10-13-04: After the A's pushed the series to Game 7 by beating down the Twins 11-5, the Twins came back and opened up a can of whoopass with a series clinching 8-0 win, winning The Cup and the title of HRL: Twin Cities Champions! Congrats to Edgar, K-Mart, Nelson and Jon!
Game 1 - Wednesday, 9-29-04
Twins 6, A's 3 | Box Score
3-run rally puts it away in the sixth
Three hits and an error helped the Twins put up three runs in the top of the sixth, snapping a 3-3 tie and giving the Twins a 1-0 advantage in the series with a 6-3 win over the A's. This was truly a back and forth affair before the Twins slammed the door. The Twins went up 2-0 in the top of the second on back-to-back solo homers by Edgar and Kmart. The A's tied it after 3 when Mathis homered to tie it. Jon's first homer of the year gave the Twins a 3-2 edge in the top of the fourth, then the A's pushed one across in the last of the 4th to tie it at 3-3. K-Mart (3-0) pitched the series opener, and was lights out, allowing only Mathis' homer for the only hit, fannig 13 and walking five. The Pirate (3-2) did well, but faltered in the final frame, surrendering 8 hits in all, striking out four and walkign two. Edgar and Nelson each had three hits for the winners.
Game 2 - Thursday, 9-30-04
A's 5, Twins 0 | Box Score
Fugutive fleet comes back in a big way
In yet another game that was started one day and finished another, the A's led 2-0 after three innings then came back the next day to finish off the blanking, putting up 3 more runs in the process en route to a 5-0 win, knotting the series at 1 apiece. Mathis (3-2) was in control all game long, never letting the Twins get a real threat going, and made a few nice playes himself to shoot down some Twins on the basepaths. Mathis scattered five hits, fanned eight and walked just one. The A's scored at least once in every inning from the 3rd on, getting a big insurance run when The Pirate homered barely fair down the left field line. Edgar (3-1) took the first playoff loss for the Twins, allowing six hits, but walking five and striking out six. The Pirate had a three hits game for the A's, as Mathis drove in two. 911 had a hit and an RBI.
Game 3 - Thursday, 9-30-04
A's 4, Twins 1 | Box Score
Frustrated Twins can't solve Pirate
Despite peppering Yar for 7 hits, the Twins mustered a single run on a 4th inning SAC fly as the A's took over the series lead with a 4-1 win in Game 3. The loss came as K-Mart (3-1) pitched a one-hitter yet again, but also let up six walks. The A's went up 3-0 after 2 innings, all three runs scored got aboard via the free pass. K-Mart fanned six in this one. Pirate (4-2) was effective enough to get the win, allowing seven hits, but no walks, while whiffing 5. This game was barely finished as the darkness started to really set in.
Game 4 - Wednesday, 10-6-04
Twins 3, A's 2 (10 inn) | Box Score
Jon's heroics turn the tide in series
After Mathis broke a 1-1 tie with a solo HR in the top of the 10th, and considering Mathis' domination on the mound all game long, most thought the A's had it in the bag and would take a 3-1 series lead. The Twins had other ideas, as Edgar singled to lead off the bottom of the 10th, and Jon sent a Mathis curveball over the left field chain link and deep into the night, capping the 3-2 win. Edgar (4-1) got into trouble in the later innings via the walk, but got the win, going 10 innings, scattering five hits, striking out eight and walking six. Edgar had a no-hitter broken up after 4 2/3 innings. Mathis (3-3) took the loss in heartbreaking fashion, in many ways actually outpitching Edgar in this one. Mathis went 9 innings, allowing six hits, whiffing nine and walking nobody.
Game 5 - Wednesday, 10-6-04
Twins 1, A's 0 | Box Score
Nelson's bloop single the difference
Nelson notched all three hits the Twins could muster, most notably the game winner, a bloop single down the right field line that scored Edgar (running for Nelson) from second with the game's only run as the Twins took a 3-2 series lead with a 1-0 Game 5 victory. K-Mart (4-1) continued his impressive post-season pitching with another shutout performance, despite walking nine, he allowed only two hits and struck out nine. The Twins also got some big outs on the basepaths, once getting Larry out at the plate early on, and again in the sixth as the A's tried rallying to win. The Pirate (4-3) pitched a great ballgame himself, allowing just three hits (all to Nelson), striking out three, but walking no one. It can be argued that The Pirate outpitched K-Mart in this game as well, but the final scores are all that matter.
