Sunday, August 28, 2005

Can't get it done for Johan

How bad can things get after winning 10 of 12? A three-game losing streak to begin and then scoring only eight runs against a terrible Texas pitching staff. (That includes the seven scored yesterday) It gets more and more pathetic with each game. Today, the Twins anemic offense ruined another Santana gem. Johan wasn't spectacular, but seven innings with six Ks while allowing only one run and three hits is still very good. And if you ask me, the ump's zone wasn't too nice to Johan while being very good to Texas' Chris Young. He deserved a win but the Twins offense couldn't put anything together and Jesse Crain couldn't hold the lead in the 9th.

I can't blame Crain too much. The Twins can't expect to win scoring one run. It can't be left to the pitching to win it all. And, of course, the call of catcher's interference on Joe Mauer's play of Rod Barajas' pop-up didn't help matters either. No, the blame is all on the hitters.

Five hits and one run against the "mighty" Chris Young and the great Texas bullpen. And to make matters worse, they had the bases loaded in the first with one out, and you guessed it, couldn't score. LeCroy swung at the first pitch out of the zone and popped out. Ugh surprise there. No patience is always a problem for LeCroy and he proved it. I guess his good week was a blurb. Then Jacque pretty much repeated that to end the inning. From there, it was much of the same. A double here, maybe a good play to move a guy over, but no one could drive anyone in. In the fifth, Lew Ford was stranded at third with one out when Jason Bartlett and Michael Ryan struck out. All in all, Rangers starters from rookie Kameron Loe on Friday to Rogers to Young didn't give up a single run to the Twins all weekend. It wasn't until the eight, when Bartlett singled and was moved over and Mauer singled him in.

It was a sad series in all. It was exciting to see some offense yesterday, but pathetic that they couldn't win for Johan when he pitched very well again. The only positive is that Mays is in the bullpen and tommorow we get the joy of watching Scott Baker pitch against the Royals, whom we must undoubtedly sweep.

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