Game 2

[Durango53]

Pitching matchup
MIN: LHP Johan Santanahttp://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/276371.jpg
• 20-6, 2.61 ERA in 2004
• 2-0, 0.64 ERA in 2004 vs. SEA

SEA RHP Gil Mechehttp://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/219194.jpg
• 7-7, 5.01 ERA in 2004
• 1-0, 2.25 ERA in 2004 vs. MIN

Player to watch
Shannon Stewart, who was 1-for-4 Monday with an infield hit, is a lifetime .326 hitter in April -- the best split of any month in his career. Stewart is a career .310 (22-for-71) hitter at Safeco Field.

Quotable
"We're professionals. We know we have 161 games left. We can't dwell on one game. You have 161 games and 600-some at-bats, I hope. ... Johan Santana's pitching [Tuesday]. It's going to be a lot of fun." -- Twins center fielder Torii Hunter

[Durango53]

Mauer is expected to play Tuesday night vs. Seattle, but Gardenhire said he would rest him for Wednesday's day game. But there is no set plan or schedule going forward.

"If I'm feeling good, I'm assuming I'll play," Mauer said. "We'll see what happens. It's kind of day-by-day. He'll ask me how I'm feeling and we'll go from there."

[Timberwolf]

Durango: I will be online for the game tonight. We will have a game thread tonight. I hope to see you then.

[Timberwolf]

After losing the first game of the year, the Twins are already in a must-win mode. If they lose this game tonight, I think we are going to get swept tommorow.

After a rought day offensively, I don't think it can't get any worse though the Twins can't sleep on Gil Meche either. Meche can flat-out throw the ball well.

I am so glad Johan is on the mound tonight. Games like tonight is what he lives for. Hopefully, he can be his usual Cy-tana self. I expect him to be in the top of his game tonight.

Meche vs. Cy-tana

[Durango53]

Gave up a almost HR to Sexton again. This guy is killing the Twins!!!!!!

[Durango53]

Johan's ERA of 0.64 vs the M's is going way up now.........

4 -0...

[Durango53]

Man one out and the M's are killing Johan.

[Durango53]

Great play at 3rd my Mike!!!!!! This guy will make a good home there.

[Durango53]

M's bat 8 score 4 in first inning.

[Timberwolf]

WTF IS THIS!

Johan is not at his A game or even his B game. He is pitching like Kyle Lohse.

He is not throwing his strikes and he is all over the place.

4-0 already.

Thank God this innings is over.

Torii gotta hit a HR here. We need to get some runs.

[Blue]

Wow, that was a good play by cuddyer, besides that, I'm not impressed with anything in this game yet. Oh well, Johan will get back on track.

[Durango53]

The old Twins are getting kicked around tonight again. Going to be tough it looks like. Good glove by Mike. I wasnt worried about him playing 3rd and being worse than Cory. But now they need to light a fire under this Twins offense!!!!

[Timberwolf]

Double play. Nice offense by the Twins.

Jacques Jones is in midseason mode already as he is ground into DP.

[Durango53]

Twin killing.........

[Timberwolf]

Way to go, Twins.

A lousy second inning.

Why do I think this will be a very long year?

[Durango53]

Well guys had a busy night. And a long day. Take this one home for me. Got to get up in a few hours so it is bed time for me. I will get the replay tomorrow.

Good luck Twins and have a good one guys..

[Timberwolf]

Johan at least is doing good in the second inning.

Dick and Bert is talking about Johan's year from last year.

[Timberwolf]

Now that's what I am talking about.

Good job by Johan in the second inning.

Now let's score some runs.

[Blue]

ALRIGHT! Thats the johan im used to seeing :)

[Timberwolf]

I hope Joe Mauer can deliever here with runners at first and second with two out.

[Blue]

Good job by bartlett, runners on 1st and 2nd, its looking better.

[Timberwolf]

That was a good swing, but Joe missed it.

That stinks.

[Blue]

Damn, oh well, still pretty early in the game

[Blue]

Well.. im gonna get off the computer and go watch the game downstairs, cya later and GO TWINS!

