[faithful2thecall]

June 15, 2015

• We’re 15th in the latest power rankings.

Minnesota 1 at St. Louis 3

WP: Michael Wacha (8-2), LP: Kyle Gibson (2-6), SV: Trevor Rosenthal (17)
HR: MN-None, StL-Matt Holiday (9)

Mark Reynolds doubled in the 3rd to open the scoring, Holiday promptly drove him with a single in to double the lead. A 2-out double by Trevor Plouffe in the 4th was our 1st hit. Torii Hunter got us on the board in the 7th with a 1-out double. Holiday added some insurance with a 2-out homer in the 8th.

• Mike Wright (Baltimore) threw a 3-hitter against Philadelphia.
• Trevor Cahill (Atlanta) is out 3 weeks with a strained groin while running on a treadmill.


June 16, 2015

• SS Danny Santana has recovered from injury, SS/Utility Eduardo Nunez is sent back to AAA.
• 1B Kennys Vargas called up from AAA, with 1B Brock Peterson being sent down to take his place.

Minnesota 0 at St. Louis 22

WP: John Lackey (5-0), LP: Ricky Nolasco (6-5)
HR: MN-None, StL-Kolten Wong 2 (7), Mark Reynolds (2), Yadier Molina (4)

Pitching dominated early. Jason Heyward delivered the opening run of the game on a 2-out double in the 3rd. St. Louis added insurance in the 5th, before Nolasco had to depart with an injury (stiff back, day-to-day 1 day). By the time the inning was over, the Cardinals blew the game open with 7 runs. To save my bullpen, I threw Danny Santana on the mound in the 8th. Wong launched a grand slam after Santana walked the bases loaded, Reynolds and Molina followed it up with 3-run homers. That meant I had to turn the ball over to Shane Victorino to get the final out, but Wong hit a solo homer off of him 1st.

• Michael Brantley (Cleveland) out 4 weeks with a strained posterior cruciate ligament while running the bases.
• Corey Kluber (Cleveland) threw a 6-hitter against the Chicago Cubs.


June 17, 2015

St. Louis 2 at Minnesota 7

WP: Trevor May (5-3), LP: Adam Wainwright (3-3)
HR: StL-None, MN-None

With home field changing, we were out for payback. We got off to a good start with Oswaldo Arcia hitting a 2-out, 2-run double to straightaway center. St. Louis didn’t get on the board until a 2-out single by Kolten Wong in the 5th to make it 4-1. A 2-out, 2-run double by Danny Santana in the 6th added cushion to our lead.

• Sonny Gray (Oakland) threw a 1-hitter against San Diego. The Padres lone hit was the 1st batter of the game and was their only base runner.


June 18, 2015

St. Louis 3 at Minnesota 4 (12 innings)

WP: Tim Stauffer (2-0), LP: Jordan Walden (2-4)
HR: StL-Matt Adams (12), MN-Brian Dozier (9)

Adams hit a 1-out homer in the 2nd to open the scoring. Mike Pelfrey was injured (partially torn labrum, 4 months) throwing the pitch that ended the 2nd. St. Louis added another run in the 3rd, but Dozier tied it with a 2-run homer in the 5th to put us on the board. Pitching continued to dominate until the 10th, though both teams had chances, when Glen Perkins had control problems and walked home the go-ahead run. However, Torii Hunter came through in the bottom of the inning with a 2-out single to tie the game. We left the bases loaded in both the 10th and 11th. Kurt Suzuki, who had come in to replace a pinch runner, delivered a 2-out walk-off single to center in the 12th in his 1st plate appearance of the day. With the win I finally managed to get out of last place in the division, passing the defending AL champion Kansas City Royals.

• Johnny Cueto (Cincinnati) threw a 1-hitter against Detroit. The hit was a 1-out single in the 3rd. He also walked 1 and hit 1.


June 19, 2015

• Tampa Bay trades RHP RP Kirby Yates to St. Louis for 3B Elehuris Montero.

