Some good news and some not so good news for Twins fans today. Unfortunately, most of the good news comes from their minor league affiliates, while the bad news involves the health of a member of their Major League rotation… and it’s not even Scott Baker this time.
Rookie Liam Hendriks has been scratched from his scheduled start Sunday in Baltimore due to food poisoning. Anthony Swarzak will step in and take the mound against the O’s in Hendriks’ place Sunday.
On the brighter side, media reports out of Connecticut tell us that Jason Marquis threw 75 pitches in today’s game for AA New Britain. Marquis went six innings, strikingout four hitters, while giving up just one earned run on seven hits, without giving up any walks. Looks like Marquis should be ready to rejoin the Twins after making maybe one more start for the Rock Cats.
Also of note in the minors, super-prospect Miguel Sano jerked a grand slam home run to lead the Beloit Snappers to their first win last night. May it be just one of many in his career with the organization.
Meanwhile, tonight back in Baltimore, the Twins try once again for their own first win of the season. The line up behind lefty Francisco Liriano looks pretty similar to the one that took the field for Friday’s season opener, with the only change being Ben Revere taking Ryan Doumit’s spot in right field. It makes sense to give Doumit the night off, assuming he will be putting on the “tools of ignorance” Sunday to catch Swarzak. – JC
| TWINS |
@ |
ORIOLES |
| Span, CF | Reimold, LF | |
| Carroll, SS | Hardy, SS | |
| Mauer, C | Markakis, RF | |
| Morneau, DH | Jones, Ad, CF | |
| Willingham, LF | Wieters, C | |
| Parmelee, 1B | Reynolds, Ma, 3B | |
| Valencia, 3B | Johnson, N, 1B | |
| Revere, RF | Paulino, R, DH | |
| Casilla, A, 2B | Andino, 2B | |
| _Liriano, P | _Hunter, T, P |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Baltimore | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | x | 8 | 13 | 1 |
The Twins will win a game eventually, I almost guarantee it.
But at some point, they’re going to have to score more than two runs in a game.
I do hope all the “don’t make Frankie pitch to contact” people are happy with his average of nearly 20 pitches per inning in his four innings of work.
Ah well… go get ’em Sunday, boys!