Make it official! Gemini demands independence and the series of King Kenta and the Tigers – Gemini

Result
SP: Bailey Ober – 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (103 throws, 77 hits (75% hits))
Home Runs: Ryan Jeffers (14)
Top 3 WPAs: Max Kepler .281, Jose Miranda .264, Ryan Jeffers .064

Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

Tigers roar early against Ober
After getting into a swing against David Festa last night, Detroit took advantage of Ober’s slow pitching and the Twins’ sloppy defense without wasting much time. Colt Keith hit an 0-2 slider into the upper deck in right-center to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead early in the first inning. After Maeda mowed down the Twins in order in the second half of the first inning, Ober thought he had pitched a 1-2-3 second inning of his own, but Ryan Jeffers allowed strike three from Zach McKinstry reaching the backstop. Former Twin Gio Urshela hit a single to right, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Jake Rogers and his .613 OPS then hit a 2-2 changeup down the left field line to clear the bases and put the Twins and Ober behind, 3-0. Drizzle or no drizzle, the Twins had to get their bats going or this series would go down the drain.

Gemini can strike even in the rain!
In April, King Kenta was dominant against his former club, going six innings and allowing just one earned run. In the bottom of the second inning today, Maeda ran into trouble on the double. Jose Miranda hit a leadoff double to the wall in left center and had no trouble scoring on Jeffers’ rope double down the left field line. Max Kepler kept the line moving with a single and Brooks Lee’s second career RBI came on a fly out to deep right field. The Twins were suddenly back in the game, which was important on a day that definitely predicted a rain-shortened game.

Which starter makes the adjustments?
Ober got through the top of the third inning with ease, while Maeda faltered in the bottom. The inning started off innocuously enough with a ground out by Willi Castro. After a single to center by Carlos Correa, a walk by Trevor Larnach, and an “Excuse Me” single by Miranda to lead off the third, the Twins had the bases loaded and a chance to take the lead as the wind picked up and clouds rolled in. Jeffers struck out, however, without ever seeing an actual strike, and the pressure was all on Max Kepler to deliver. And he delivered, directing an 82 mph sweeper through the hole in the left side of the field to put the Twins ahead 4-3. Manuel Margot continued the inning’s contact theme, rolling a 74.6 mph bouncer off Maeda’s lunging glove to bring Miranda home and make it 5-3 for the Twins.

That stall turned into a complete engine wreck for Maeda as the rate of hard hits increased in the bottom of the fourth inning. After easily striking out Austin Martin and Castro, Maeda lost Correa to a full-count walk and Larnach managed a four-pitch walk. AJ Hinch stuck with his starter and Miranda stayed to smash the ball.

The home team’s hits continued, and Jeffers hit an 0-2 splitter even further down the left field line, extending the Twins’ home run streak to 22 games and increasing the lead to 9-3.

The race has begun
The only question left was whether Ober could get past the Tigers’ top lineup quickly enough in the fifth inning to make this game officially count as lightning whisked cameramen to safety and fans began opening their favorite weather apps. Two strikeouts helped, two bleed-out singles did not, and it was two on base and two out for Wenceel Perez as fans began to scramble to safety. Perez also sought shelter after hitting a weak groundout to Miranda at first base to end the threat and set up a potential win.

Rumors that the game would be called after five innings due to rain were greatly exaggerated…and the game dragged into the sixth inning, with Ober taming the Tigers in turn. Left-hander Joey Wentz stayed in the game, bringing in Carlos Santana to replace Larnach from the right side of the plate. Santana managed a walk, Miranda hit a single, making it a 4-for-4 day, and Jeffers was successful again with a slightly shorter hit. The grounder bounced off Wentz’s glove and died in the grass as Santana scampered home. A wild throw to the first inning brought Miranda home, and the Twins now had an 11-3 lead. In the bottom half of the seventh inning, Miranda was back on top, and he struck again, scoring Kyle Farmer with another resounding double.

A few batters later, the canvas finally seemed to have solid ground under its feet, and the game ended early with a 12-3 victory for the Twins in seven innings.

What’s next?
The Twins host the Astros on Friday night to kick off a great summer series at Target Field. Pablo Lopez (4.88 ERA) looks to start the weekend off right, while the victorious Houston team has not yet named a starting pitcher. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.

Interview after the game

Bullpen Usage SheetT