Chicago Cubs 11 at Minnesota 10 (11 innings)

WP: Blake Parker (2-2), LP: Casey Fien (0-3)
HR: ChC-Chris Coghlan (5), MN-Oswaldo Arcia (8)

It appeared that we were going to have a pitcher’s duel early. In the bottom of the 3rd, Trevor Plouffe opened the scoring on a ground ball single to center, Arcia followed it up with a 3-run homer. A Coghlan 2-out single in the 4th got the Cubs on the board. We ran wild, stealing 6 bases on the day, highlighted by Jordan Schafer stealing 2nd and 3rd on back-to-back pitches. He then scored on a ground-rule double by Jake Fox to recoup the run the Cubs had scored. Back-to-back doubles by Coghlan and Dexter Fowler to leadoff the 7th chased Phil Hughes. By the time the inning was over, the Cubs had cut the lead to 5-4. Arcia added insurance in the bottom of the inning with a 2-out double. Coghlan greeted Ryan Pressly with a 2-run homer to tie the game in the 8th, and the Cubs took the lead before the inning was over. They then blew the game open in the 9th…or appeared to. We rallied in the bottom of the 9th, with Jake Fox delivering a game-tying 2-out, 2-run single. Arcia came to the plate in the 10th looking for a single to complete the cycle with Joe Mauer on 1st and 1 out, but struck out. The Cubs took the lead in the 11th on a sacrifice fly by Coghlan (who else?).

• Jean Segura and Aaron Laffey were suspended 3 games each for instigating a brawl in a game between Milwaukee and Colorado.


June 20, 2015

• Tommy Milone called up from AAA for the injured Mike Pelfrey.

Chicago Cubs 5 at Minnesota 6

WP: Tim Stauffer (3-0), LP: Pedro Strop (4-5), SV: Glen Perkins (20)
HR: ChC-Starlin Castro (4), MN-Torii Hunter 2 (7)

After 23 innings over the last 2 games we could use an easy game. We opened the scoring in the 1st on a sacrifice fly by Joe Mauer after Danny Santana tripled. Two batters later, Hunter uncorked a 2-run homer to extend the lead. With the bases loaded and nobody out in the 3rd, Kenny Vargas hit into a fielder’s choice where Arismendy Alcantara was injured (bruised neck, day-to-day 4 days). Kris Bryant got the Cubs on the board on a sacrifice fly in the 5th. The Cubs added another run in the 5th and tied the game at 4 in the 6th. Castro hit a stunning 1-out homer off of Tim Stauffer in the 7th to give the Cubs the lead. We responded with a 2-run homer from Hunter in the bottom of the inning to put us back in front. Perkins picked up a double play and a strike out to secure the victory.


June 21, 2015

Chicago Cubs 0 at Minnesota 2

WP: Ricky Nolasco (7-5), LP: Edwin Jackson (2-3), SV: Glen Perkins (21)
HR: ChC-None, MN-Oswaldo Arcia (9)

We got bad news early when Shane Victorino was injured (back stiffness, 2 weeks) making a running grab on the 2nd batter of the game. Arcia hit a leadoff homer in the 2nd to open the scoring. Torii Hunter doubled the lead in the 4th with a single. Pitching dominated the game on the whole. Due to the Cubs working to pitch count, we had to make use of a couple of relievers.


June 22, 2015

• LF/1B Brock Peterson called up from AAA to replace the injured Shane Victorino, and sent right back down.
• CF Shane Robinson has recovered from injury and is activated.
• Sean Nolin (Oakland) out 7 months with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.
• We’re 14th in the latest power rankings.

