Byron Buxton is unfair.
He’s fast enough to beat out routine grounders for singles, dive for web gems and steal a base so quick it looks like he’s Mario-warping around the diamond. Now he’s hitting walk-off home runs.
Justin Smoak’s solo shot off of Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Belisle tied the game 2-2 and sent the game into extra innings. But Buxton’s blast off of Toronto Blue Jays lefty Luis Santos in the 10th inning made the Twins walk-off winners for the second night in a row.
“I was hoping Buck could get on base and steal second, and maybe we’d get a single,” said Minnesota manager Paul Molitor with a wry smile. “You win 16-0, and then you have to scramble to get to walk-offs. Every game is a little different.”
Jose Berrios went 5.2 innings, giving up five hits, but only one run.
“He coulda came away with a scoreless outing, except for the fact that we didn’t catch a ball that we probably shoulda caught,” said Molitor, referring to a ball that fell just over Jorge Polanco’s shoulder in the fifth inning in front of Byron Buxton and Ehire Adrianza.
“That’s a few times this year when we’ve been caught with the infield in, and that fly ball where you would like to see a little more aggressiveness from the guys coming forward and the guy going backward, but it fell.”
Berrios struck out five, but walked four. He attributed it to fatigue. He’s pitched over 170 innings for the first time in his career.
The bullpen took care of business however, with the exception of the slider that Belisle left over the plate. Buddy Boshers and Alan Busenitz got one out each, Trevor Hildenbeger struck out the side, Taylor Rodgers got two outs and Dillon Gee pitched the 10th.
Molitor had praise for all his relievers, but was especially effusive about Hildenberger.
“I kinda look for the biggest spot in the game,” said Molitor. “He’s just been that valuable and reliable — right, left, ground balls, strikeouts.
“I give him all the credit in the world. I don’t think he has any fear or intimidation of anybody or any situation.”
This all set up Buxton for the walk-off home run. He’s becoming a superstar in front of our eyes, and the Twins continue to create separation in the Wild Card race. Things are, at the moment, coming together for a team that was a seller at the trade deadline.
