Twins clinch AL Central crown with victory over Angels
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)– After celebrating on the sphere and earlier than any bottles had been popped within the clubhouse, Minnesota Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli had a message for his staff: congratulations, take pleasure in it — however there’s extra to be executed.
The Twins clinched the AL Central title Friday evening with an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Alex Kirilloff homered and drove in three runs, and Minnesota held on late to win the division crown for the third time in 5 seasons beneath Baldelli.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Baldelli mentioned. “But tonight, we have fun. Tomorrow, we work again.”
Pablo Lopez (11-8) pitched six innings for the Twins, permitting three runs and 5 hits with seven strikeouts. Jhoan Duran gave up a run within the ninth however retired Brandon Drury on a grounder with the bases loaded to safe his twenty seventh save.
“We came into today controlling our own destiny,” Lopez mentioned. “We knew we didn’t need to watch the scoreboard for anyone to lose. We knew that we needed to win the ballgame. That’s exactly what we did. Even when I wasn’t at my best, the offense picked me right up.”
After the Twins squandered an early 3-0 lead, Kirilloff’s tenth homer snapped a 3-all tie within the sixth and Minnesota gained for the sixth time in eight video games. Kirilloff turned the twelfth Twins participant with double-digit dwelling runs this season, setting a membership document.
With strains from a latest school soccer recreation performed at Target Field nonetheless seen, the gang was desirous to have a good time one other prolonged fall for the Twins. It’s their fifteenth journey to the postseason for the reason that Washington Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961 and have become the Twins.
“It means a lot,” mentioned injured shortstop Carlos Correa, who’s anticipated to be prepared for the postseason. “The first one here in Minnesota, it’s really special. When you come to a new team, these are the goals that you set out to accomplish and this is just one of them.”
Of course, the playoffs haven’t been type to Minnesota. The Twins have misplaced 18 straight postseason video games — 13 of them to the New York Yankees.
Minnesota hasn’t gained a playoff recreation since 2004, taking the primary recreation of the Division Series 2-0 in New York with Johan Santana on the mound. Under Baldelli, the Twins had been swept in two video games by the Houston Astros in a 2020 first-round sequence and swept in three video games by the Yankees within the 2019 Division Series.
The drought isn’t misplaced on these Twins. Kyle Farmer promised a playoff win when speaking postgame in an interview performed over the stadium loudspeakers.
“Yeah, sure, why not?” Farmer mentioned. “If you don’t believe it, don’t play.”
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But this staff believes it’s completely different, partially due to the pitching and the depth it’s developed.
Minnesota added on with a four-run seventh, highlighted by RBI doubles from Farmer and Jorge Polanco.
“We did a lot of different things to build this club and the team really is gelling,” Baldelli mentioned, soaked in beer and bubbly and watching his staff have a good time. “If you just look behind you, you can see some gelling going on. That’s what you want to see.”
Davis Daniel (0-1) took the loss as the majority pitcher behind opener Jose Suarez. Daniel was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake earlier within the day and gave up three runs in 4 1/3 innings in his second profession main league look.
Los Angeles has misplaced eight of 9, limping to the end of one other disappointing season with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the injured record. Logan O’Hoppe hit a two-run shot within the eighth for his twelfth dwelling run of the season.
“I want my guys to see that,” Angels supervisor Phil Nevin mentioned about seeing the Twins have a good time their division title. “I really do. That is where we want to be. Absolutely. We’ve got a good young core. And I noticed, yeah, I noticed O’Hoppe and (Zach) Neto and those guys out there looking at that.”
LEADING LOPEZ
It’s becoming that Lopez, the spring commerce acquisition from Miami for Luis Arraez, was on the mound for the Twins’ clinching effort. He’s been part of a beginning rotation that has led the best way for Minnesota this season.
Lopez, who may probably be the Game 1 starter within the playoffs, bounced again from giving up 5 runs in a loss to the Chicago White Sox in his final begin. His career-high 228 strikeouts are second within the AL behind Toronto’s Kevin Gausman (232) and his 3.61 ERA is tenth within the league.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Trout took swings off a tee earlier than the sport as he tries to return from a left hamate fracture earlier than the tip of the season. … LHP Aaron Loup was positioned on the 15-day injured record with a left shoulder pressure, ending his season with a 2-3 document and 6.10 ERA in 55 video games.
Twins: INF Royce Lewis was positioned on the 10-day injured record with a left hamstring pressure. The staff is hopeful Lewis, who leads the staff with a .309 batting common and has 15 homers, is able to return for the playoffs.
UP NEXT
RHP Sonny Gray (8-7, 2.84 ERA) begins Saturday afternoon for Minnesota. Gray is second within the AL in ERA to New York’s Gerrit Cole (2.75). The Angels had not introduced a starter. The staff will possible use an opener, with LHP Kenny Rosenberg (1-2, 5.48) as the majority pitcher.
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