Well thank God the Twins came back to beat the Rangers last night. I was watching when the Twins got off to a 3-0 start over C.J. Wilson and when the Rangers, despite my TV-directed profanity, came back to trail the Twins 3-2. Then I took a mini coma and woke up when it was 6-8 heading in to the 6th. I was a little POed.
For the remainder of the game, I was attentive. Especially after we scored in the 6th and were only one run down! Delmon Young began the unlikely rally with a one-out single before the 'Ox in the Batter's Box,' my main man Jim Thome, took over on a pinch-hit double to left field moving Young to third. If you know anything about Thome, you know that is probably only his fourth double all season because, let's face it, he fails to 'pick up the plow' as my old softball coach, Frank Currier would say; Jim Thome is pretty slow. Nishi then reached on an infield error by Elvis Andrus, allowing Young to score and tie the game up.
This is where my roommates cast doubt over my sanity as I shout and clap while my bedroom door is closed. I am emotionally invested in the Twins, probably a little too much.
The stage was set for Joe Mauer, who seems to finally be back in stride with his former MVP self, and Mauer didn't disappoint. Mauer drilled an opposite-field double, which scored pinch-runner Jason Repko and gave the Twins the lead!
Heading in to the bottom 9th, I was slightly nervous when I saw Nathan take the mound. I know, I'm cynical, but the announcers assured me that Nathan is back to throwing his best stuff. My doubts were both justified and unjustified. Nathan gave up a single on the second pitch of the half-inning before Nelson Cruz reached with one out after a fastball grazed his jersey. Nathan rebounded, however, with a strike out to Mitch Moreland on a 3-2 slider and then pinch-hitter David Murphy on a sinker.
The win keeps the Twins within seven games of the first-place Tigers in the AL Central. Keep it up Twins. I will take a nail-biting save over a 14-run loss any day. So would everyone else north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Mason Dixon line for those of you less geographically-inclined.
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