Date: 6/12/10

Opponent: Atlanta Braves

Home/Away: Home

Starting Pitcher: Blackburn

Final Score: L 3-2

Record: 36-26

Recap: You know how certain words can start to look weird if you look at them too much? That's how I feel about the word squeeze right now. It just looks wrong, like it's not really a word. Anyway, that's my aside of the day. We may have lost this game, but at least it was an interesting, well-pitched, exciting game.

Blackburn rebounded from a couple rough outings to deliver 7 solid innings with 2 runs. He also got 5 strikeouts, which was quite impressive for him. Lowe had a very similar outing for Atlanta, with 2 earned runs in 7.1 innings. Both pitchers gave up 6 hits in their outings. We took the early lead when Skinny Delmon singled to score Cuddyer. In the 5th inning the Braves put up a couple runs on Blackburn to take the lead, but the Twins scored the tying run in the 6th with a single, sac bunt and Joe Mauer double. 

With the game still tied in the top of the 9th, the Braves executed a little small ball to get the go-ahead run. Matt Guerrier walked the number 9 hitter Blanco. Walking the ninth hitter in the lineup never seems to end well, does it? Then Bobby Cox put on a hit-and-run, and Blanco advanced to 3rd on the single. And then came the coup de grâce: a suicide squeeze with Brooks Conrad laying down a great bunt. While the Twins had 2 sac bunts laid down by Trevor Plouffe, only once did the runner score. We also attempted a hit-and-run, only Michael Cuddyer struck out swinging (on what would have been ball 4) and Mauer was caught stealing. We did have another really good opportunity to score in the 8th inning. Span singled and Plouffe bunted him over to 2nd. Mauer was then intentionally walked, and Morneau lined out for the second out. Cuddyer drew a walk, bringing Kubel to the plate with the bases loaded. He struck out, and our biggest scoring threat sputtered out.

Best Moment: I would say Blackburn's outing. It was nice to see him recover a bit.

Most Questionable Moment: Can we please, please stop batting the sub-.200 infielders second in the lineup? Pretty pretty please? 

Worst Moment: That oh-so-deadly suicide squeeze.

Quotations of the Day:

• "Man, is this National League baseball or what?" - Denard Span
• "Every time I read his name I laugh." - My mom, referring to Trevor Plouffe. Not gonna lie, it's a pretty hilarious last name.

Suck-Ass Performance of the Game: Matt Guerrier (1.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 earned run, 1 loss)