3 for Jenkins with a HOME RUN! Yeah, Walker! A Keaschall single brings in reliever Sammy Peralta, and with all the dang Peraltas that have played baseball you’d think he’d be related to one of them. But noooo.
Prielipp still in; I suppose if you’re letting him face Mike Trout, you might as well give him a chance with some others. He does just fine, and notches his seventh + eighth strikeouts. Way to go kid! Twins 3-0
8: Even if every Twin gets an out from here on, Jenkins will have one more AB coming up in the ninth, so our evening still has a goal. Jeffers has a single but I don’t care.
Prielipp’s replacement, Tommy Nance, decides to give up two singles and a walk to load them up with nobody out for Trout. Nance does strike Trout out. Then strikes out Josh Lowe. Then gets a flyout. It’s a “Houdini” (or a NOBLETIGER). Seriously, you gotta feel for Angels’ fans in the entire Trout era. It ain’t his fault this team’s sucked.
9: Oswald Peraza tries to half-a** a popup catch and drops it, making Lewis safe. Alas, pitcher Luke Murphy fields his position well on a sharp Jenkins grounder, starting the double play. Boo!
Travis Adams in for the mercurial Nance. With two outs, a guy with the magnificent name Moisés Ballesteros pinch-hits. He flies out, so Twims wim! (Yes, we spell it wrong around here sometimes.)
Studs: Prielipp, DUH. Lee 2-4, Jenkins 3-4 with a dong, and Rodriguez with that nice snag.
Duds: the Getty photographers who slept through work today
COTG go to BobbyDarwinFanClub for doing the math on the Twins’s playoff elimination status (it’s not here yet but it’s very close). And to Zach for a really neat story about listening to Gene Autry at Christmas with the grandfolks. Thanks to everyone who joined in tonight for a late-a** weekend game.
Tomorrow’s game is also at 8:38, and features LHP Reid Detmers matched up against our own Joe Ryan. Catch y’all next time!
