{"id":53535,"date":"2025-05-07T08:32:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T08:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=53535"},"modified":"2025-05-07T08:32:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T08:32:48","slug":"twins-9-orioles-1-superstars-deliver-for-twins-in-series-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=53535","title":{"rendered":"Twins 9, Orioles 1: Superstars Deliver for Twins in Series Opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a night on which Royce Lewis made his long-awaited season debut, the Twins’ top veterans stole the show in an easy win.<\/p>\n

Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton homered, and Pablo L\u00f3pez struck out 11 in a much-needed laugher.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
SP:<\/strong>\u00a0Pablo L\u00f3pez<\/a>\u00a05.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K (98 pitches, 58 strikes (59%))
\nHome Runs:\u00a0<\/strong>Carlos Correa<\/a>\u00a0(2),\u00a0Byron Buxton<\/a>\u00a0(8)
\nTop 3 WPA:<\/strong>\u00a0Lopez\u00a0(.175), Buxton (.148), Correa (.131)
\nWin Probability Chart (via\u00a0FanGraphs<\/a>)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\"image.png.53b6835576afb075db1176ddcdd0305c.png\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Twins started their homestand against a familiar face, in left-handed starter\u00a0Cade Povich.<\/p>\n

Minnesota’s 2021 third-round draft pick came into the game struggling to a 1-2 mark with a 5.16 ERA, after going 3-9 in his 2024 rookie campaign with the Baltimore Orioles.<\/p>\n

Sent away in the ill-fated trade for\u00a0Jorge L\u00f3pez\u00a0in August of 2022, the southpaw never shared a team in the minor leagues with any of the Twins’ current lineup, but he did share a mound with\u00a0David Festa\u00a0and\u00a0Louis Varland\u00a0in 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n

Despite his struggles overall at the big-league level, Povich dominated the Twins in late September of last year, going five innings and surrendering only two hits and zero runs in an Orioles victory.<\/p>\n

Standing in opposition of Povich and the reeling Orioles was Twins veteran and ace Pablo L\u00f3pez. Joining him in this kickoff to the homestand were hopeful superstar\u00a0Royce Lewis\u00a0and last year’s All-Star\u00a0Willi Castro, fresh off of the injured list. Lewis had yet to take an at-bat in 2025, and the Twins desperately hoped he could provide an instant spark to a woeful offense.<\/p>\n

Castro hadn’t experienced a repeat of last year’s success before he went down, but fans and leadership alike hoped for some ignition from him, too, as the homestand began.<\/p>\n

Lights-Out L\u00f3pez and Lit Up Povich<\/strong><\/p>\n

A casual observer of tonight’s game into the third inning might argue that the starting pitching was excellent. L\u00f3pez struck out seven Orioles in the first three innings alone, surrendering a meaningless single and zero runs across that span. Povich set the Twins down in order in the first and second innings, but ran into an unlikely obstacle in the bottom of the third inning named\u00a0Trevor Larnach.<\/p>\n

With\u00a0Harrison Bader\u00a0out with illness, the lefty Larnach ended up getting the same-side start, and responded with a single up the middle to collect the first hit and baserunner of the game for the home team. Castro followed suit, and suddenly there were runners at first and second for Byron Buxton.<\/p>\n

Buxton had struck out in the first, but this time, he struck the fence in left field for a double to put the Twins up 1-0.<\/p>\n

Ryan Jeffers came up next with two runners in scoring position and a torpedo bat. One opposite-field single (with english) later, it was 3-0 good guys.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Povich was obviously in trouble, and Ty France tried to officially ruin his evening. France’s booming 105+ mph blast to center field traveled 410 feet… for an out. Carlos Correa came up next, altered the launch angle from 29 degrees to 26 degrees, and upped the exit velocity to 109 mph. The result was a 5-0 lead.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Before we left the bottom of the third inning, Twins fans had one last opportunity to hold their collective breath. Lewis beat a slow grounder toward third base, and tested that hamstring with a full-out sprint down the line. He was safe, and smiling, and for now, everyone in Twins Territory could relax and enjoy the 5-0 lead.<\/p>\n

The Lights Flicker for L\u00f3pez, and He Goes Out Early<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the top of the fourth inning,\u00a0Gunnar Henderson\u00a0worked a leadoff walk, and advanced to third base on consecutive ground outs. As L\u00f3pez attempted to escape the jam,\u00a0Ryan Mountcastle\u00a0attempted to raise his OPS. Mountcastle’s double scored Henderson, and brought up the dangerous\u00a0Jackson Holliday. L\u00f3pez added yet another strikeout to his tally, and the rally stopped with only one run.\u00a0L\u00f3pez managed to go another inning, but with his pitch count mounting to 98 after only five innings, the bullpen was going to have to deliver to seal this series-opening victory.<\/p>\n

Povich Holds the Line, but the Orioles Bullpen Lets it Go<\/strong><\/p>\n

Povich recovered and managed to complete six innings, five of which were outstanding. The Orioles bullpen entered in the bottom of the seventh, and immediately booted Jonah Bride to first base with an error. A Castro walk chased Cionel P\u00e9rez, and Buxton rudely welcomed lefty reliever Matt Bowman on the second pitch he saw. Buck Truck, engaged. It was 8-1 Twins.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

After a France opposite-field double, Correa continued his hot night with an RBI single to make it 9-1 Minnesota. The rout was on, and the Target Field faithful felt just fine.<\/p>\n

Turns the Lights Off on Your Way Out<\/b><\/p>\n

Danny Coulombe, Louis Varland,\u00a0Cole Sands, and\u00a0Jorge Alcala\u00a0took the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively. The Orioles couldn’t touch Coulombe, Varland, or Sands. Alcala couldn’t touch the strike zone for most of the ninth, but neither of his two walks scored either to finalize a great way to open the homestand.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twins righty\u00a0Simeon Woods Richardson\u00a0(2-2, 4.03 ERA) will take the mound in hopes of giving the home team a quality start, and not taxing the bullpen in the process. The Orioles have yet to name their starter for Wednesday night’s game.\u00a0First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm CDT.<\/p>\n

Postgame Interviews<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nFRI<\/td>\nSAT<\/td>\nSUN<\/td>\nMON<\/td>\nTUE<\/td>\nTOT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alcal\u00e1<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stewart<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Coulombe<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dur\u00e1n<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Varland<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sands<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jax<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Topa<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a night on which Royce Lewis made his long-awaited season debut, the Twins’ top veterans stole the show in an easy win. Carlos Correa and Byron… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":53549,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nTwins 9, Orioles 1: Superstars Deliver for Twins in Series Opener - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=53535\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Twins 9, Orioles 1: Superstars Deliver for Twins in Series Opener - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"On a night on which Royce Lewis made his long-awaited season debut, the Twins’ top veterans stole the show in an easy win. 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