Minneapolis — Apparently, this is what positive regression to the mean looks like.
Saturday’s riot seemed to have broken that seal as the Twins threw baseballs all over Target Field on Sunday. Minnesota hit a 7 in the 3rd inning, a 7 in the 8th, and somehow exploded even more to take a 16-3 victory, giving them much-needed offensive momentum heading into a big road series against the Dodgers. built.
The 29 points in the Twins’ series win over the Cubs is the most points scored in three straight games at Target Field since the stadium opened in 2010, and the sleeping line-up is in record-breaking form. Awakened. Their 16 points and 18 hits were both season highs, and all nine starting members had at least one hit each.
“Obviously, yesterday was just confidence,” left fielder Joey Gallo said of the Twins’ 11-1 victory on Saturday. “Everybody is feeling good. Everybody’s hitting. Everybody’s driving the ball. Coming out here today, it’s like, ‘We can win again.'”
It was also promising in that the Twins didn’t just hit a home run. They continued with a long two-out rally, with 13 runs scored with two outs. For the first time since June 13, 2017, they scored seven points twice in one game, including two at-bats.
With Minnesota’s starting rotation continuing to dominate, continued offensive breakthroughs could mean big things are in store for the team. Another impressive display of the Twins’ pitching depth on Sunday was the Twins’ seventh starter, North St. Paul native Louie Berland, who threw a season-best 6 1/3. .
And all at once, the Twins hitters seem to be coming out of a long-term slump across the batting lineup.
“It’s going to have its ups and downs,” Gallo said. “We kept believing in our offense. .”
The coaching staff tried to turn things around by putting Gallo in a leadoff spot for the first time in his career, but he responded with impressive results, including home runs in back-to-back games — and they said Gallo won Sunday. I hope he’s doing well after being sent off after being out of shape in the match. He nudged his foot as he ran past the first base line in the seventh.
After the Twins gave Byron Buxton time off to reset on Saturday, he had two hits in his first game since April 30, making 0-for-26 at bats. Both were hardline drives at 111 mph and 94.7 mph respectively.
Manager Rocco Baldelli said, “He was focused and ready and had a pretty good mental edge, even on days when he didn’t get a hit.” “But taking a day off when he’s been playing for a while helps some people in a way.”
You can really keep going.
Nick Gordon got off to a late start this season, but smashed three hard hits, including an RBI double off the top of the midfield wall. Jorge Polanco was sluggish with 6 in 34 at bats before recording a homer, a double and three walks in the last two games. Christian Vazquez broke his 2-for-28 slump in his first game since April 27.
And Trevor Larnach, in his second major league comeback, struggled to pitch out of speed for most of his career, especially squaring up the ball, before Marcus Stroman’s slider put him in the right field for three points. I hit a home run. of this month.
“I think I happened to find it after I was sent off,” Larnach said. “And if there was some kind of determination there, I don’t think it was anything more than that. It took me a few days for my body and after that to just focus on what I felt I needed. It was like doing.”
The fact that after the first game of this series, the Twins, despite feeling they were hitting the ball hard, missed chances and seem to play the same close game over and over again. lamented. Perhaps a pair of explosive wins will open further doors.
“I don’t want to be the guy who goes 0-for-5 and everybody goes crazy,” Gallo said. “I feel a responsibility to say, ‘I want to do my part too.’ It’s been like that for the last few games.”