Game 6 - Wednesday, 10-13-04
A's 11, Twins 5 | Box Score
A's offense keeps the faith alive
The A's showed exactly why they were in the championship series as their bats came alive big time against Edgar. Mathis led off the game with a solo shot, but the A's real offensive force came in the top of the second inning with two outs. The Pirate started off the rally with a single, Larry doubled, Edgar then walked Mathis to load the bases, and The Pirate capped off the inning with a monster Grand Slam that just stayed fair. In the bottom of the second, the Twins answered back with two runs when K-Mart walked and Edgar tripled to drive him in. After Jon struck out, K-Mart singled to score Edgar. In the third inning it looked like the A's were going to deliver some more two-out trouble when with two gone in the inning K-Mart made an error that was quoted from the spectators as "an oddly gay miss." The Pirate and Larry both walked and once again Edgar found himself facing another grand slam situation with Mathis at the plate. Through a lapse of judgement Edgar got out of the inning unscaythed as Mathis drove a ground ball to the fence but The Pirate didn't advance to third, forgetting about the ghost runner behind him. This allowed K-Mart to touch third base for the final out, therefore keeping any runs from being scored as it was a force out at third. Another error in the fourth inning caused the Twins more trouble as Jim dropped an easy pop-up off the bat of Mathis. This put runners on first and second, and a single by The Pirate loaded the bases for Larry who hit a two-run double and then in his next at bat concluded the A's scoring by blasting a three-run homer to put the A's up 11-2. Before the bottom of the fourth, all four Twins players jumped the outfield wall, ran to their vehicles, chugged a beer apiece, and then jumped back onto the field of play, hoping this would jump-start their offense. It proved helpful for this usually non-sober team as they scored three runs on a bases loaded single by Nelson. The rest of the game was a formality as neither team was able to get anything going, giving the A's the 11-5 victory, tying up the series at three games apiece. Game recap by Nick Consoer
Game 7 - Wednesday, 10-13-04
Twins 8, A's 0 | Box Score
Twins win series in seven!
A shakeup in the Twins lineup proved useful as Edgar went from batting third to lead-off and started off the game with a solo shot. Nelson singled, Edgar walked, and K-Mart drove a ball over the left field wall to put the Twins up 4-0 going into the bottom of the first. In the second inning the Twins once again put together a rally as Edgar singled with one out. K-Mart then reached base off of an error by Mathis, and then Nelson reached base when The Pirate booted a ground ball. The Pirate had an opportunity to pitch out of the drama as he was able to get the second out by striking out Jon, but then came Edgar who blasted a grand slam to put the Twins up 8-0. That would be all the scoring the game would see as The Pirate was finally able to buckle down and blank the Twins the rest of the way out, but K-Mart was dominate the whole way through, keeping the A's from scoring. The victory clinched the seven game series and makes the Twins the 2004 HRL:Twin Cities Chapmions. Game recap by Nick Consoer
Pre-Series preview capsule
How they got here:
The A's survived a furious Brewers rally and won their semifinal series 3 games to 2, while the Twins, though challenged hardcore by the Phillies, have yet to lose a playoff game.
Unexpected suprises:
A's: Larry "The Big Cheezy" has been hitting far beyond expectations.
Playoff numbers: (.313, 8, 17 - in 6 games)
Regular season: (.198, 5, 13 - in 24 games)
Twins: The pitching has been insane. Normally these guys will beat you with the bats, but the arms have really stepped it up. Kudos to Edgar & K-Mart!
Team ERA in playoffs: 0.70
Team ERA in reg. seas: 4.53
Season series: A's won 3 of 4
June 28: A's 6, Twins 5 (8 innings)
June 28: A's 7, Twins 2
August 9: Twins 9, A's 1
August 9, A's 3, Twins 0