Game two of the three game series in Oakland between the Twins and Athletics is in progress. I, unfortunately, am unable to watch the game due to a national live television blackout (damn you FOX!). A few changes in the lineup again today for the Twins. Mike Redmond is catching and batting eighth and Jason Bartlett is at shortstop and batting ninth. Joe Mauer is still in the lineup as the designated hitter and he is followed once again in the lineup by Morneau. Lew Ford and his hot bat moves up to fifth in the lineup, while the Michaels Ryan and Cuddyer move up one spot in the lineup. With Bartlett in the game for Punto, Luis Rodriguez moves up to the second spot behind Stewie, leaving Bartlett to bat ninth.

The game is entering the bottom of the fourth as I type, and we're still tied 0-0. The teams have two hits a piece, and Joe Mays has one walk and one strikeout. The two Twins hits belong to Redmond and Bartlett. More to follow later....

UPDATE: The M&M Boys ride again! With one out in the top of the sixth, Joe Mauer hit a single to left, and Morneau followed with a two-run homerun to right. Ford grounded out and Ryan flied out to end the inning, but the Twins take a 2-0 lead.

UPDATE: Forget a win in this one - Mays once again couldn't hold a lead. His contract ends after this season, and let's hope they don't bring him back. Mays got Kotsay to ground out, but it all fell apart after that in the bottom of the sixth. Crosby tripled to the wall in right, Chavez walked, and Dan Johnson singled to right, scoring Crosby and moving Chavez to third. Jay Payton followed with a three-run homerun, putting Oakland up 4-2. With Minnesota's inability to score runs, this one could be over. J.C. Romero is in now to replace Mays... but it's a couple batters too late.

UPDATE: Out of the inning, but damage done. Romero got Hatteberg to ground out, but then gave up a single to Swisher. He was then replaced by Jesse Crain, who struck out Ellis, but Oakland is up 4-2. Saarloos is out of the game now, having been replaced by Kiko Calero.

UPDATE: So that's that. Joe Mays blows a lead and nobody can drive in runs. Huston Street came on in the ninth with a 5-2 lead and gave up a walk to Cuddyer and a single to Redmond. Cuddyer and Redmond each advanced on a fielding error, putting men on second and third with nobody out. Street then proceeded to strike out Bartlett, Stewie, and pinch-hitter Tiffee to end the game. Oakland wins 5-2 and Minnesota's playoff hopes are virtually gone.

Kirk Saarloos gets the win to improve to 8-6, while Joe Mays takes the loss and drops to 5-8. Huston Street picks up his 15th save.

Mays hasn't won since July 3 - a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay - and has now dropped 5 straight decisions. Unlike the rest of the team, he's not entirely suffering from a lack of run support either. In his last 7 starts - all Twins losses - the Twins have averaged 4.14 runs per game, but his ERA in those last 7 starts is an astounding 8.31! I almost hate to say it, but if the Twins want any chance yet this year, they might have to waive Mays and call up either Baker or Liriano to take his spot in the rotation, because an 8.31 ERA is virtually going to guarantee a loss every time he pitches. Even Boston's offense couldn't overcome that poor of pitching.

So, we come to the rubber match tomorrow in Oakland. Carlos Silva (7-6, 3.42 ERA) will take the mound for Minnesota against Rich Harden (9-5, 2.90 ERA). Silva also hasn't won since July 4, but he's 0-3 in six starts with a 2.80 ERA since that last win, and the team is only averaging 3.17 runs per game behind him (they won 2 of his no-decisions). He could ever get some run support, he could be headed toward a year like last year's 14 wins. Game time tomorrow is again 4:05pm ET/3:05pm CT.

05:06 PM | (0)
file under: minnesota twins | oakland athletics