Twins Win on Walk-off Error

It was a good start to the homestand as the Twins defeated the Rangers 5-4 on a walk-off error. After Joe Nathan gave up a solo home run in the top of the ninth, Michael Cuddyer knotted it at four with a solo shot of his own in the bottom half. A Lew Ford walk, Brian Buscher sacrifice bunt, and Nick Punto strikeout left Ford on second with two outs and Jason Bartlett batting. Ian Kinsler couldn't handle the ball and the Twins had a walk-off win.


My glee, however, was overshadowed, because at that very moment my fantasy football team suffered a loss at the hands (leg?) of David Akers. Coming into the game, he needed 11 points to tie, 12 to win. Each field goal is worth three points, and he already had three at this point, so one more would win it. The conversation that transpired between myself and Twin #2 can be seen at the bottom of this entry.


But back to the game. Kevin Slowey had a very good start, providing 6 innings of one-run ball and Joe Mauer hit his 6th home run of the year, and his first since July 21st (129 at bats). Juan Rincon unsurprisingly coughed up Slowey's chance for a win in the seventh, but Matt Guerrier did much better by striking out the side in the eighth.


At this point, I want to take a closer look at Guerrier's recent statistics. Over his last five games, he has pitched 4.2 innings and has had 10 strikeouts (19.29 K/9), allowing zero runs in that span. If you ignore one outing where he pitched an inning without a strikeout he has gotten every out but one with a strikeout. In his five outings before that, he pitched 5.2 innings and had 3 strikeouts (4.76 K/9), while allowing one run in each game. I think this just goes to show how streaky and unpredictable relief pitchers can be, but as long as they avoid a blow-up can maintain good stats.


Conversation
Twin #1 (11:22:29 PM): field goal range??JELSFJGSDkga
Twin #1 (11:22:31 PM): fjkgfdhkgjdsjdfgjhksgsHL difuaer yl
Twin #2 (11:22:56 PM): yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Twin #1 (11:22:45 PM): oh, but its 4th down
Twin #2 (11:22:59 PM): twins win
Twin #1 (11:22:47 PM): and theyre going
Twin #1 (11:22:49 PM): yes!!
Twin #2 (11:23:01 PM): walk off
Twin #2 (11:23:18 PM): if they get a td, they'll go for 2 prob
Twin #2 (11:23:25 PM): so then akers wont get anything
Twin #1 (11:23:50 PM): oh darn it went to commercials
Twin #1 (11:23:58 PM): i missed it, i dont know what happened
Twin #1 (11:24:03 PM): did they not make it?
Twin #1 (11:24:12 PM): or did they call a timeout and decide to kick a field goal?
Twin #2 (11:24:29 PM): timeout
Twin #1 (11:24:20 PM): nooooooo
Twin #2 (11:24:36 PM): they won on an error
Twin #2 (11:24:39 PM): lol how twinlike
Twin #1 (11:24:30 PM): please dont make it, pleasssssssssssssssse
Twin #1 (11:24:32 PM): pleassssssssssssssse
Twin #1 (11:24:33 PM): how?
Twin #1 (11:24:39 PM): oh nvm
Twin #1 (11:24:44 PM): i thought you said how UNtwinlike
Twin #1 (11:24:49 PM): but in that case i agree
Twin #1 (11:24:53 PM): time for blog update!!
Twin #1 (11:25:25 PM): ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Twin #1 (11:25:28 PM): noooooooooooooooooasgifsdhuigdafg
Twin #1 (11:25:32 PM): they made it?!?!!!?!?
Twin #2 (11:25:46 PM): they're going for a td
Twin #1 (11:25:37 PM): they better
Twin #1 (11:25:42 PM): if he gets another FG
Twin #1 (11:25:45 PM): ima be mad
Twin #1 (11:26:43 PM): nooooo
Twin #1 (11:26:46 PM): 3rd down
Twin #1 (11:27:02 PM): i need a 2nd opinion on the game ball?
Twin #1 (11:28:45 PM): yes yes yes FIRST DOWN
Twin #1 (11:29:01 PM): freaking throw it in!!!!
Twin #1 (11:29:13 PM): dont let him kick it, dont let him kcik it!!!
Twin #1 (11:30:46 PM): ahhhhhhhhhhharshf;lkjdjlafd jgadiu oiratuioartmfaesjtdoJKLEUFASIGRFHIOAGUIEORFHSGKJAFGFJSGOIRSAGJAOIUROIUTGIFIUOASUIGIUDAF
Twin #1 (11:30:47 PM): I LOST
Twin #1 (11:30:50 PM): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Twin #1 (11:30:55 PM): GOOOOOOO COME ON GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ijDIGFJAKG
Twin #1 (11:30:57 PM): NOAODSFGOIASGFODU
Twin #1 (11:30:59 PM): AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHI
Twin #1 (11:31:02 PM): STUPID DAVID AKERS
Twin #1 (11:31:06 PM): MISS MISS MISS MISS
Twin #2 (11:31:20 PM): go for it
Twin #2 (11:31:23 PM): go for it
Twin #1 (11:31:15 PM): NDSAIGLHDAFRJGTSRPOGSIJASRGKOLDSFKDLSGKJLFDA;JKGKL;DSFG;KIJL;ERDKF
Twin #1 (11:31:20 PM): DARNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN I LOST
Twin #2 (11:31:42 PM): all right
Twin #2 (11:31:46 PM): thats enough now
Twin #1 (11:31:51 PM): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO