Minnesota Twins prevail with 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays – MLB Update
The Minnesota Twins managed to put in a tremendous performance as they beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 at Target Field on Tuesday, July 5.
A night after the Minnesota Twins triumphed with a 7-0 victory the Rays wanted to descend on ground with an entirely different disposition. But nothing of that sort transpired once Upton unleashed the gigantic hit in the last inning, casting a cloud of doom
on the Rays.
Minnesota's manager became frustrated and replaced Matt Capps with Glen Perkins in the ninth inning. Capps being replaced in the last row, practically demonstrating the team manager’s anger.
Michael Cuddyer provided a good start to the Twins with the first run in the very first inning once the game began on Tuesday. The 2-hit one run first inning for Twins seemed perfectly sufficient considering Scott Baker’s unusually good pitching.
Once the lead was secured, Baker threw effective innings, much to the deep frustration of the Rays’ offence which found it increasingly difficult to keep pace with the game.
Cuddyer added further woes to the Rays’ with his two-run homer in the third inning, taking the lead to 3-0. James Shields, the Rays’ starter, gave up two hits in the inning, unable to hold the Twins’ offence back.
While Baker remained effective, his fourth inning consisted of two hits and a run. Casey Kotchman hit a homer to bring the Minnesota Twins’ lead down to 3-1, keeping the game replete with excitement.
Baker threw a total of five innings in which he gave up three hits and a run. Phil Dumatrait replaced him as a relief pitcher in the sixth giving up only one hit and no run to maintain the dominating position of the Twins.
Joe Nathan proved equally effective in the eighth inning followed by Matt Capps whose pitching spell almost brought a disaster for the Twins.
Capps gave up a hit to B. J. Upton who homered to left to bring the score dangerously close to 3-2, forcing the Twins’ manager to bring Perkins who then threw strong pitches to win his team a difficult encounter against the Tampa Bay Rays.
"It's a terrible feeling having to go take him out of the game," Gardenhire said. "I said that the last time. And it's not fun for a manager to go take him out. We're trying to win ballgames. He understands that. He'll be the first to tell you that."
The Twins played a brilliant game to hang on to their lead and squeeze out a victory. The Rays will be disappointed that they were not able to get their offence to fire and add some much needed runs.
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