[Timberwolf]

Game Reset after 3:

Twins 000
M's 400

Johan had a rough first inning, but he has settled down as you saw back-to-back Ks to Sexson and Steroid User Bret Boone

Adrian Beltre hit a two-run double. Mariners have to like the production of Beltre and Sexson. Those two are hitting. Mariners spent a lot of money on them this winter.

Gil Meche has looked very good. That strikeout to Mauer was something else. Of course, it's not that hard to shut down the Twins.

[Timberwolf]

This was a big win, folks. I sure as heck didn't want the Twins go 0-2. Sooner the team wins a first game, the better because you don't want the first win to become a monkey in the back. Twins got a tough schedule this month so you don't want to let the losses fester. It was good to get that win today.

I had to admit that I expected the Twins to lose after a 4-run first. It did not look good especially with the way Gil Meche was throwing strikes the way Bugs Bunny was striking out everyone with that pitch of his. Fortunately, the Twins started to hit Gil Meche hard in the fifth as he just suddenly lost it. He was out of the strike zone and then M's manager Mike Hargrove wanted to keep that lead so he took Meche out. Unfortunately for Hargrove, the reliever Mike Thornton was horrible to say the least. He was out of the strike zone and he was getting hit hard.

It was nice to see the Twins get that seven hits with all singles. It was great to see every batter hit singles as everyone scored. Jacques's two-run HR was the exclaimation mark of that inning.

It was nice to see Jason Bartlett play well tonight. He had two hits tonight.

How about Luis Rivas? What has gotten to him! He has had a good series. Got two hits tonight and Luis's hit set the tone in that fifth inning.

It was good to see every Twin get a hit out there tonight.

Johan stunk in the first inning. He was not throwing strikes and he was nowhere near close to the strike zone. To Johan's credit, he buckled down and he was fantastic the rest of the way. What a special pitcher he is. I really liked how he was dominating out there. He was dealing right after that and it was nice to see him rewarded with that fifth inning explosion on offense.

The relievers did well. I was very happy to see J.C. do good out there. This might be as good as it gets with him. Jesse gets an incomplete. I had no clue why Gardenhire took Jesse out after he hit Boone by a pitch. What the hell was that? That was inexcusable. I wanted to see Jesse work that inning and get some experience. That really bugged me. Jesse needs to learn in this situation.

Good to see Juan did okay.

Joe Nathan was his awesome self. It's a good thing he struck out the last batter to end the game since I wanted no part of him facing Ichiro.

This was a very good win. To be 1-1 is better than 0-2.

[Durango53]

Joe Mauer catching his second game looking good. He will get some time off to rest the knee but it dont look like they are that worried about it.

Jacque Jones came though. I have always liked the guy and glad he hasnt got traded.

I think the biggest problem for the Twins last year was they just couldnt always come back. I hope this year it changes. I dont think they will get down if they get down in the score.

[Durango53]

Nice to see Morneau gets 3 hits.

[Timberwolf]

Joe did good last night. I know he got the golden sombero of striking out three times, but I can overlook that. I like how he got couple of runners out. He has a cannon of an arm which is why it would stink if he moved to another position. He provides value as a catcher.

I still have my doubts on Jacques. For every HR he hits, you see lot of Ks and GIDP with Jacques. I guess the good thing about Jacques being here is Torii is happy since he is Torii's best friend.

Justin played well. BTW, I saw Justin's dad on TV last night as he was interviewed by FSN North's Clay Matvick. His dad looks like Corey Koskie.

[Durango53]

Jacque gets respect though. He might strike out but pitchers have to respect that power he does have. Also he is a good fielder. He has came up with some big hits for the Twins also. Good fielder with good glove and he still could get better also. K's are part of the game a hitter most of the time will have more K's than HR and for those players who have more HR than K's are some of the games superstars.

I will take Jacque glove out there any day. Defense in todays game is way to underrated and the bat is way overrated. How many runs does he take away with his speed and glove to how many he dont get or drive in?

[Timberwolf]

Jacques Jones is pretty underrated defensively.