As for the game, usually when you throw out a bullpen game because you're too cheap to go get starting pitching against the other team's ace....you don't win. Ryan dominated the Red Sox tossing a complete game 3 hit shutout that wasn't even as close as that sounds. All 3 hits should have been caught or fielded. Meanwhile Justin Garza (0-2, 5.14 ERA) got rocked for 2 runs in the first inning to put the game out of reach early. Brandon Walter was then thrown into the fire in his ML debut and did considerably well, allowing 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings but got no run support. The Twins showed the Sox what a real ace looked like as they took the game 6-0 at Target Field. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
Rafael Devers grounded out to first to start the top of the second and Adam Duvall struck out swinging. Triston Casas grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Ryan Jeffers singled off the glove of Devers to start the bottom of the second and finally Sox manager Alex Cora yanked Garza. Brandon Walter made his ML debut by giving up a base hit to right to Willi Castro. Michael A Taylor doubled to left to score both runners and Donovan Solano pinch hit for Julien. Solano walked but Correa flied out to center. Kyle Farmer pinch hit for Kirilloff and Taylor was thrown out in a rundown after Kyle flied out to center to end the inning with the Twins up 4-0.
Connor Wong struck out swinging to start the top of the third and David Hamilton popped up to third. Pablo Reyes lined out to left to end the inning. Buxton hit a home run all the way to Toronto to start the bottom of the third but Kepler took strike three. Lewis got a base hit to left and stole second while Jeffers struck out swinging. Castro lined out to left to end the inning with the Twins ahead 5-0.
Duran flied out to center to start the top of the fourth but Taylor couldn't come up with a "base hit" by Turner. Yoshida flied out to center and Devers popped up to first to end the inning. Enrique Hernandez came in for Reyes to start the bottom of the fourth and Taylor grounded out to third to start. Solano grounded out to short and Correa popped up to second to end the inning.
Duvall struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth and Casas did the same. Wong completed the trifecta by swinging at air to end the inning. The Twins wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the fifth as Farmer walked to start. Buxton grounded out to third to move Kyle to second and Kepler grounded out to second to move Farmer to third. Lewis got a base hit to center to score Farmer but Jeffers flied out to right to end the inning with the Twins ahead 6-0.
Hamilton grounded out to short to start the top of the sixth and Hernandez lined out to center. Duran lined out to right to end the inning. Castro lined out to center to start the bottom of the sixth and Taylor popped up to first. Solano walked but Correa flied out to right to end the inning.
Turner flied out to center to start the top of the seventh and Yoshida grounded out to first. Castro misplayed a fly ball by Devers for a "single" but Duvall flied out to left to end the inning. Farmer grounded out to short to start the bottom of the seventh and Buxton popped up to first. Kepler flied out to right to end the inning.
Casas struck out swinging to open the top of the eighth and Wong did the same. Hamilton hit a routine grounder to short but Correa went OLE! for a "single" since he never got a hand on it. Hernandez flied out to center to end the inning. Lewis grounded out to short to start the bottom of the eighth but Jeffers doubled to left. Castro lined out to second and that was it for Walter. Yeoman's effort by Brandon to give the bullpen a rest with 6 2/3 innings. Joe Jacques froze Taylor for strike three to end the inning.
Ryan came back to finish his work in the top of the ninth as Duran struck out swinging to start. Turner popped up to second and Yoshida flied out to left to end the game. The Twins had won it 6-0.
Jackass of The Night is Justin Garza. Not that the Sox were going to do much offensively, but putting them in a 3-0 hole against Joe Ryan was the kiss of death.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 1 for 3.
David Hamilton was 1 for 3.
Brandon Walter made his ML debut by tossing 6 2/3 innings of 3 run ball allowing 6 hits and 3 walks.
Joe Jacques struck out the only man he faced.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Masataka Yoshida was 0 for 4.
Adam Duvall was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Connor Wong was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Pablo Reyes was 0 for 1.
Enrique Hernandez was 0 for 2.
The Ugly:
Justin Turner was just 1 for 4.
Final Thoughts:
The outcome of this game is inconsequential compared to the message it sends. The Twins and the Red Sox are both hovering around .500 but the Twins have an ace, the Sox don't. In the era of the third wild card, the Twins are the team that can trade prospects for a number 2 or 3 to get them to the playoffs. Meanwhile the Sox are relying on broken down Chris Sale & James Paxton to get them to October. Give credit to Ryan for pitching very well and the Twins for hitting the AAA pitching the Sox threw at them. The sad part is there's still 86 games to go in this season so we're a long way from the finished line. If this doesn't motivate Sox GM Chaim Bloom to go get an ace, I don't know what will. Kudos to Walter for being thrown in the fire and putting up decent stats. Too bad the Sox couldn't score a run for him. The Sox now continue their road trip by motoring on to Chicago for a three game set with the White Sox beginning tomorrow night. Brayan Bello (4-4) goes up against Lucas Giolito of the White Sox. The game begins at 8:10 PM eastern time at Comiskey Park.
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