Boxscore Breakdown #95: One mistake – Twins 3, Angels 0

Sometimes the margin for error in baseball is razor thin. Garrett Richards made one mistake all day and the Angels lost because of it. Well, that’s not totally true. They also lost because Ervin Santana didn’t make a single mistake, not one the Angels took advantage of, anyway. Baseball, man.

Twins 3, Angels 0

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1v5aVpHbLsk806993r7LoRTVNrddAZ9luGUxJauDJ4IU/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Yeah, G-Rich hung one pitch, but the real issue here is that the Angels had nothing going on offense. All they mustered was a four hits and Matt Joyce getting hit by a pitch, which was his most productive at-bat in weeks, by the way. The Halos only once had a runner get past first base, so it wasn’t like they failed to take advantage of opportunities, because there really weren’t any.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1v5aVpHbLsk806993r7LoRTVNrddAZ9luGUxJauDJ4IU/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Trevor made the Angels’ winning streak go Plouffe when he got into that Richards pitch. That was pretty much it for the Twinkies.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1v5aVpHbLsk806993r7LoRTVNrddAZ9luGUxJauDJ4IU/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] The homer aside, Richards was excellent, though that homer once again points to how he’s taken a step back versus last year as he’s now surrendered nine dingers this year after allowing just five all of last season. There are worse problems to have though. Ervin Santana haunted his former team and we can thank Paul Molitor for pulling Santana after 91 pitches to save us from the indignity of Ervin posting a complete game shutout.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1v5aVpHbLsk806993r7LoRTVNrddAZ9luGUxJauDJ4IU/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Mike Morin took another step forward as he rebuilds himself after an oblique injury. Glen Perkins slammed the door.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1v5aVpHbLsk806993r7LoRTVNrddAZ9luGUxJauDJ4IU/pubchart” query=”oid=41272350&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”315″ /] One giant step down and that’s all there was.

Halo A-Hole

This is totally unfair to Richards, but someone has to get the award.