Twins 7, Brewers 4
Brewers now 9-8 (3rd)
Box Score | Season Schedule
A big story this season has been the opening of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. It’s been a revelation for a cold weather team like the Twins, allowing them to play their games indoors when they may otherwise play in poor conditions or have games postponed. The league could have used more domes on opening day when several entire series were wiped out.
After you’re done marveling at the dome, it strikes you: They play baseball in this place?
Many Brewers were thinking the same thing today. They weren’t impressed. After the game, they complained about the white roof and glare of poorly placed lights. They also could have griped about the artificial turf covered cement floor that made for conditions not designed for our national pastime.
Were the Brewers out of their element? Were they distracted? Who knows. But while the final score may make it seem as though the game was close, it never really was.
The Twins jumped out to a three-run lead in the first on a two-run triple by rookie first baseman Kent Hrbek and a sac fly by Randy Johnson. The Brewers? Well the Brewers couldn’t solve 25-year-old righty Roger Erickson, who didn’t allow a baserunner until the fifth. Ted Simmons would score on a bizarre Metrodome ground ball that was kicked and booted around while the slow-footed Simmons stepped on home plate. The first Brewers hit came in the sixth by Jim Gantner, but he was promptly wiped out by a Paul Molitor line drive double play. The Brewers didn’t put together any type of threat until the eighth, aided by yet another Twins error.
Entering today’s game, Brewers’ starter Moose Haas had allowed only two earned runs in his last two outings, covering 16 innings. Today, however, was not one of Moose’s better moments. After allowing three runs in the first, he allowed one in the second. He’d leave after six innings, surrendering six earned runs on seven hits.
The Brewers’ offense has now managed only eight runs on 14 hits combined in their past three games. They are lucky to have escaped that trio of ineptitude with a win. Amazingly, following two games with only four hits, today’s six hit performance was an improvement.