Date: 8/12/10

Opponent: Chicago White Sox

Home/Away: Away

Starting Pitcher: Liriano

Final Score: W 6-1

Record: 65-50

Recap: We may have shot ourselves in the foot in Wednesday's game, but boy did the White Sox screw themselves over in the final game of the series. I don't know how the White Sox scored only 1 run after loading the bases in 3 separate innings, once with 2 outs, once with 1 out, and once with no outs. Hell, the only run scored on a little swinging bunt by Penguin Boy. I'm quite impressed with Liriano's ability to wriggle out of those jams. 

In the 1st inning, he loaded the bases after hitting Carlos Quentin with a pitch (he seemed to make a good target in this series). But he got the next batter to fly out to end the inning. Then he got into even more trouble in the 5th inning when he loaded the bases with no outs. I'm still not sure how the Sox failed so epically, but Liriano got Rios to hit a grounder back to the mound which he threw home for an out. It seemed like Mauer could have actually turned a double play by throwing to 1st, but he held on to the ball, possibly because Rios was running in the baseline. Bert really wanted Mauer to nail Rios in the back with the ball since he was in the way and would have been out, but I guess Mauer didn't want to risk it.

Liriano loaded the bases once again in the next inning with 1 out, but Chicago couldn't take advantage. In addition to the offensive failures, the defense provide some ineptitude as well. No one covered 2nd on Cuddyer's stolen base attempt, and he advanced to 3rd on the throw. Pierzynski was given an error on the play which really wasn't his fault. One of the runs was actually balked in to add insult to injury. I guess it was just a bad day to be a White Sox fan (or a White Sox player I guess).

After Liriano was taken out in the 6th inning, the bullpen took over and closed the door. Guerrier, Crain and Capps combined for 3.1 innings and only 2 hits. The Twins offense did more than enough, with Kubel delivering the big hit, a 3-run homer in the 7th to give the Twins a comfortable lead. Young, Span and Hudson all had 2 hits apiece. Now we're up by a game in the division, with the A's up next. 

Best Moment: Casilla putting a catcher's mask on Big Fella after he was almost hit by a foul ball. I'll admit I haven't been the biggest Casilla fan in the past (well, he was unbelievably shitty last year), but he's definitely growing on me.

Most Questionable Moment: The White Sox leaving Gavin Floyd in for 125 pitches. That worked out well when Kubel homered off him, now didn't it?

Worst Moment: All the times the bases were loaded.

Quotations of the Day:

• "That was a great throw by A.J., maybe the best he's thrown all year." - Bert Blyleven, giving a nice backhanded compliment to Pierzynski after he was given an error trying to throw out Cuddyer.
• "An exhausting night; a lot of big innings out there." - Ron Gardenhire
• "It's definitely a stressful game but I think all of our games are when it comes down to it." - Ron Gardenhire

Suck-Ass Performance of the Game: Danny Valencia (0 for 4, 2 strikeouts, 1 GIDP, 3 left on base)