For a team that recently hanged double-digit scores on the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers, the Minnesota Twins ran out of fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Just as the Oakland Athletics were a buzzkill in late May after the Twins had swept the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners, they once again dampened Minnesota’s mood after they took the last two games against the now AL West-leading Rangers.
“We didn’t have a lot of opportunities there,” Twins manager Paul Molitor told the Star Tribune after his team went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. “You kind of felt like one [run] might not be enough. But we couldn’t find a way to add on.”
Ricky Nolasco gave the Twins six solid innings before giving up three earned runs in the seventh that proved to be the difference in the game, including one to former Twin Danny Valencia.
“Not enough offense. Pitching was good enough,” Molitor told the Star Tribune. “Disappointing loss.”
[Star Tribune, The Associated Press]
