Wednesday October 4, 2006
Metrodome
Twins Jump Ahead Early, Make Liriano’s Postseason Debut a Breeze
Francisco Liriano got more than he could have asked for in his first playoff start: a lot of run support early in the game.
The Twins started the scoring in the second inning against Esteban Loaiza. Michael Cuddyer led off with a double down the third base line. Justin Morneau followed by drawing a walk, and with one out Torii Hunter hit deep fly ball down the left field line that stayed fair and left the park to make the score 3-0.
Though the A’s came back with a pair of runs on a Mark Ellis two-run home run off of Liriano in the top of the fourth, the Twins quickly padded their lead in the bottom of the inning. Jason Tyner led off with a bloop single, but Loaiza retired the next two Twins. With Tyner on second and two out, Nick Punto’s grounder just escaped the glove of A’s first baseman Nick Swisher and made its way into the right field corner for an RBI double. With new pitcher Kirk Saarloos in the game, Joe Mauer drew a walk setting the stage for Michael Cuddyer’s three-run blast into the home run porch in left field. By the time the A’s got out of the fourth inning, the Twins had a 7-2 lead.
The Twins added one more run in the fifth when Jason Bartlett reached with a triple and was knocked home by Luis Castillo’s single down the right field line.
Liriano lasted six innings in his postseason debut. He allowed just the two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out seven. He was replaced for the seventh inning after having thrown 106 pitches.
The A’s got a few runs against the Twins’ bullpen to make the final score 8-4 and give the Twins a two games to none lead in the best-of-five series. The series will shift to Oakland with the Twins needing just a single win to advance.
Box and Play-by-play below the fold.
10/4/2006, Oak06-Min06, Metrodome
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Oakland 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 4 8 0 10 0
2006 Minnesota 0 3 0 4 1 0 0 0 x 8 11 0 8 0
Oakland AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Kendall c 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 3 0 0 0
Kotsay cf 5 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 4 0 0 0
Bradley rf 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 1 0 0 0
Thomas dh 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Chavez 3b 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 0 2 0 0
Payton lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 1 0 0 0
Swisher 1b 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 13 2 0 0
Scutaro ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .125 0 3 0 0
Ellis 2b 2 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 0 4 0 0
Johnson ph 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Perez ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Kielty ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Jimenez ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Loaiza p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Saarloos p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 2 2 0 0
Duchscherer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
35 4 8 4 1 0 1 6 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 24 15 0 0
Minnesota AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Castillo 2b 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 0 7 0 0
Punto 3b 5 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300 0 0 0 0
Mauer c 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 9 0 0 0
Cuddyer rf 4 2 2 3 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 0 0 0 0
Morneau 1b 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 13 0 0 0
Hunter cf 4 1 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375 2 0 0 0
White lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .429 2 0 0 0
Tyner dh 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 0 0 0
Bartlett ss 4 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 1 5 0 0
Liriano p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Guerrier p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Nathan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
35 8 11 8 4 1 2 4 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 27 12 0 0
Oakland INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Loaiza L 0-1 3.2 6 5 5 2 1 57 34 20 1 0 1 0 0 12.27
Saarloos 3.1 4 3 3 2 0 46 29 16 1 0 0 0 0 8.10
Duchscherer 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 17 8 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
8.0 11 8 8 4 2 120 71 40 2 0 1 0 0
Minnesota INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Liriano W 1-0 6.0 5 2 2 3 7 106 62 26 1 1 0 1 0 3.00
Guerrier H 1 1.1 0 2 2 3 0 26 11 7 0 0 0 2 0 13.50
Nathan 1.2 3 0 0 0 1 23 16 8 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
9.0 8 4 4 6 8 155 89 41 1 1 0 3 0
Oak: Johnson batted for Ellis in the 7th
Perez inserted at ss in the 7th
Scutaro moved to 2b in the 7th
Kielty batted for Perez in the 8th
Jimenez inserted at ss in the 8th
GWRBI: Hunter
Temperature: 70, Wind: none.
