Ache #22 - July 2 2018 - Twins @ Milwaukee

Zack Littell walks back to the dugoug as Manny Pina scores the winning run thanks to a bases loaded walk
Photo/Morry Gash, Associated Press

Late June/early July 2018 was rough for the Minnesota Twins. Despite scoring 25 runs in three games (Joe Mauer had 8 RBI in the first two games), the Twins had just been swept out of Wrigley Field after a hot 100 degree series. The hot weather and poor starts (starters Jose Berrios, Adalberto Mejia and Lance Lynn pitched a combined 10 innings) ate up the bullpen. The Twins were now losers of 9 of their last 11 games, 10 games under .500, and nine games behind the Indians for the AL Central lead.

The road didn't get any easier as they headed to Miller Park to face the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. With their bullpen eaten up from the Cubs series, the Twins called up Zack Littell before the game for an extra arm for the bullpen.

For the first couple innings, it didn't look like they'd need it. After giving up a run in the first, Kyle Gibson settled down and cruised through the next three innings. Gibson also scored on a Brian Dozier ground out in the third, and Robbie Grossman hit his first career grand slam in the top of the fifth to give the Twins a 5-1 lead.

The fifth inning was a different story. Gibson gave up a lead-off home run to Manny Pina, followed by three consecutive hits, including an RBI single by Brad Miller before getting an out. A Willians Astudillo error at third allowed a second run to score. At the end of five, the Twins led 5-4.

Kyle Gibson was 2-2 at the plate and scored two runs

Photo/Minnesota Twins

Something odd happened over the next three innings: the bullpen was actually kind of good. Addison Reed, Zach Duke, Trevor Hildenberger and Taylor Rogers scattered two hits and struck out five batters. The Brewers' bullpen matched the Twins, although the Twins would scored an insurance run in the seventh had it not been for Keon Broxton pulling a would-be Joe Mauer home run back over the wall.

Still leading by a run, manager Paul Molitor sent closer Fernando Rodney out to shut the door.

Rodney was basically the only player who wasn't used in the Cubs series. In fact, Rodney hadn't pitched since June 28th when he blew a save against the White Sox. It was deja vu for Rodney and the Twins. After getting Eric Sogard to ground up, he gave up three consecutive singles before a Travis Shaw sacrifice fly tied the game at 5.

Corey Knebel set the Twins down one-two-three in the top of the tenth.

Enter Zack Littell, making his second Major League appearance. His first appearance was a start against the White Sox on June 5th in which he lasted three innings in which he gave up six earned runs.

Littell, usually a starter, was 19-1 at High-A and AA in 2017

Photo/ Thearon W. Henderson/,Getty Images

His second appearance was just as forgettable. After getting of Nate Orf 0-2, he hit him. Manny Pina ripped a single to left field and Keon Broxton walked. Before you could say "Here We Go Again", the bases were loaded with nobody out.

Herman Perez, pinch hitting for Knebel, grounded out to short (the Twins forced the runner at home to delay the inevitable) for the first out. 

Brad Miller walked on four pitches to win the game for Milwaukee.

Brad Miller is mobbed by teammates after drawing a bases-loaded walk against the Twins

Photo/Dylan Buell, Getty Images