MINNEAPOLIS _ The Lance Lynn experience has rarely been a smooth one this season, and his start Saturday against the Indians was Lynn on full display, warts and all.
He only allowed two hits, but walked five hitters and plunked another. He threw 113 pitches and only 65 for strikes.
But his wildness did not prevent him from taming the Indians, as he pitched himself in and out of trouble while the Twins offense continued its resurrection in a 7-1 victory at Target Field.
The 113 pitches were the most Lynn has thrown in any start and suddenly Lynn's numbers are coming back to Earth after a rough April and early May. In his last three starts, Lynn (4-4) has allowed just three earned runs and his earned-run average is down to 5.46 while picking up three wins. He just hasn't made it look easy. Saturday was no exception.
The third inning shows that the Indians didn't score, but they came awfully close thanks to Lynn's lack of control. He walked two hitters and hit Yonder Alonso to load the bases. He then went to 3-2 on right fielder Greg Allen, who battled Lynn and fouled off a few pitches before flying out to Eddie Rosario to end the inning and allowing Target Field to exhale. It preserved a 3-1 lead the Twins had built thanks to an RBI triple from Brian Dozier on a high fly ball that scraped the wall in right field.
Then Rosario also hit a fly Eddie Rosario continued his crusade to as the Twins MVP with a lofty fly ball similar to Dozier's, but with enough juice to reach the first row seats and give the Twins a 3-1 lead after the third. Dozier and Rosario had a hit probability of 11 and 16 percent on their respective blasts according to Statcast, but the Twins won't complain about something going their way.
Lynn's lack of control only bit him in the second inning. After Lynn walked Allen with one out, the speedy Allen took third on a single to center from Jason Kipnis. Bradley Zimmer then struck out as Kipnis attempted to steal second. Catcher Mitch Garver sent a throw to second and Kipnis stopped while Allen broke for home. Dozier's throw bounced wide as Allen missed home on his slide. However, catcher Mitch Garver didn't see Allen miss the plate and Allen was able to get up and touch home without a fuss for the first run of the game.
But the Indians had a few defensive miscues of their own, including a wild throw back to pitcher Trevor Bauer (4-4) from Yonder Alonso following a pickoff attempt (Ehire Adrianza reached second on the play), and a muffed double-play ball from Kipnis in the sixth. The latter was especially damaging as the Twins struck for four runs in that frame thanks to RBI hits from Max Kepler, Ryan LaMarre and Dozier. Bauer allowed seven runs Twins but only three were earned.
Lynn was on the verge of a seeing his line balloon, but he each time the Indians threatened, Lynn escaped. He put two on in the fifth inning but induced the dangerous Edwin Encarnacion to hit into a 5-4-3 double play. Lynn pounded his glove and gave a roar after the outs went into the books. Soon after the overcast sky that rained on Target Field earlier in the day gave way to afternoon sunshine.
It might have been stormy at times again again for Lynn, but this time he got through it unscathed.
