Twins’ greatest long-ball moments of their homer-happy season

There it’s! Or, relatively, there it goes! The Minnesota Twins blasted their approach into the report books on Saturday evening, hitting their 263rd, 264th, 265th, 266th, 267th and 268th dwelling runs of the season, breaking the single-season report of 267 set by the New York Yankees approach again in … 2018.

In a recreation that maybe completely sums up your entire barrage of dwelling runs in 2019, the Twins misplaced 10-7 to the Tigers, nevertheless. It was the primary time in franchise historical past the Twins hit 5 dwelling runs in a recreation and misplaced — that they had been 49-Zero. (They don’t seem to be alone on this class this season. Ten different groups have hit a minimum of 5 dwelling runs and misplaced and two of these hit six.)

Whereas it is not a shock the Yankees’ report didn’t final, nobody would have predicted again in March that the Twins can be the primary staff to beat it. They hit 166 dwelling runs in 2018, rating simply 12th within the American League. Eddie Rosario led the staff with 24. This yr, they have already got six gamers with a minimum of 24 dwelling runs: Max Kepler (36), Nelson Cruz (34), Rosario (27), Miguel Sano (26), Mitch Garver (26) and C.J. Cron (24). With 27 video games to play, the Twins are on tempo for 321 dwelling runs — practically doubling their whole from final season.

In honor of the record-breaking evening, let us take a look at again on the Twins’ prime 10 dwelling run highlights on the season … up to now:

April 9: Mitch Garver homers twice off Jacob deGrom

Consider it or not, the Twins hit only one dwelling run of their first 5 video games. They then hit six in three video games towards the Phillies, and broke out towards an unlikely pitcher once they six dwelling runs in a 14-Eight win over the Mets — three of these coming off deGrom (who entered the sport with a 26-inning scoreless streak, which Garver broke with a second-inning dwelling run).

Garver has been a outstanding story. He had a stable season as the first starter as a 27-year-old rookie in 2018, hitting seven dwelling runs in 302 at-bats. With Jason Castro again from a knee damage and the promise of Willians Astudillo, it regarded like a three-way timeshare behind the plate this yr.

1 Associated

That is the way it began, however Garver began hitting after which stored on hitting and stored on getting extra time. He is hitting .273/.353/.619 and has even hit lead off 20 occasions, which he did Saturday.

Total, Twins catchers have hit 39 dwelling runs, so they need to be break the MLB report of 43 shared by the 1953 Dodgers (41 by Roy Campanella), 1997 Dodgers (40 by Mike Piazza), 1999 Mets (40 by Piazza) and 2003 Braves (all by Javy Lopez).

April 20: Twins blast eight dwelling runs in a 16-7 win at Baltimore

Within the second recreation of a doubleheader, Garver, Cruz and Jonathan Schoop every hit two dwelling runs. These are three of the Twins’ 29 particular person multihomer video games of 2019 — sure, that is one other report. Cruz leads the way in which with six such video games whereas Schoop has 5.

Might 23: Twins blast eight dwelling runs in a 16-7 win in Anaheim

The Twins had one other eight-homer recreation with an similar successful rating. This got here throughout a stretch during which the Twins received 11 of 12 video games and belted 31 dwelling runs. And none of these video games have been towards the Orioles! Minnesota turned simply the second staff with two eight-homer video games in a single season, becoming a member of the 2005 Rangers. To point out how spectacular the Twins have been, at this level that they had hit 98 dwelling runs in 49 video games, a season tempo of 324 — in order that they’ve principally maintained a constant 320-homer tempo all season. “We have had some video games this season the place we now have hit a whole lot of homers,” supervisor Rocco Baldeilli mentioned. “It isn’t as if our guys go up there swinging for the fences.” Hmm.

June 6: Max Kepler crushes three dwelling runs

This was the Max Kepler Sport because the Twins beat the Indians 5-Four with Kepler hitting all three dwelling runs off Trevor Bauer as he went Four-for-Four with a stroll and 4 RBIs. Kepler had entered the sport hitless in his earlier 21 at-bats. He had an opportunity for a fourth dwelling run within the ninth inning towards Cleveland reliever Josh Smith, however he might handle solely an infield single. “Some days you do not see the ball nice, different days you see it like a seaside ball,” Kepler mentioned.

June 18: Kepler ties recreation in backside of 13th

Or possibly this was the Max Kepler Sport. Dealing with the Crimson Sox, Kepler did not even enter till the sixth inning, however then he did this: tied the sport with an RBI single within the backside of the eighth, led off the underside of the 13th with a tying dwelling run, received it with an RBI single within the 17th for a Four-Three victory. His dwelling run on this recreation is the Twins’ solely extra-inning lengthy ball up to now.

July 25: Nelson Cruz hits three dwelling runs

The previous man can nonetheless deliver it. This was a part of a seven-homer week for Cruz as he homered in 5 straight video games, together with thrice — all off Lucas Giolito — in a 10-Three win over the White Sox. Cruz had two photographs at a fourth dwelling run, however struck out and flew out.

Aug. Three: Nelson Cruz hits three dwelling runs … once more

In an 11-Three win over the Royals, Cruz hit three once more.

Aug. 5: Miguel Sano hits walk-off dwelling run

In a 5-Three win over the Braves, Sano entered as a pinch-hitter with two outs and a runner on within the backside of the ninth and delivered the Twins’ solely walk-off dwelling run of 2019.

Aug. 13: Marwin Gonzalez homers off Josh Hader

Down 5-Four within the prime of the eighth, the Twins received two on with two outs and the Brewers introduced within the All-Star lefty to flip the switch-hitting Gonzalez over to his proper facet. He jumped throughout a first-pitch fastball.

Aug. 31: Mitch Garver hits the record-breaker

OK, possibly it was a bit anticlimactic within the 10-7 loss for the #BombaSquad, however right here it’s:

2️⃣6️⃣Eight️⃣ pic.twitter.com/mNC58pnaNO

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) September 1, 2019

Twins dwelling runs by month:
March/April: 50
Might: 56
June: 51
July: 52
August: 59

Your single-season leaders:
2019 Twins: 268
2018 Yankees: 267
1997 Mariners: 264
2005 Rangers: 260

Oh, by the way in which, the Twins higher not decelerate in September. The Yankees are inside putting distance with 254 dwelling runs.