The Minnesota Twins hope that one swing can propel them to a sequence win.
The Twins will sq. off towards the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis for the second installment of a three-game sequence. Minnesota is coming off a 4-3 win within the sequence opener because of a walk-off homer within the backside of the ninth by Harrison Bader on Friday.
The solo shot gave the Twins a win within the opener of a nine-game homestand.
“We would have liked that as a staff,” Twins right-hander Chris Paddack stated. “Comeback win. Stroll-off homer by Bader. At dwelling. Fourth of July. Simply the vitality change in that clubhouse over the past week versus at present was night-and-day completely different.
“So hopefully we will take that vitality into the subsequent couple video games towards Tampa, and hopefully the rest of the homestand earlier than we get rolling for the second half of the season.”
The Rays, in the meantime, will attempt to snap a chilly spell that has led to 4 losses prior to now 5 video games.
Tampa Bay additionally was anxiously awaiting phrase concerning the standing of Ha-Seong Kim, who made his staff debut on Friday however left the sport due to a proper calf harm. He got here out after going 1-for-3.
Kim, who missed the season’s first three months whereas recovering from offseason surgical procedure on his proper shoulder, didn’t imagine the newest harm would sideline him long run.
“I believe we’ll have to re-evaluate (Saturday),” Kim stated. “However I do not assume it must be a giant downside. I did not really feel something in my calf till I began working to 3rd base. Let’s simply see (Saturday).”
Rays supervisor Kevin Money additionally took an optimistic tone.
“I hope (he’s OK). We’ll simply see,” Money stated. “It is sort of day-to-day. Examine on him via the evening after which (Saturday).”
The Twins are in search of their first set of back-to-back victories since successful three in a row from June 25-27. Earlier than scoring 4 runs on Friday, they scored a complete of three runs of their earlier 4 video games.
Bader hopes his blast will mark a turning level.
“You genuinely need to imagine you are all the time one pitch away or one swing away or one diving play away from making the tides turned,” Bader stated. “When you’ve gotten quite a lot of guys reinforcing that and who care and who need to win similar to you, good issues occur.
“You really do change into one swing, one pitch away.”
Rays right-hander Taj Bradley (5-6, 4.79 ERA) will attempt to even the sequence when he takes the mound on Saturday. He’s hoping to bounce again from a loss on Sunday towards the Baltimore Orioles, who tagged him for 5 runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Bradley has confronted Minnesota 4 occasions in his profession, going 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA. He took a loss towards the visiting Twins on Could 27, when he permitted three runs (two earned) on 5 hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.
The Twins had not introduced a starter for Saturday. Minnesota should reshuffle its rotation after inserting right-hander Bailey Ober on the injured listing on Wednesday due to a left hip impingement.
–Subject Degree Media