It’s never a good sign when your first mile feels like you’ve already run a full marathon. For Tatsuyi Imai, the outing was quick and ugly. Twins 8 Astros 3.
Imai’s early game struggles were on full display before an announced crowd of 29,179. In the opening several minutes, Trevor Larnach would double and Josh Bell would hit a ball to dead center that’s still traveling. Bell’s blast would officially become the fifth longest ball hit to center field since the ballyard at 501 Crawford Street opened its doors in 2000. Just like that, it was a 2-0 lead, and the following inning Minnesota would continue the assault.
Luke Keaschall and Brooks Lee would reach on walks, and then Kody Clemens would do his version of a deep shot to center, and the Twins had put five runs on the board. Clemons has now hit 14 homeruns this season. For good measure, Imai would issue another walk to Josh Bell and mercifully the curtain would come down. Imai’s final line would read: 1.1 IP with 5 earned runs, 5 walks and 4 hits allowed, including 2 HR. In sharp contrast was his counterpart Taj Bradley would record a season high 11 strikeouts, at one point mowing down five in a row.
The Astros scored their initial run thanks to Jose Altuve’s leadoff walk of the game. Altuve would advance to third on Yordan Alvarez’s first hit of the night, eventually scoring on a double play groundout by Isaac Paredes.
The next time there would be signs of life would be in the 6th. Brice Matthews (who replaced Christian Walker, who left the game with lower back stiffness) and Cam Smith would reach base in consecutive fashion to start things. Then Joey Loperfido and Nick Allen would each notch RBI’s singles, cutting the deficit to 7-3 but that would be as close as they’d get.
The final Twins run would come on Luke Keaschall’s second homer of the night in the 8th inning.
Odds & Ends:
SS Nick Allen would relieve Raynel Delgado who exited in the top of the fifth inning with a dislocated right pinky finger while attempting to field a ball. Delgado was attempting to field a ball that would have been an inning ending groundout, but the ball hit the second base bag and took n awkward hop. Delgado attempted to adjust to the ball with his bare hand, but the ball deflected off his hand, dislocating his pinky.
In his latest rehab start, Lance McCullers pitched four innings of one hit ball in OKC on Wednesday Night. 41 of his 60 pitches were strikes.
After an off day on Thursday, Spencer Arrighetti will attempt to notch his 8th win of the season on Friday night when Tampa comes to town to complete this current homestand. The last time Arrighetti registered a win was back on May 28th.
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