The Dodgers and Twins faced off in their third and final game of the 2022 regular season with the Dodgers holding a 1-0-1 advantage. Like most Dodgers/Twins games, this one was a well-played affair with both teams ready for battle.
Wayne Nicholson took the mound for the Twins in his 3rd or 4th start in the last 10 days. Having Wayne on the mound automatically gives an element of class to the contest. Luckily for the Dodgers, we were able to put some early runs on the board. Harvey Staulters led off the game with a double to deep left and scored on a Trinchillo single. Lane then hit a bullet to Koustakis and SS that somehow turned it into a 6U - 3 double play and the Dodgers knew they were in for a game. Coletta reached on an error but was thrown out at second on the first of three put outs by Twins catcher, Freer.
The Twins answered in the bottom of the 1st as Koustakis walked, advanced on a single by Madsen and scored on a sharp single by Tino.
The Dodgers were back at it in the 2nd as Bradley doubled to the hill in left and scored on a single by Ball. The Twins would tie the score in the 4th on a two-out rally started by a single by Joe Parker. Dodgers catcher, what's his name dropped a pitch down the middle allowing the courtesy runner to advance to 2B. A single to short CF would score Parker. A diving catch by Lane on a line drive to RF would end the inning.
As the game progressed and both managers had to contemplate how to navigate the late innings, it appeared that Mr. Nicholson might be tiring; 30+ innings in a week is lot for anybody. The Dodgers responded with a 6th inning rally started again with a Staulters' double. Two outs and an E% and a walk to Alston later, a Bradley double made the score 5 -2. The 7th inning belonged to the Dodgers as the bottom of our order, Jimmy T, Weber and Cortese set the table for the big boys. Singles by Trinchillo and Lane, a triple by Coletta and singles by Alston and Bradley had the merry-go-round on high speed.
Jimmy T finished a fine performance inducing a 6-4-3 DP and a pop-out to 1st to retire the Twins quietly in the 7th. Jimmy walked a couple, struck out a couple and was in control throughout limiting the Twins to two runs.
Final score was 11 - 2. Dodgers earn their 11th win of the season as they gain some momentum heading into the final two games of the regular season.
Indeed it was a tight game entering the 6th tied 2-2. It was not so much that Twins pitcher Wayne Nicholson got tired after the fifth inning , a man who regularly pitched 7 games on a weekend in fast pitch softball using the same delivery he brings to the 55s. Wayne has pitched 28 innings over the past 7 days and is ready to throw again tonight if we had a game. Unfortunately, it was the Twins defense that faltered in the 6th and 7th with several errors shared by the infield and outfield to go along with several balls that were misjudged in the outfield. Numerous gifted runs in the final 2 innings. Add walks and base hits and the outcome was high cotton for the Dodgers.
The Twins did have some things to be pleased with. Jim Tino knocked in the first Twins run in the first driving home Stefan Koutsakis who had stolen 2nd and Jim Edelman(single)drove home Joe Parkers(single) courtesy runner Greg Briscoe after he also stole 2nd for the second run in the 4th. The gimpy Twins runners were 5-5 in stealing 2nd. And although the Twins were without their top 3 hitters, they still managed 8 hits off the cagey lefty Jim Tesereiro(3 Ks)who threw a number of tantalizing curveballs to compliment his fastball. Lee Madsen, who is still recovering from a knee injury led the Twins offense going 2-3.
-- Edited by crowbait on Friday 19th of August 2022 02:22:26 PM
