SB Nation Minnesota - Minnesota Twins Move Into 4th Place In Grapefruit League With Win Over Boston Red Soxhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48959/mn-fave.png2012-03-19T17:42:19-05:00http://minnesota.sbnation.com/rss/stream/26068482012-03-19T17:42:19-05:002012-03-19T17:42:19-05:002012 Twins Spring Training, Grapefruit League Standings
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> defeated the third-place <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a>, 8-4, Monday afternoon, moving into fourth place in the Grapefruit League standings with an 11-8 record.</p>
<p>The Twins scored three runs in the seventh inning and three runs in the ninth inning to<a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320319102" target="_blank"> pull out the win</a>. Twins starter <span>Jason Marquis</span> allowed three runs, five hits and two walks in four innings with two strikeouts. <span>Joe Benson</span> put the Twins ahead with a three-run double in the sixth.</p>
<p>The Minnesota Twins have won seven out of their last 10 games in Grapefruit League play and three games in a row. Minnesota defeated the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pittsburgh Pirates</a>, 10-0, on Sunday. </p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Detroit Tigers</a> are in first place with a 12-2 record, followed by the 13-4 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a>. Here are the complete <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings" target="_blank">Grapefruit League Standings</a>.</p>
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<p><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/3/19/2885385/minnesota-twins-spring-training-2012-standingsTommy King2012-03-03T15:29:32-06:002012-03-03T15:29:32-06:00Twins Vs. Rays Final Score: Minnesota Surges Late, Wins Spring Training Opener 7-3
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<p>The <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Twins</a> picked up a solid win in their first Spring Training outing, or as solid a win you can pick up in Spring Training. On Saturday, they hosted the <a href="https://www.draysbay.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Rays</a> at Hammond Stadium, and walked out with a 7-3 win. <span>Carl Pavano</span> got the start, as will be the case on opening day, and the Twins would go on to use multiple pitchers throughout. Pavano didn't have a great outing, surrendering three hits and two runs, both earned in two innings of play. He also gave up a homerun.</p>
<p>But the Twins locked it up from there, with <span>Brian Duensing</span> pitching two innings while allowing just one hit, with a strikeout. <span>Matt Capps</span> pitched an inning, and then it was <span>Glen Perkins</span>, getting the win as the Twins had a strong sixth inning, in which <span>Ryan Doumit</span> doubled in a fly ball to left field, which was followed by <span>Sean Burroughs</span> and <span>Matt Carson</span> walking to fill the bases with none out.</p>
<p><span>Mike Hollimon</span> singled on a ground ball, which sent <span>Wilkin Ramirez</span> home, Burroughs to third and Carson to second. <span>Joe Benson</span> scored Burroughs on a sacrifice fly, and the inning came to a close when <span>Tsuyoshi Nishioka</span> and <span>Drew Butera</span> grounded out. They'd add insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with Nishioka hitting a triple in the eighth, and scored by <span>Chris Herrmann</span>.</p>
<p>Nothing huge, but solid play all-around by the Twins to pick up their first win of spring training. <span>Albert Suarez</span> was the losing pitcher for the Rays, with the aforementioned Glen Perkins picking up the win. They've got a split squad game against the Rays once again on Sunday, and then they'll play the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a> on Monday.</p>
<p><span id="internal-source-marker_0.7844334356486797"><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></span></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/3/3/2842506/twins-vs-rays-final-score-spring-training-2012James Brady2012-03-03T08:01:01-06:002012-03-03T08:01:01-06:00Minnesota Twins Spring Training: First Game Against The Tampa Bay Rays
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<p>The Minnesota Twins can officially put last season behind them with the start of Spring Training on Saturday afternoon. Minnesota hosts the Tampa Rays with the first pitch scheduled for 12:05.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Minnesota Twins</a> will play their first Spring Training game of the season on Saturday as they host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a> at Hammond Stadium. The game won't be televised, unfortunately, but it does represent a new beginning following last year's disastrous season.</p>
<p><span>Carl Pavano</span> will start out on the mound for the first Spring Training game for the Twins, as is <a href="http://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/1/25/2734923/carl-pavano-twins-opening-day-starter" target="_blank">the plan for their first regular season game next month</a>, but it'll be the lineup in the field that should get most of the notice. After battling numerous and wide-ranging injuries last season, <span>Joe Mauer</span>, <span>Justin Morneau</span> and <span>Denard Span</span> are all expected to take the field on Saturday afternoon.</p>
<p>The rest of the lineup will consist of the following, <a href="http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120302&content_id=26963676&vkey=news_min&c_id=min" target="_blank">according to the Twins website</a>:</p>
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<p>shortstop <span>Jamey Carroll</span>, right fielder <span>Josh Willingham</span>, third baseman <span>Danny Valencia</span>, left fielder <span>Trevor Plouffe</span> and second baseman <span>Alexi Casilla</span>.</p>
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<p>Pavano is expected to pitch two innings. After that it might get interesting as Ron Gardenhire and the rest of the Twins staff try to decide who will take the spot that <span>Joel Zumaya</span> was projected to fill in the bullpen.</p>
<p><span id="internal-source-marker_0.5171102820895612"><i>For more on the Minnesota Twins, check out <a href="http://twinkietown.com/">Twinkie Town</a>. You can also head over to SB Nation's main MLB hub at <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a>.</i></span></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-twins/2012/3/3/2841170/twins-spring-training-tampa-bay-rays-2012Scott Schroeder