Chicago White Sox 5 at Minnesota 2

WP: Erik Johnson (3-7), LP: Trevor May (5-4), SV: Matt Lindstrom (1)
HR: CWS-None, MN-Shane Robinson (5), Brian Dozier (10)

The White Sox opened the scoring in the 1st on a 2-out Avisail Garcia single. They then proceeded to blow the game open in the 2nd thanks to May’s control problems where 3 walks and a wild pitch contributed to 4 runs and a 0-5 deficit. With my bullpen needing some rest, I had to throw May to the wolves and leave him out there to take his beating. Fortunately, May settled down to get through the 5th without giving up another run. Adding insult to injury, Torii Hunter was injured (plantar fascitis, 3-4 weeks) delivering a 2-out double in the 2nd. Melky Cabrera was ejected for arguing balls and strikes after being struck out looking in the 4th and made contact with the umpire. Robinson made a successful return from injury by getting us on the board with a 1-out homer in the 5th. Dozier made things a little more interesting with a 2-out homer in the 7th to make it 2-5. Despite loading the bases in the 8th, we got no closer.


June 23, 2015

• Ervin Santana has completed his drug suspension and is assigned to AAA for rehab.
• Jose Quintana (Chicago White Sox) out 3 weeks with an elbow sprain.

Chicago White Sox 3 at Minnesota 4

WP: Blaine Boyer (1-1), LP: Matt Albers (5-4), SV: Glen Perkins (22)
HR: CWS-Avisail Garcia (9), MN-None

Shane Robinson delivered a 2-out single in the 1st to open the scoring. We added 2 more in the 4th on a 2-out single by Danny Santana. Garcia finally touched Tommy Milone, who had been throwing a gem (9 strike outs in 6 innings), for a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 6th to get the White Sox on the board. The White Sox tied it in the 7th on a sacrifice fly by Jose Abreu, thanks to a Trevor Plouffe error earlier in the inning. We regained the lead in the 8th on a line drive single to center by Plouffe.


June 24, 2015

Chicago White Sox 6 at Minnesota 4

WP: Chris Sale (7-1), LP: Phil Hughes (4-5), SV: Matt Lindstrom (2)
HR: CWS-Emilio Bonifacio (1), Avisail Garcia (10), Tyler Flowers (7), MN-Kennys Vargas (1), Oswaldo Arcia (10)

We capitalized on a defensive miscue in the 1st by Alexei Ramirez with a 2-out double by Trevor Plouffe to follow it to open the scoring. Bonifacio’s 2-out solo homer in the 3rd tied the game with the White Sox’s first hit. Garcia hit a 1-out homer in the 4th to put the White Sox in front. Flowers pulled a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 6th to extend the Chicago lead. Vargas responded with a 2-out solo homer in the bottom of the inning to pull us closer. The White Sox scored a pair of insurance runs in the 8th to put the game out of reach. Arcia hit a pinch-hit 2-run homer to cut the lead in half.

• Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) hit his 400th career homer against Cleveland


June 25, 2015

• Baltimore owner, Peter Angelos, died of natural causes, his son Peter Angelos Jr. will take over.

Off Day

• Ichiro Suzuki (Miami) out for the season with a torn Latissmus dorsi muscle which he injured swinging a bat.


June 26, 2015

• Eduardo Nunez is called up from AAA to replace the injured Torii Hunter.
• Boston trades RHP SP Simon Mercedes to Cincinnati for SS Kris Negron.
• Kansas City trades C Salvador Perez to the Chicago White Sox for CF Keenyn Walker and LHP SP Jake Brentz.

Minnesota 0 at Milwaukee 6

WP: Jake Odorizzi (7-4), LP: Kyle Gibson (2-7)
HR: MN-None, Mil-Matt Clark (6)

Ryan Braun opened the scoring with a 1-out single in the 3rd and they scored another run before the inning was over. Milwaukee added a run in the 6th and 2 more runs in the 7th. We were having a hard time putting the ball in play. Clark crushed a pinch solo homer 460 feet.

• Wade Miley (Boston) threw a 5-hitter against Tampa Bay.
• Carlos Beltran (New York Yankees) hammered 3 homers against Houston.


June 27, 2015

• Kyle Blanks (Texas) out 4 months with a broken bone in his elbow.
• Texas trades CF Antoan Richardson and 2B Brallan Perez to San Diego for C Derek Norris.
• Colorado trades RF Jordan Patterson and SS Pat Valaika to Houston for LHP SP Brett Oberholtzer.

