Twins win their home opener 10-4 over the Rays behind Tristan Gray's first grand slam
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Tristan Gray hit his first career grand slam to cap a seven-run seventh inning for the Minnesota Twins in a cold and rainy 10-4 home-opener victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
Gray's one-out line drive off a 1-1 cutter from Yeondrys Gómez was just high enough to clear the 23-foot wall in right field, after Kevin Kelly (0-1) finished a rough relief appearance with consecutive bases-loaded walks.
Josh Bell had two hits and two RBIs for the Twins, including the tiebreaking single in the seventh. Kelly started that inning by hitting Byron Buxton in the right forearm with a pitch, forcing the All-Star center fielder out of the game. The Twins announced X-rays showed no fracture.
Gray, who also had a sacrifice fly, grabbed the last available roster spot on opening day as a backup infielder. He homered three times in 30 games for the Rays last season.
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After a soggy afternoon and a downtown power outage, the game started an hour late with a first-pitch temperature of 38 degrees and finished in hard rain.
With Joe Boyle at 6-foot-8 for the Rays and Bailey Ober at 6-foot-9 for the Twins, the starting pitchers would have made quite a frontcourt matchup in a pickup basketball game. The duel on the mound was so-so.
Ober lasted four innings for the second straight start, falling behind after a two-out, two-run single by Nick Fortes in the first and a two-out, run-scoring double by Ben Williamson in the fourth.
Boyle had nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings, but Williamson flubbed a tailor-made double-play grounder to shortstop that would've preserved a 3-1 lead to end the fourth. The Rays made three errors and lead the major leagues with 10, six by third baseman Junior Caminero.
Kody Funderburk (1-1) got the final out in the top of the seventh to earn the win.
There was a weather curveball for the Minnesota Twins’ Opening Day on Friday, with chilly conditions and a chance for rain. Fans began lining up hours before the first pitch at Target Field, and after a brief delay due to a North Loop power outage, pregame ceremonies have now resumed.
The day of season-opening festivities started with the Twins’ Breakfast on the Plaza event outside the stadium. On foot or in their cars, fans could pick up breakfast sandwiches — or, for those looking to get an early morning start to ballpark snacking — a hot dog or brat.
Season-ticket holder Anna Silverman was among the Twins fans who gathered early, and talked about her hopes for this season.
“You never know, because it’s a young roster,” she said. “If you're a die hard fan, (you) know the ups and downs of the season.”
But for Silverman, one hope rose above that uncertainty: “Just beat the Yankees. Please beat the Yankees. That’s all. Sorry, Yankees fans — no hate.”
The Twins won’t play the Yankees until July. As for Friday — there was a chance for rain that potentially could affect the game. But as of Friday morning it was on as scheduled.
There was a lot of turnover in the Twins’ roster last season — and in the coaching staff and front office during the offseason. But the team was excited to welcome fans back for the day that serves not just as the start of baseball season — but also an annual sign that warm, sunny spring and summer days are on the horizon.
“It’s that time when hope truly springs eternal,” said Matt Hodson, the team’s director of business communications. “It’s been a long winter. We haven’t seen our fans here since the end of last September, and people are excited for the new year. They’re excited to be back in the ballpark, to be sitting with each other, to be experiencing that singular joy when you have 36,000 people rising as one and cheering together.”
First pitch for Friday’s game against Tampa Bay at Target Field is at 3:10 p.m.
Gates open at 1 p.m., with Twins legends Tony Oliva, Rod Carew and Kent Hrbek opening their namesake entrances at Target Field. Current Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez — who’s out for the season due to injury — will also be on hand, along with Dan Gladden, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and Kirby Puckett Jr. and Catherine Puckett.
The first 10,000 fans through the gates will get a Twins beanie.
Winter Olympic silver-medal curling duo Corey Thiesse and Korey Dropkin of Duluth will throw the ceremonial first pitches, joined by Paralympic snowboarder and four-time medalist Mike Schultz.
