The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Second Verse, Same As the First

The urge to reuse last nights column is nearly overwhelming, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

The similarities between games one and two of the Twins' two game set with the Tigers are substantial, and given that game one was a sucker punch to the gut, game two must be the metaphorical left cross to the face. 

The offense looked good again (though Nate Robertson tends to have that effect on teams.) So no matter what the outcome of the game was, that is a good thing. 

Doubles from Gomez and Mauer, a triple by hot-hitting Delmon Young, and Justin Morneau's fourth homer of the year paced the Twins as half of their eight hits went for extra bases. They were efficient on the bases too, an aberation from their norm. No GIDPs and two steals kept runners on and in scoring position for much of the night. Even Craig Monroe got into the act, going 2-4 with an RBI in the top of the 9th. 

The pitching left a little to be desired. Scott Baker was solid, but gave up three solo home runs again. His last six runs have all come via solo shot. He gave the Twins a quality start, a WHIP of just 1.0, and left the game after the seventh with the lead intact. You can't ask too much more of a starting pitcher. 

Jesse Crain did his best Matt Guerrier impression, and I should just leave it there.

Crain is one of the few Twins I actively dislike and hate to see come into games. He may, in fact, be the only Twin who has such a status. So, rather than malign him unfairly, I'll just leave it at this: I saw his name appear in the box score and instantly thought back to Frank Thomas' Home Run in Game 1 of the 2006 playoffs.

With Miguel Cabrera playing the role of Frank Thomas in this dramatization, Crain left me looking like Nostradamus, and feeling pretty low.

The Twins' pen blew it again. 

The Good: Joe Mauer: 2-4, 2B, R, 2RBI

The Bad: Scott Baker: 7IP, 5H, 3ER, 2BB, 3K, 3HR.

Ok, Baker wasn't that bad, but six Home Runs in two outings makes me really nervous. Eventually there are going to be people on base, and those home runs will count for more than just one run.

The Ugly: Jesse Crain: 1IP, 2H, 3ER, BB, K, HR. 

He also committed an error. All three runs came with two outs, which makes this loss even more galling. Hopefully the pen will regroup at home and prove themselves to be more than a liability.