The Twins' Late Rally Falls Short as Mariners Take 4-3 Win
A ninth-inning misplay by Royce Lewis proved costly for the Minnesota Twins, as they fell 4-3 to the Seattle Mariners in a thrilling contest.
The Twins had clawed their way back from a 3-0 deficit, tying the game 3-3 in the sixth inning thanks to solo homers by Luke Keaschall and Trevor Larnach. However, with the opportunity to take the lead in the eighth inning, the Twins came up short, with Kody Clemens and Royce Lewis striking out to end the threat.
Minnesota rookie Connor Prielipp had a strong bounce-back performance, limiting the damage after a chaotic first inning. Prielipp walked in one run and gave up a solo homer in the second, but then settled in, allowing just one hit over the next 3.1 frames. The young lefty's impressive outing was a promising sign for the Twins, who are high on his long-term outlook.
On the other side of the ball, the Twins struggled to get anything going against Mariners starter Logan Gilbert. They had just one hit and baserunner through the first four innings before Keaschall's solo shot got them on the scoreboard. Trevor Larnach added a bomb of his own in the sixth, but it wasn't enough to propel the Twins to victory.
The game's turning point came in the ninth inning, when Lewis's misplay allowed the winning run to score. With Andrew Morris on the mound, Julio Rodriguez doubled and advanced to third on a fly ball. The Twins brought the infield in, hoping to get the runner at home or set up a quick double play. However, Lewis's instinct took over, and he stepped on first base, negating the double play and allowing Rodriguez to score the winning run.
The Twins still have a great chance to win a series against a playoff contender tomorrow in a fun matchup between Taj Bradley and George Kirby. On to the next one.
STUDS
Connor Prielipp after the 2nd inning: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K on 33 pitches
AJ Minter in his Twins debut: one pitch, one out
Keaschall, Larnach: solo homer each
DUDS
Connor Prielipp in the first two innings: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 K on 55 pitches
Royce Lewis: game-losing misplay
Source: Yahoo Sports
