Minnesota Twins Daily Morning Dip for October 10th, 2017

ZAPOPAN, MEXICO – MARCH 11: Salvador Perez /

Minnesota Twins Daily Dip, October 10th, 2017

Welcome to the October 10th edition of the Daily Dip, your daily piece of news and notes here on Puckett’s Pond, offseason edition. You’ll find the most recent news of the Minnesota Twins organization, stories from around the game, and links to any information you may want to know about the Minnesota Twins or baseball as we work our way through the hot stove season!

News and Notes

ALDS, Game 4: Houston Astros 5, Boston Red Sox 4

Houston closed out their series, but it took an 8th inning come back to do it. The Astros scored in each of the first two innings and took a 2-1 lead into the 5th inning, but the Red Sox then took a 3-2 lead until the 8th, when the Astros scored 2 and then another in the top of the 9th for insurance – insurance that would be needed, when the Red Sox scored a run on Houston closer Ken Giles, but could not push across the game-tying run to extend the series.

Astros starter Charlie Morton went 4 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks, striking out 6. Justin Verlander followed, making his first career relief appearance, and he went 2 2/3 innings, allowing a run on a hit and two walks. The Red Sox got 3 innings out of starter Rick Porcello, who allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks, striking out 4. Ace Chris Sale came in relief and was rolling along until the 8th inning, throwing 4 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and no walks, striking out 6.

The Red Sox were led offensively by rookie Rafael Devers, who had a home run, single, and a walk. Andrew Benintendi had a home run and a single. Xander Bogaerts had a home run and a walk. Hanley Ramirez had a pair of singles. Mitch Moreland had a double and a walk.

Offensively, the Astros surprisingly saw Jose Altuve go hitless, though he did walk on the day. Yuli Gurriel had a triple, double, and a single. George Springer had a double and a pair of singles. Josh Reddick had a pair of singles and a walk. Alex Bregman had a home run. Carlos Correa had a single and a walk. Carlos Beltran had a double. Marwin Gonzalez had a pair of hit by pitches.

The Astros will now await the winner of the Yankees/Indians series.

NLDS, Game 3: Chicago Cubs 2, Washington Nationals 1

Max Scherzer was untouchable for 6 innings, throwing no-hit ball, but once he was hit, the Nationals bullpen couldn’t keep the runner from scoring, and the Cubs got to another Nationals reliever to take a 2-1 lead and put them on the brink of winning the series.

Scherzer went 6 1/3 innings, allowing a run on a hit and 3 walks, striking out 7. Jose Quintana made a tremendous start for the Cubs in his first postseason start. He went 5 2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on 2 hits and a walk, striking out 7. Carl Edwards, Jr. and Wade Davis each had a perfect inning with a strikeout to close out the game.

Jayson Werth was the only Nationals hitter to reach base twice with a single and a walk. Ryan Zimmerman had a double. Ben Zobrist broke up Scherzer’s no-hitter in the 7th for the Cubs with a double, but that was also the only extra base hit and he was the only Cubs hitter to reach base twice for the Cubs.

The series resumes in Chicago on Monday.

ALDS, Game 4: New York Yankees 7, Cleveland Indians 3

The Yankees offense figured out Trevor Bauer in a big way on Monday, pounding him with 4 runs in the 2nd inning, though Bauer was hurt significantly by the Indians typically elite defense.

Bauer went just 1 2/3 innings, allowing 4 unearned runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. The Yankees countered with Luis Severino, who recovered from his Wild Card implosion to throw 7 strong innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 9. Tommy Kahnle closed the game with 2 perfect innings, picking up 5 strikeouts.

Jay Bruce had a single and a walk. Carlos Santana and Roberto Perez each had a home run for the Indians. The Yankees offense spread out their positive hitting, with Todd Frazier and Starlin Castro leading the way with a double and a walk apiece. Brett Gardner had a pair of singles and a stolen base. Gary Sanchez had a home run. Didi Gregorius walked three times. Aaron Judge had a double. Greg Bird had a single and a walk.

The series finale will move to Cleveland on Tuesday evening.

NLDS, Game 3: Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Arizona Diamondbacks 1

The last acquisition of the July 31st deadline came up big for the Dodgers as Yu Darvish shut down the powerful Diamondbacks lineup as the Dodgers completed the sweep.

Darvish went 5 innings, allowing a run on 2 hits and no walks, striking out 7. Four Dodger relievers combined on 4 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit combined and striking out a combined 4 hitters. Diamondbacks starter Zack Greinke struggled with his control in the game, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 5 walks over 5 innings, striking out 4.

The Diamondbacks offense was exclusively provided by a solo home run off the bat of Daniel Descalso. The Dodgers were led by Clay Bellinger, who had a home run, a single, and a walk. Justin Turner had a pair of walks. Austin Barnes had a home run. Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez each had a double. Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig, and Chase Utley each had a pair of walks.

The Dodgers now await the winner of the Nationals and Cubs.

Playoff games today

Washington Nationals @ Chicago Cubs, 4:30PM CT
Starting Pitchers: Tanner Roark vs. Jake Arrieta
Television: TBS
Series Standing: Cubs lead 2-1

Notes from around baseball

Next: Previewing the Twins Free Agents

One Last Thing

Today is the birthday of Les Straker. Most remember Straker from the 1987 World Series, but he really was one of the more tragic stories in Twins history while also being a trail blazer for the Twins organization.

Straker had a solid season in 1987, going 8-10 as a rookie, establishing himself as the third starter behind Frank Viola and Bert Blyleven in the Twins rotation. He posted a 4.31 ERA over 154 1/3 innings with a 1.35 WHIP and a 59/76 BB/K ratio. He was on track to significantly better those numbers in 1988 when he suffered a significant injury. He was never able to return to the major leagues again.

However, the national stage of Straker making the start for the Twins tied the Twins to Venezuela for many young players, and multiple players who saw that game have seen the Twins as an organization friendly to Venezuelan players. That led to a host of players around 2000 on the Twins, including team leaders Johan Santana and Carlos Silva. Another wave is in place currently, led by infielder Eduardo Escobar with many more in the minor leagues on the way.

Home/Minnesota Twins News