Minneapolis:
By Troy Geary
Geary Sports & Entertainment Network
Max Meyer technically made a road start Wednesday night when he took the mound against the Minnesota Twins. But Meyer likely never felt more at home. The Woodbury, Minnesota native and former Golden Gopher made his first career start at Target Field. Meyer, who entered the night 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA through eight starts, has been off to a strong start this season after battling injuries the past few years. Drafted by the Twins in the 34th round out of high school in 2017, Meyer elected not to sign and instead stayed home to pitch for the Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball. A standout college career eventually led the Miami Marlins to select him third overall in the 2020 MLB Draft.
“I expect so many friends and family to be here tonight, but I’ll let others handle the logistics and just have fun. I’m guessing a lot of people texted me, but I haven’t responded to hardly anyone,” Meyer said. Meyer wasn’t the only Marlins player returning home. First baseman Connor Norby also grew up in Minnesota and found himself in a similar situation.
The Twins looked to spoil Meyer’s homecoming. Minnesota had won three straight games entering Wednesday, including a 3-0 victory in the opener Tuesday night behind a complete-game, two-hit shutout from Bailey Ober.
The Marlins gave Meyer early run support in the top of the first inning. Second baseman Xavier Edwards led off with a walk. Designated hitter Liam Hicks then hit a ball to Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall, who couldn’t handle it for an error, putting runners on first and third. Shortstop Otto Lopez followed with a ground ball to first baseman Kody Clemens, but Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson couldn’t get to the bag in time and Lopez was safe as Edwards scored to make it 1-0 Marlins.
Norby then grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, but Hicks scored to extend the lead to 2-0. Center fielder Jacob Marsee, who was a key contributor for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, later walked before being thrown out trying to steal second by Twins catcher Victor Caratini to end the inning.
Twins center fielder Byron Buxton wasted no time in the bottom of the first, blasting the first pitch he saw into the left-field seats to cut the deficit to 2-1. It was Buxton’s 14th home run of the season and the 23rd leadoff homer of his career.
Shortstop Brooks Lee then grounded out before left fielder Austin Martin singled to right. Martin has been swinging a hot bat lately, raising his average nearly 60 points over the last two weeks to a team-leading .330. Martin stole second before Josh Bell hit a comebacker to Meyer. The Marlins pitcher caught Martin between second and third, but his throw sailed into center field, and everyone was safe with runners on the corners.
Clemens couldn’t bring home the tying run, popping out to second, and Keaschall struck out to strand two runners.
Woods Richardson continued to struggle in the second inning. Third baseman Leo Jimenez singled to open the frame before right fielder Owen Caissie, a highly regarded prospect acquired from the Chicago Cubs last season, launched a two-run homer to left-center to make it 4-1. After a mound visit from pitching coach Pete Maki, Woods Richardson settled down and retired the next three batters.
Meyer then answered with a dominant inning of his own, striking out two as the Marlins maintained a 4-1 lead after two innings.
Woods Richardson finally put together a clean inning in the third, retiring the Marlins quietly. But Buxton stayed red hot in the bottom half, crushing his second homer of the night to make it 4-2. It was his 15th home run of the season and the 19th multi-homer game of his career. Meyer responded again by striking out two more Twins hitters to escape further trouble.
The fourth inning ended Woods Richardson’s night. Jimenez doubled for his second hit of the game, and Caissie followed with a walk. Catcher Joe Mack then delivered a two-run single to push the lead to 6-2. The Twins turned to recently recalled reliever Travis Adams from AAA St. Paul, but the Marlins kept adding on. Hicks singled to center to score two more runs and make it 8-2 before Adams escaped the inning. Woods Richardson’s final line: three innings pitched, six earned runs allowed, and one strikeout as his ERA climbed to 7.71.
Minnesota answered in the fifth. Lee walked, Martin collected his second hit of the night with a double, and Bell followed with a two-run double of his own to trim the deficit to 8-4. Meyer battled through the inning to complete five frames and put himself in line for the win.
The Marlins added another run in the sixth when Edwards tripled into the gap in right-center. Hicks hit a ground ball to Keaschall, who tried to cut down the speedy Edwards at the plate, but the throw was late as Miami extended the lead to 9-4.
Meyer returned for the sixth and, after allowing a single to Caratini, struck out Matt Wallner for his ninth strikeout of the night before getting Tristan Gray to fly out. The Marlins then turned to the bullpen.
Meyer finished his night pitching 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out nine.
Reliever Tyler Phillips recorded the final out of the sixth by getting Buxton to pop out to first.
Justin Topa worked a clean seventh inning for Minnesota, allowing only a single to Jimenez. Phillips matched him by retiring the Twins in order in the bottom half.
The Twins brought in Luis Garcia in the eighth inning. Garcia, who was acquired off waivers last month, entered the game struggling this season, but a nice over-the-shoulder catch by Gray helped him retire the Marlins in order.
Miami countered with left-hander John King in the bottom of the eighth, but Clemens jumped on the first pitch he saw and homered to right field, his fourth of the season, cutting the lead to 9-5.
Garcia returned for the ninth and turned in his best outing as a Twin, allowing only a single to Norby. Miami then handed the ball to Josh Ekness, filling in as closer while Pete Fairbanks remains on the injured list.
Buxton drew a one-out walk, but the Twins couldn’t capitalize. Ekness retired Lee and Martin to end the game and secure a 9-5 Marlins victory.
The rubber match of the series is Thursday afternoon. Zebby Matthews is expected to be activated from AAA St. Paul to make his first start of the season, meaning a roster move will be needed. The Marlins will counter with Braxton Garrett, who will be making his MLB season debut. First pitch is scheduled for 12:40 p.m.