KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Twins have wandered into a playoff race this weekend at Kauffman Stadium. The effect is not much different than had they wandered onto the interstate highway just beyond center field.
Joe Ryan, battling a severe cold that sapped his energy, lasted only two innings Saturday night, and the Royals pounded the Twins 11-2 to remain one game out of the final American League playoff spot. It’s the Twins’ sixth consecutive loss, and the third time in that streak they have given up 11 or more runs.
“I woke up and it was more in my lungs, so I can’t get a deep breath, and that was tough,” Ryan said after surrendering his perfect record against the Royals — he was 8-0 in nine career starts against them until Saturday. “The energy levels were probably the most difficult part. I could see the stuff was there and there was some adrenaline like always. And then it was just like, after that many pitches, it was just inconsistent. [It was] ebbing and flowing.”
The All-Star righthander gave up four runs before he retired a batter, opening the game with a pair of walks before Vinnie Pasquantino hit a double off the right-field wall. Salvador Perez followed by bashing a first-pitch fastball just short of the fountains behind the seats in left field, a three-run shot and Perez’s 36th career home run against the Twins.
Another walk and a double by Nick Loftin made it a five-run first inning, more runs in one inning than Ryan, who needed 33 pitches to get through it, had given up in all but three of his starts this year.
Ryan issued another walk and gave up another hit in the second inning, but threw 29 more pitches. That was enough for manager Rocco Baldelli, who turned to his overworked bullpen for the final six innings.
He had been sick for a few days, with body aches Friday in addition to the difficulty breathing, and Ryan said he wished he had let the training staff know how he felt.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.startribune.com ’
