Game One: 69 Twins 3, 09 Twins 1
WP: J. Perry (1-0)
LP: Baker (0-1)
Save: Grzenda (1)
HR: Cardenas (1), Oliva (1)
Game Two: 69 Twins 6, 09 Twins 3
WP: D. Boswell (1-0)
LP: Blackburn (0-1)
HR: Tovar (1), Crede (1)
Game Three: 09 Twins 5, 69 Twins 4
WP: Liriano (0-1)
LP: Kaat (0-1)
Save: Nathan (1)
HR: O. Cabrera (1), Killebrew (1)
Game Four: 09 Twins 2, 69 Twins 0
WP: Perkins (1-0)
LP: Chance (0-1)
Save: Nathan (2)
HR: Morneau (1), Kubel (1)
Game Five: 69 Twins 3, 09 Twins 1
WP: J. Perry (2-0)
LP: Baker (0-2)
Save: Perranoski (1)
HR: Killebrew (2), Cuddyer (1)
Game Six: 09 Twins 16, 69 Twins 6
WP: Duensing (1-0)
LP: Miller (0-1)
HR: Crede (2), Cabrera (2), Span (1)
Game Seven: 69 Twins 8, 09 Twins 1
WP: Kaat (1-1)
LP: Liriano (1-1)
HR: Killebrew (2), Allison (1), Punto (1)
The southpaw magic ran out for the underdog 2009 Twins in Game Seven.
Game One was scoreless into the fourth inning, when Leo Cardenas clubbed a two-run homer off Scott Baker. Jim Perry kept the 09 Twins off the board until the seventh, when pinch-hitter Delmon Young and Denard Span opened the frame with base hits. Perry retired Orlando Cabrera, then gave way to relief ace Ron Perranoski with three big left-handed sticks due next. Joe Mauer singled home Young, but Perranoski got Justin Morneau and pinch-hitter Michael Cuddyer to end the threat. Tony Oliva homered to get the lead back to two, and Dick Woodson and Joe Grzenda worked the eighth and ninth respectively to seal the win.
The 69 Twins scored twice in the first inning of the second game and peppered Nick Blackburn for runs in every odd-numbered inning. Meanwhile, Dave Boswell held the 09 Twins to one hit through eight innings. In the ninth Joe Crede reached Boswell for a two-out, three run homer, and Al Worthington entered to get the final out.
With the series moving to the Metrodome and the DH rule, the 09 Twins went to the lefties. Francisco Liriano was stung for three runs in the first inning, but steadied to allow just one more in the next five. His teammates chipped away at Jim Kaat, scoring five runs (three unearned) runs in the second, third and fourth innings. Kaat, a 16-time Gold Glove winner, committed a costly error in the process. Armed with a one-run lead, the 09 Twins used Jesse Crain, Brian Duensing and Joe Nathan for a perfect inning apiece to close the game.
Glen Perkins threw a gem in Game Four, allowing five hits and leaving with just one out to go. Nathan got that last out. Morneau homered in the first and Jason Kubel in the second, both off Dean Chance. Worthington worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam he inherited from Chance in the seventh to keep the game close.
With the series tied. Perry again outdueled Baker. Harmon Killebrew and Cuddyer traded homers. Perry allowed just six hits before Perranoski entered for a four-out save.
Back at Met Stadium, Boswell was drilled for four runs in the first inning and another in the second. Relievers Tom Hall and Bob Miller held the 09 Twins down for three innings, and the 69 hitters tied it in the fifth off Blackburn. But in the top of the sixth, pinch-hitter Alexi Casilla squeezed home Jason Kubel for the go-ahead run, and the 09 Twins plated five runs off Woodson in the seventh (Crede with a grand slam) and five more off Grzenda in the eighth and ninth. Duensing threw four innings of one-run relief and was credited with the win at the scorer's discretion.
Game Seven was a rout from the start. Cesar Tovar led off the game with a homer off Liriano, and the second was a disaster for the lefty. With the bases loaded and one out, Young misplayed a Killebrew fly ball; it went for a three-run double and a two-base error, with Killebrew scoring. Oliva singled and Bob Allison homered, and that was all for Liriano.
Staked to that 7-0 lead, Kaat sailed through eight innings, allowing a homer to Nick Punto in the third but only five other safeties. RA. Dickey, Perkins and Matt Guerrier combined to allow one run in the final six innings, but the game and series were already out of reach.
Player of the series: We'll give it to Killebrew for his nine-run, eight RBI performance. The Killer was eight-for-25 in the series with five walks and a pair of homers.
Pitcher availability: Perry can start Game One without penalty. Boswell could start Game Two with penalty. Kaat cannot start until Game Three.
Projected rotation: Perry-Boswell-Kaat-Chance-(Perry)-(Boswell)-(Kaat).
