Los Angeles Angels vs. Minnesota Twins Pick & Prediction SEPTEMBER 11th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The Minnesota Twins are hopeful that their positive energy will endure beyond just one day as they approach the crucial weeks of their season.
On Wednesday night in Minneapolis, the Twins will take on the Los Angeles Angels in the deciding game of a three-game series. After losing the series opener 6-2 on Monday, the Twins bounced back with a 10-5 victory on Tuesday.
This win put an end to a four-game losing streak for Minnesota (77-68), who currently holds a spot in the playoffs. They are three games ahead of the Detroit Tigers in the race for the third and final American League wild-card spot.
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In the AL Central, the Twins are six games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians and 2 1/2 games behind the second-place Kansas City Royals with just 17 games left in the regular season.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli expressed his pride in his team for staying positive and breaking their losing streak on Tuesday.
"It was a fantastic day," Baldelli said. "There were many positives for a number of players in the lineup, as well as our pitchers who threw the ball well. It's a great momentum to carry into (Wednesday)."
Baldelli also mentioned that the atmosphere in the dugout gave him hope that this win was more than just one good game, and he hopes to see the same energy in the series finale.
"The emotions in the game were fantastic," Baldelli said. "The guys were really into it and supporting each other in the dugout. I think that's crucial in keeping this momentum going.
"It all starts with the enthusiasm, energy, and work before the game, and then bringing it into the game. When you see the results of your hard work, it's exciting. I think a lot of the guys were really pumped up watching their teammates swing the bats so well."
The Angels will send right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-4, 4.89 ERA) to the mound for his eighth start of the season. The 23-year-old rookie from Philadelphia has pitched at least six innings in his last five starts.
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In his most recent outing, Kochanowicz gave up three runs on eight hits in six innings during a 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Thursday. He walked one and struck out none.
This will be Kochanowicz's first time facing the Twins in his career.
The Twins will counter with another rookie right-hander, Zebby Matthews (1-3, 7.36 ERA). This will be his sixth start in the majors and his first against the Angels.
In his last start on Friday, Matthews allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings, resulting in a 5-0 loss to the Royals. He walked one and struck out four.
The Angels (60-85) will play the series finale, and potentially the rest of the season, without a couple of key players. The team placed rookie reliever Ben Joyce (inflamed right shoulder) on the 15-day injured list and third baseman Anthony Rendon (strained left oblique) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday.
Joyce, 23, has a record of 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and four saves in 31 games (one start). He has recorded 33 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings.
"I'm not too worried, it's just inflammation right now," Joyce said. "I've been dealing with it for a few days, but it's getting better. I just don't feel like I'm ready to pitch yet."
The oft-injured Rendon is on the injured list for the third time this year.
Los Angeles Angels vs. Minnesota Twins Recap SEP 24TH 2023
Ryan Jeffers homered, tripled and drove in three runs and Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler also went deep as the Minnesota Twins cruised over the Los Angeles Angels 9-3 in the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Matt Wallner had two hits and two runs and Trevor Larnach and Kepler also had two RBIs for American League Central champion Minnesota (83-73), which won for the fourth time in the last five games.
Joe Ryan (11-10), vying for a starting spot in the Twins' playoff rotation, tied his career-high with 10 strikeouts while picking up his second win since July 21. He allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings and didn't walk a batter.
Brandon Drury had a two-run double, Zach Neto went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run and Randal Grichuk had a double and scored twice for Los Angeles (70-86). The Angels, who open a three-game series with AL West-leading Texas on Monday in Anaheim, finished with a 35-46 road mark.
Carson Fulmer (0-1), making his first major league appearance since 2021 after making 12 starts at Triple-A Salt Lake, suffered the loss in relief of opener Andrew Wantz, allowing three runs on four hits over four innings. Fulmer walked one and struck out two.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the second on a two-out single by Larnach, driving in Alex Kirilloff, who led off with a single and advanced to second on a walk to Wallner.
Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead in the third when Drury lined a double off the top of Larnach's glove in left, driving in Grichuk and Neto.
The Twins tied it in the bottom of the third on Polanco's 14th homer of the season, a 374-foot drive into the bleachers in right. The Angels then regained the lead in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Grichuk and Neto to make it 3-2.
Minnesota bounced back to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Wallner led off with a single and scored when Jeffers tripled off the top of the wall in right-center. Jeffers then scored on a groundout by Larnach.
The Twins then broke the game open when they batted around during a five-run seventh against reliever Jose Marte. Kepler started the scoring with a two-run homer, his team-leading 23rd of the season. One out later, Wallner doubled and scored on a single by Kyle Farmer. Jeffers then followed with his 12th homer of the season to left-center to end the scoring.