Minnesota Twins Daily Dip, October 24th, 2017
Welcome to the October 24th 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!
Minnesota Twins Scores, News and Notes
Arizona Fall League Update
Surprise withstood a big performance from Orioles prospect Ryan Mountcastle to defeat Salt River 4-3 Monday afternoon. LaMonte Wade got the start in right field, going 1-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He was also caught stealing home. Chris Paul got the start at first base, and he went 1-3 with a solo home run and a strikeout.
Surprise will play Salt River at 2:30PM CT.
Twins players totals in the AFL:
Chris Paul, 7 games, 29 AB, .310/.355/.448, 2B, HR, 1/7 BB/K
Sean Miller, 5 games, 19 AB, .211/.250/.263, 2B, 1/4 BB/K
LaMonte Wade, 8 games, 29 AB, .241/.353/.414, 2 2B, HR, 4/3 BB/K
Andrew Vasquez, 4 games, 4 2/3 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 0/6 BB/K
Thomas Hackimer, 3 games, 4 IP, 2.25 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 1/3 BB/K
Tyler Jay, 4 games, 3 2/3 IP, 4.91 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 1/4 BB/K
Ryan Eades, 4 games, 4 1/3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 1/2 BB/K
Dozier, Santana repeat with top awards in Diamond Awards
The Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America chose their Diamond Award winners for team awards, and the winners were announced Tuesday. Brian Dozier was selected for the second straight season as the team’s most valuable player along with winning the Bob Allison Award, exemplifying determination, hustle, competitive spirit, and leadership. Ervin Santana repeated as the team’s pitcher of the year. Trevor Hildenberger won the top rookie award, and Byron Buxton won the defensive player of the year and the most improved award. Joe Mauer won the Dick Siebert Award as the Upper Midwest player of the year, and Chris Gimenez won the media award.
More from Puckett's Pond
- Minnesota Twins: Holiday Wish List for the rest of the Offseason
- Minnesota Twins: After signing with the Mets, Correa spurns Twins again
- Minnesota Twins: You Spin Me Right Round, Right Round
- Minnesota Twins: What happens next at Shortstop?
- Minnesota Twins: Grading the Twins’ Joey Gallo signing
Playoff games today
Houston Astros at Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:00PM CT
Starting Pitchers: Dallas Keuchel vs. Clayton Kershaw
Television: Fox
Season Series: no games played
Notes from around baseball
- Judge seeks title, not records
- Get to know the Astros
- Get to know the Dodgers
- Astros/Dodgers discuss crazy baseball weather
Next: Possible Twins HUGE offseason move
One Last Thing
Trailing 3 games to 2, the Minnesota Twins returned home for game 6 of the 1987 World Series. The Cardinals struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning as Tom Herr nailed a solo home run off of Les Straker with two outs in the inning. The Twins responded with 2 runs on Cardinals starter John Tudor as Kirby Puckett drove in Dan Gladden with the first run, and then scored on a Don Baylor single.
The Cardinals would then score the next 4 runs of the game, heading into the bottom of the 5th inning leading the Twins 5-2. The Metrodome, rocking throughout the 1987 season, had quieted down significantly, worried they could be watching the last few innings of their team’s season that evening.
In the bottom of the 5th, Puckett singled to lead off the inning, and Gary Gaetti drove a double to left field that scored Puckett. Baylor followed up with a home run on the first pitch to bring the Twins to 5-5. Tom Brunansky hit a single, chasing starter Tudor without an out yet recorded in the 5th inning. Kent Hrbek lined out, with Brunansky unable to advance. Tim Laudner moved Brunansky to second with a sacrifice to pitcher. Steve Lombardozzi worked the count to 3-1 on reliever Ricky Horton before hitting a solid single to center, driving in Brunansky and giving the Twins the lead, sending the Metrodome into a frenzy.
After Juan Berenguer threw a scoreless top of the 6th, the Twins offense got back after it, with the bases loaded against veteran Bob Forsch. With Hrbek coming up, the Cardinals went to lefty swingman Ricky Horton, hoping to negate the lefty-swinging Hrbek. Instead, on the very first pitch, Hrbek launched a ball to the deepest part of the Metrodome for a grand slam, icing the game.
The Twins added another run in the bottom of the 8th, and Jeff Reardon put on a pair of runners, but the game was closed out, sending the Twins and Cardinals to game 7.