Minnesota 8 at Milwaukee 1

WP: Ricky Nolasco (8-5), LP: Kyle Lohse (3-5)
HR: MN-None, Mil-None

Eduardo Escobar lined a single to left-center in the 3rd to open the scoring. Before the inning was over we added 2 more runs. Jean Segura answered in the bottom of the inning with a 2-out single that got Milwaukee on the board. We broke out the bats in the 4th with 4 more runs to blow the game open. Pitching largely took over after that except for an additional run we added in the 9th.


June 28, 2015

Minnesota 1 at Milwaukee 6

WP: Matt Garza (6-6), LP: Trevor May (5-5)
HR: MN-None, Mil-Adam Lind 2 (9)

Milwaukee got on the board in the 1st on a throwing error by Shane Robinson. The Brewers parlayed a Matt Garza (who was 0-for-20 on the season) infield single into another run in the 3rd. Lind’s 2-run homer later in the inning blew the game open. Lind added another 2-run homer in the 5th. We couldn’t get the clutch hit and only got on the board on a wild pitch with 2-outs in the 9th.


June 29, 2015

• Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees) out 4 months with a fractured ankle.
• We’re 22nd in the latest power rankings.

Minnesota 8 at Cincinnati 7

WP: Caleb Thielbar (3-3), LP: Ryan Dennick (0-1), SV: Glen Perkins (23)
HR: MN-Shane Robinson (6), Danny Santana (3), Cin-Todd Frazier (11)

Frazier launched a 2-out, 3-run homer in the 1st to open the scoring. Endy Chavez and Kurt Suzuki helped us close the gap with back-to-back RBI singles in the 2nd. Brian Dozier then gave us the lead with a 2-out, 2-run double. The Reds took the lead in the 4th with another 3 run inning. We got 1 of those runs back in the 5th on a Robinson double. Cincinnati added an insurance run in the 6th on a Billy Hamilton double. Robinson tied the game with 2-outs in the 7th with a 2-run homer to straightaway center. Santana put us in front in the 8th with a 1-out solo homer. The Reds bullpen was already fatigued coming into the series, and they had to resort to bringing in a starter in the 9th.

• Tyler Thornburg (Milwaukee) threw a 4-hitter against Philadelphia.


June 30, 2015

• RHP SP Ervin Santana’s rehab assignment ends, LHP SP Tommy Milone is sent back to AAA.

Minnesota 2 at Cincinnati 4

WP: Burke Badenhop (3-2), LP: Michael Tonkin (1-4), SV: Aroldis Chapman (18)
HR: MN-Trevor Plouffe 2 (7), Cin-Todd Frazier (12), Joey Votto (13)

Plouffe’s leadoff homer in the 2nd opened the scoring and his 1-out solo homer in the 4th doubled the lead. Frazier responded with a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 4th to tie the game. Pitching took over after that. That was until Votto hit a 1-out, 2-run homer in the 8th.


35-41, 7.5 GB (4th AL Central), 6 GB (6th AL Wild Card)

A 16-12 month of June finally enabled us to escape the cellar of the AL Central. It is also worth noting that we now have a winning record in 1-run games. Our primary struggles at this point are we’re giving up too many runs and aren’t getting clutch hits. We’re 4th in batting average, but 14th in runs scored.

AL Batter: Victor Martinez (Baltimore) .382 BA, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 22 R, .391 OBP
NL Batter: Adrian Gonzalez (Los Angeles Dodgers) .429 BA, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 19 R
AL Pitcher: Anibal Sanchez (Detroit) 4-0, 5 starts, 0.70 ERA, 38.1 IP, 36 K
NL Pitcher: Jean Machi (San Francisco) 4-0, 13 appearances, 1.84 ERA, 14.2 IP, 6 SV, 18 K
AL Rookie: Andy Wilkins (Toronto) .274 BA, 8 HR, 19 RBI, 17 R
NL Rookie: Joc Pederson (Los Angeles Dodgers) .311 BA, 6 HR, 27 RBI