Mayor's Cup Round 3

This game is available on MLB.TV, so I'll get to see what's going on.

Top 2: Most of the guys didn't get good swings off Wakefield's knuckler, but Kubel & Buscher both hit rockets (Buscher was robbed by Pedroia).

Bottom 1-2: Hernandez lives on the corners, changing speeds and trying to get hitters to expand the zone. Ortiz and Lowell were able to force him into fastball counts and cranked them pretty good. He threw rather a lot of pitches, but left with the team in the game.

Top 3: The Twins did a nice job of putting some tough 2-strike pitches in play, and were fortunate to have a bunch of them drop in or find holes. Good base-running all around, especially Cuddyer's heads-up steal of 3rd. Buscher got rung up on 3 nasty pitches.

Bottom 3: Guerrier did well, other than walking Mirabelli on 5 pitches. Mulligan!

Bottom 4: Nice outing from Neshek.

Bottom 5: A Ruiz error extended the inning so that Pedroia could get an RBI single. Good to see Reyes throwing strikes. Nice execution on the rundown to end the inning and keep Ortiz from hitting with men on base.

Top 6: Buscher looks terrific so far - another long AB ending with a single. Nice to see Morales isn't shy about sliding - but it'd be nice to see him actually make it home safely one of these days.

Bottom 6-7: DePaula walked Ortiz and Ramirez to begin his stint, but got Lowell to hit into a 5-4-3 DP, and turned it into a pretty good outing.

Gotta stop there, it's getting late. Obviously, the Twins had a much better game today, and I think the biggest difference was that the pitchers threw strikes (only 3BB). Keep that up!

Is Craig Monroe's leg cramp giving anyone else Rondell White flashbacks?

Sounds like Liriano had an encouraging BP session today - can't wait to see him in action later this week!