Off the TePoel: Twins winning if not quite convincing

Posted by Dain on July 28, 2009 under Dain | 2 Comments to Read

The Twins have managed to squeak out two wins at home against the White Sox. Both teams came into the series avoiding 4 game sweeps on the road with victories on Sunday. Fortunately, one of these teams calls the Metrodome home in every sense of the word, and the other has developed a severe case of the willies.

That team with the willies is the White Sox. I hear tons of White Sox media down here in Iowa City between radio and television. These people absolutely despise the Metrodome. It’s their scapegoat for every single mistake when they play in Minneapolis. Maybe they’re on to something, but I tend to think it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. One check swing called against them, and the next thing you know it’s “oh that Dome again, here it comes…”

Buehrle was fantastic. I thought he was going to do it. He was almost 18 up and 18 down – luckily the first base umpire ruled that Casilla did not go around on what could have been strike three. If he had, the Twins would have went into the 7th trailing 1-0 with Buehrle just nine more outs away from two consecutive perfect games. We’ll never know if he would have made it.

My two heroes in these first two games of the series are Glen Perkins and Denard Span. Perkins because of his start last night, one that I was surprised to see him produce for as much as he’s struggled. Secondly Span because he knocked a solid base hit after Casilla walked. Had Span been retired, Buehrle would still have been working on a no hitter and the Sox would have maintained the excitement and momentum. As it was, the Twins got a break when Podsednik flat out missed Mauer’s fly ball. It wasn’t routine but how that was ruled a double is beyond me. Clearly a hometown break for Mauer, but either way, the game was tied and the Twins somehow averted the pressure of trying to squeak out a run off an unhittable pitcher.

They not only got into Buehrle’s kitchen, they pretty much went Iron Chef on him and the whole team. Getz, for some unknown reason, broke to his right for second base on Crede’s single hit just a few feet to his left. It was not a hit and run but must have been that crazy Metrodome just messing with the Sox again. So instead of a double play, the Twins had runners at the corners with no one out. Harris promptly smacked a single to give the Twins the lead. Punto (who must be wondering how much longer he’ll have a job if Cabrera is acquired) even smacked a two-run single.

The Twins should feel grateful to earn a win tonight. This wacky game with the baseball gods’ influences appearing all over the place is over and I have a feeling a more “normal” game will be played tomorrow night between these clubs. Both teams will send former all-star caliber pitchers to the mound in Liriano and Colon. Whichever pitcher shows up closer to that form should lead his team to victory. For the Twins sake, let’s hope they close the deal and earn a much needed sweep at home.

But if the Twins don’t come out and earn it themselves, rest assured they’ll welcome another win at the expense of White Sox mental miscues and those pesky Metrodome maladies.

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