The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Minnesota Twins – INSIDE PITCH
The tarp was covering the Fenway Park field as rain fell when the Minnesota Twins were scheduled to take batting practice Wednesday.
After what then happened in the game, the Twins may want batting practice called off on a permanent basis.
“Absolutely. That’s for sure; that’s what we said today,” laughing batting coach Tom Brunansky said after his team compiled 20 hits in a 15-8 victory over the slumping Boston Red Sox.
The Twins, hitting just .239 entering the game, scored 11 runs in the first two innings and then cruised to the second win in as many nights, evening their record at 15-15.
“It just started raining right before (BP),” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “If it’s raining tomorrow we’re going to ask for the same thing — we’re going to ask for a little BP rain.”
The Twins scored their most runs in a game at Fenway Park since scoring 17 in 1965.
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MLB Team Report – Minnesota Twins – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 15-15
STREAK: Won two
PAST 10 GAMES: 5-5
NEXT: Twins (Kevin Correia, 3-2, 2.83) at Red Sox (John Lackey, 1-2, 3.52)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Ryan Pressly, taken from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft, worked four innings of effective relief against his old team to pick up his first major-league win Wednesday night. “It’s kind of surreal right now,” Pressly said. “I don’t know what to think. It’s kind of a good feeling to do it against your old organization; but a win is a win so I’m happy to get the first one out of the way.”
–DH Ryan Doumit, who had a double and his first homer of the season in Tuesday night’s win, drilled a two-run homer in a four-run first inning Wednesday night. He went on to get four hits, but he didn’t get the fourth until after the game, the result of what became a strange double play on what should have been a double in the seventh inning. A baserunning error by the Twins led to two outs, but Doumit got credit for a single.
–SS Pedro Florimon, who came into the game with eight RBI, had three on two second-inning at-bats Wednesday night. He led off the seven-run second inning with his second major-league homer and then capped the rally with a two-run double. He was batting lefty on the homer and righty on the double.
–LHP Pedro Hernandez returned to the scene of his major-league debut Wednesday night, pitching against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Last July 24, Hernandez, then with the White Sox, made his debut. He gave up eight runs on 12 hits in four innings and was sent back to Charlotte after the game. He was traded to the Twins in the deal that sent Francisco Liriano to Chicago. He made his first start with the Twins on April 27 and threw five scoreless innings at the Texas Rangers and yielded five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings at Cleveland on May 3. Wednesday night, he lasted just two innings, allowing six runs.
–RHP Kevin Correia, who signed with the Twins during the offseason, takes a 3-2 American League record and a 2.83 ERA into Thursday night’s series finale against the Red Sox. He lost his last start, at Cleveland, earlier on this trip.
–C Joe Mauer and 1B Justin Morneau continue to put up impressive numbers at Fenway Park. Mauer was 3-for-5, extending his hitting streak to seven games, and Morneau was 2-for-4 with three RBI Wednesday night. Mauer is batting .318 and Morneau .376 at Fenway. Mauer is 11-for-29 (.379) during his hitting streak.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s kind of surreal right now. I don’t know what to think. It’s kind of a good feeling to do it against your old organization; but a win is a win, so I’m happy to get the first one out of the way.” — RHP Ryan Pressley, who worked four innings in relief of Pedro Hernandez on Wednesday for his first major-league win.
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MLB Team Report – Minnesota Twins – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–OF Darin Mastroianni (stress reaction in left ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 16. He will have to remain in a walking boot for another week as of May 5. Mastroianni likely will need a rehab assignment before he returns to the Twins’ big league roster, possibly in the second half of May.
–RHP Tim Wood (groin) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 24. He has two more weeks remaining on his rehab assignment in Triple-A Rochester as of May 5.
–RHP Cole De Vries (forearm strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He pitched in extended spring training April 25 and April 30. He began a rehabilitation assignment May 5 with Class A Fort Myers.
–C Drew Butera (broken left pinkie) was hurt in his first at-bat of the season for Triple-A Rochester on April 5. He has reported to Fort Myers to begin rehab.
–RHP Nick Blackburn (right elbow surgery in October 2012; right wrist surgery in January 2013) had begun playing catch as of mid-April. He is not on the disabled list because he was re-signed to a minor league contract.
–LHP Raphael Perez (left shoulder surgery in September 2012) threw live batting practice April 11 for the first time since becoming a member of the Twins organization. He isn’t on the disabled list, as he signed a minor league contract with Minnesota in February.
ROTATION:
RHP Vance Worley
RHP Kevin Correia
RHP Mike Pelfrey
LHP Scott Diamond
LHP Pedro Hernandez
BULLPEN:
LHP Glen Perkins (closer)
RHP Jared Burton
LHP Brian Duensing
RHP Casey Fien
RHP Anthony Swarzak
RHP Ryan Pressley
RHP Josh Roenicke
CATCHERS:
Joe Mauer
DH Ryan Doumit
INFIELDERS:
1B Justin Morneau
2B Brian Dozier
SS Pedro Florimon
3B Trevor Plouffe
INF/OF Jamey Carroll
INF Eduardo Escobar
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Josh Willingham
CF Aaron Hicks
RF Chris Parmelee
OF Wilkin Ramirez
OF Oswaldo Arcia
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