Date: 6/19/10

Opponent: Philadelphia Phillies

Home/Away: Away

Starting Pitcher: Slowey

Final Score: W 13-10 (11 innings)

Record: 39-29

Recap: Color me impressed. It certainly took a lot of determination (and some very unlikely contributions), but we somehow pulled through. I must salute you Twins! That was a very exciting win, probably the most exciting of the year. Rallying for 5 runs in the 9th doesn't happen every day. I'm still kind of in shock. And totally pumped up. It looked like we would head into Sunday trying to avoid the sweep, and instead we've got a chance to win the series (yes, Roy Halladay is pitching, but don't rain on my parade).

I'm not even sure where to start. I guess the beginning will work (I suppose it might confuse people if I started at the end and worked backwards; actually, it would probably just confuse the hell out of me). We led off the game with a big 1st inning, getting 3 runs. Punto was actually intentionally walked with 2 outs in the inning to load the bases and bring Slowey to the plate, but Slowey struck out to end the inning. And then the carnage began. A single and walk led off the inning, then a triple scored both and a sac fly led to the third run. Just like Blackburn, Slowey started off with a 3-run 1st. Continuing to follow the fuckterrible footsteps of Blackburn before him, Slowey followed the bad 1st inning with an even worse 2nd inning. He gave up a solo homer, a sac fly to score another run, and a 2-run homer to end up with 4 runs in the inning. At this point he was pulled in favor of Manship (called up today due to the depletion of the bullpen yesterday). Blackburn and Slowey ended up with nearly identical lines for their 2 starts here. Both went 1.2 innings with 2 home runs, with similar earned runs (8 versus 7) and similar hits (6 versus 7). It was really bad enough that Blackburn had a complete meltdown, but to have 2 outings in a row in which the starter couldn't get out of the 2nd inning? Talk about taxing your bullpen. 

Manship really needs a gold star or something, for coming up and immediately pitching 4.1 innings. He gave up a home run right away in the 3rd, but that was it. It was a really great outing, and one we really needed. He ended up giving us a chance to win, although I'm sure he didn't know it at the time. We were down 8 to 3 before Morneau homered in the 6th to make it a 4-run game, but then Jayson Werth homered off Duensing in the 7th to bring the Phillies lead back to 5. After an uneventful 8th came the oh-so-amazing 9th inning.

Skinny Delmon singled, bringing Jim Thome up as a pinch-hitter for Valencia. WhaBAM! Home run, right into the Twins bullpen (snagged nicely by Butera) and the Twins were only down 3 runs. Up came Punto, who had a great at bat and drew a walk. He took 2nd on defensive indifference, and Kubel, who was batting 9th after a double switch, popped out. Punto advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch and scored on a Span single. Hudson struck out looking, leaving the Twins down by 2 run with 1 out remaining. At this point I'm thinking, "We could really use a little magic." But I didn't actually think we had any shot of winning. Mauer chose to prove me wrong, hitting his 3rd homer of the year into center, and tying the game up. I was in total shock. I think at that point I just felt like we had to win. Morneau got the final out of the inning and we went into extras.

The pitcher's spot was up, and we had precisely one position player left: Drew Butera. You have to wonder if Gardy actually considered letting Guerrier hit. Okay, I'm sure he didn't, but I'm sure he wasn't expecting a whole lot. And yet, incredibly, Butera smacked a homer to left. If I was in shock after our 9th inning rally, I was catatonic after Butera's home run. Unbelievable. And completely awesome. It was his first career MLB home run, and his father even was there in person to witness it. Good for him. Matt Tolbert, Nick Punto, Drew Butera. What's with all these home runs from unexpected players? It's making my head spin. 

Following Butera's homer, we had 2 ground outs, followed by 2 singles. With Punto at 2nd and Kubel at 1st, Span hit an infield single that Punto unfortunately tried to score on. Presumably he (or Ullger) assumed the ball would get through the infield, but it was flagged down by Chase Utley. We were out of the inning with a 1-run lead. Giant Man came in for the save. Mauer made a great catch for the 1st out of the inning right on the top of the stairs to the Twins dugout. It was basically right on top of Steve Liddle's head, and he knocked his hat off making the catch. It was kind of awesome. After a quick 2nd out, Rauch gave up the tying run in the form of a home run. It was the 9th homer of the game. The save blown, he did get the final out of the inning.

And on came the 11th inning. Mauer stepped up to the plate with 1 out and received a hearty round of boos for his game-tying homer. He walked, and Morneau was intentionally walked to bring the pitcher to the plate. With no pinch hitters left, Rauch was given the opportunity to bat. Just like Drew Butera, he also has 1 career home run, but in this case he was asked to bunt. He laid down a 2-strike bunt to advance the runners to 2nd and 3rd, but there were 2 outs. Skinny Delmon, who already had 2 hits, was pitched to, and he singled to score Mauer and give the Twins another lead. With runners on 1st and 3rd, Matt Tolbert came up to bat and doubled down the left field line. Mauer and Young scored, and Tolbert was out at 3rd. But now we had a 3-run lead, and Giant Man got through the 11th inning with just 1 hit. He may have blown the save, but he did get a sac bunt and a win. It was really quite a glorious game. What a great team victory. There were so many contributions, from Manship to Butera to Tolbert to Guerrier. I do have 2 requests for tomorrow. First, I would like a win. Second, I would like Pavano to get through the 2nd inning. I don't really think that's too much to ask. And I'm sure the bullpen would be very appreciative. I think they need some rest. Let's go for the series win!

Best Moment: Butera's home run. So beautiful, so unexpected. And everyone in the dugout was so damn excited. I loved watching everyone launch themselves off the bench after realizing it had a chance to leave the park.

Most Questionable Moment: The Phillies fans giving Thome a nice round of applause when he came on to pinch hit, only to watch him homer to start the Twins big rally. And they still stood and clapped for him as he rounded the bases. I'm guessing they would have been a little less kind had they known what was to come. Hilarious. 

Worst Moment: The 1st and 2nd innings, where we got another total crap outing from a starter.

Quotations of the Day:

• "It was special, very surreal. The people here from day one have treated me just great." - Jim Thome, on the reception he received from Phillies fans during his pinch-hitting appearance.
• "I'm in the bullpen, I put my glove on and said, 'I'm going to catch his home run right here.'" - Drew Butera, discussing his catch of Thome's home run. I'm guessing he thought that would be the highlight of the night.
• "I was glad to get an opportunity to pitch. I'll throw anytime they need me." - Jeff Manship
• "I don't know if you can get any more excited in our dugout that it was when Drew hit that home run." - Ron Gardenhire
• "I hit it and started running. I was like, 'Wow, it's got a chance.'" - Drew Butera

Suck-Ass Performance of the Game: Kevin Slowey (1.2 innings pitched, 7 hits, 1 walk, 2 home runs, 7 earned runs; 0 for 1, 1 strikeout, 3 left on base)