10/4/2006, Oak06-Min06, Metrodome
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2006 Oakland 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 4 8 0 10 0
2006 Minnesota 0 3 0 4 1 0 0 0 x 8 11 0 8 0
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top of the 1st inning, Oakland batting
0-0 0 --- 22 Kendall struck out (FCBBC)
0-0 1 --- 00 Kotsay lined a double to left center (X)
0-0 1 -2- 22 Bradley struck out (CBBSC)
0-0 2 -2- 30 Thomas was walked intentionally (IIII)
0-0 2 12- 02 Liriano threw a wild pitch, Kotsay to third, Thomas to
second (CFB)
0-0 2 -23 32 Chavez walked (CFB.BBB)
0-0 2 123 21 Payton popped out to left (BBCX)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, Minnesota batting
0-0 0 --- 22 Castillo grounded out to short (CBFBX)
0-0 1 --- 12 Punto grounded out to second (CBFX)
0-0 2 --- 31 Mauer flied out to center (BBBCX)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, Oakland batting
0-0 0 --- 11 Swisher grounded out to short (BCX)
0-0 1 --- 12 Scutaro lined a single up the middle (BCSX)
0-0 1 1-- 21 Ellis lined out to left (CBBX)
0-0 2 1-- 02 Kendall struck out (SSS)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, Minnesota batting
0-0 0 --- 10 Cuddyer lined a double down the third base line (BX)
0-0 0 -2- 32 Morneau walked (BBBCFB)
0-0 0 12- 01 Hunter homered deep down the left-field line, Cuddyer
scored, Morneau scored (FX)
0-3 0 --- 11 White was hit by a pitch (FBH)
0-3 0 1-- 00 Tyner flied out to right (>X)
0-3 1 1-- 00 Bartlett flied out to center (X)
0-3 2 1-- 10 Castillo lined a single to right center, White to third
(BX)
0-3 2 1-3 00 Punto grounded out to second (X)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, Oakland batting
0-3 0 --- 21 Kotsay reached on an infield single to second (CBBX)
0-3 0 1-- 22 Bradley struck out (CFBBC)
0-3 1 1-- 12 Thomas struck out (FCBS)
0-3 2 1-- 12 Chavez grounded out to first (BCCX)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, Minnesota batting
0-3 0 --- 02 Mauer struck out (FFS)
0-3 1 --- 31 Cuddyer walked (CBBBB)
0-3 1 1-- 00 Morneau doubled deep to center, Cuddyer to third (X)
0-3 1 -23 00 Hunter lined out to center (X)
0-3 2 -23 01 White grounded out to third (FX)
************** Top of the 4th inning, Oakland batting
0-3 0 --- 10 Payton grounded out to second (BX)
0-3 1 --- 12 Swisher grounded a single between third and short (FCBX)
0-3 1 1-- 22 Scutaro struck out (SFBBS)
0-3 2 1-- 10 Ellis homered deep to left, Swisher scored (BX)
2-3 2 --- 21 Kendall grounded out to second (CBBX)
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, Minnesota batting
2-3 0 --- 21 Tyner lined a single to shallow left (FbBBX)
2-3 0 1-- 01 Bartlett flied out to left (FX)
2-3 1 1-- 11 Castillo grounded out to second, Tyner to second (FBX)
2-3 2 -2- 21 Punto grounded a double down the first base line, Tyner
scored (BBFX)
Saarloos now pitching
2-4 2 -2- 30 Mauer walked (BBBB)
2-4 2 12- 00 Cuddyer homered deep down the left-field line, Punto
scored, Mauer scored (X)
2-7 2 --- 30 Morneau walked (BBBB)
2-7 2 1-- 01 Hunter grounded out to the mound (CX)
************** Top of the 5th inning, Oakland batting
2-7 0 --- 00 Kotsay grounded out to short (X)
2-7 1 --- 02 Bradley grounded out to second (CSX)
2-7 2 --- 32 Thomas walked (BBCSBFB)
2-7 2 1-- 22 Chavez grounded out to second (SBBSX)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, Minnesota batting
2-7 0 --- 11 White flied out to center (FBX)
2-7 1 --- 01 Tyner grounded out to short (CX)
2-7 2 --- 02 Bartlett tripled deep to right center (CCX)
2-7 2 --3 10 Castillo lined a single down the right field line,
Bartlett scored (BX)
2-8 2 1-- 22 Punto grounded out to second (BBFSX)
************** Top of the 6th inning, Oakland batting
2-8 0 --- 12 Payton grounded out to second (CCBX)
2-8 1 --- 32 Swisher struck out (BBSBCC)
2-8 2 --- 32 Scutaro grounded out to short (FCBBBFX)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, Minnesota batting
2-8 0 --- 11 Mauer grounded out to third (CBX)
2-8 1 --- 12 Cuddyer grounded out to the mound (FCBFX)
2-8 2 --- 00 Morneau grounded out to first (X)
************** Top of the 7th inning, Oakland batting
Guerrier now pitching
Johnson pinch hitting for Ellis
2-8 0 --- 31 Johnson walked (CBBBB)
2-8 0 1-- 00 Guerrier threw a wild pitch, Johnson to second (B)
2-8 0 -2- 20 Kendall grounded out to second, Johnson to third (B.BX)
2-8 1 --3 00 Kotsay grounded out to second, Johnson scored (X)
3-8 2 --- 12 Bradley grounded out to short (CFBFX)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, Minnesota batting
Perez now playing shortstop
Scutaro moved to second base
3-8 0 --- 01 Hunter grounded out to first (SX)
3-8 1 --- 12 White grounded out to short (BFCX)
3-8 2 --- 00 Tyner grounded a single between first and second (X)
3-8 2 1-- 21 Bartlett popped out to the catcher (FBBX)
************** Top of the 8th inning, Oakland batting
3-8 0 --- 00 Thomas grounded out to short (X)
3-8 1 --- 32 Chavez walked (BBCFBFB)
3-8 1 1-- 10 Guerrier threw a wild pitch, Chavez to second (BB)
3-8 1 -2- 30 Payton walked (BB.BB)
Nathan now pitching
3-8 1 12- 01 Swisher grounded a single up the middle, Chavez scored,
Payton to second (SX)
4-8 1 12- 12 Scutaro struck out (CBCS)
Kielty pinch hitting for Perez
4-8 2 12- 20 Kielty flied out to center (BBX)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, Minnesota batting
Jimenez now playing shortstop
Duchscherer now pitching
4-8 0 --- 20 Castillo grounded out to second (BBX)
4-8 1 --- 32 Punto lined a double to left center (CBBFBX)
4-8 1 -2- 20 Mauer grounded out to short (BBX)
4-8 2 -2- 22 Cuddyer struck out (BFSBC)
************** Top of the 9th inning, Oakland batting
4-8 0 --- 21 Kendall lined a single to right center (BSBX)
4-8 0 1-- 11 Kotsay popped out to the catcher (BFX)
4-8 1 1-- 12 Bradley singled to right center, Kendall to third (CBSX)
4-8 1 1-3 01 Thomas flied out to center (FX)
4-8 2 1-3 00 Chavez popped out to short (X)
Do you already know the results of the series or are you simming a new game each night?
I am simming the games just prior to writing them up. I tend to be about a week ahead in posts, so I do know how this series turns out.