Twins 2, Blue Jays 1 (12): The Walk-off Bloop
Posted on June 26th, 2007 – 10:32 PMBy Joe Christensen
Big leaguers get their pictures in newspapers all the time. They have commercials, they do TV interviews, they’re on magazine covers. But if you want to see them excited, put them on the cover of a video game.
Justin Morneau is on the cover of the recently released PlayStation2 game called “The Bigs.” Morneau answered all the media’s questions about his bruised right lung today (He hopes to be back on the field ASAP), and then someone asked how it feels to be on the cover of a video game. His face lit up with a big smile.
“I like it,” he said. ”It’s one of those things where I grew up playing video games, and you never thought you could ever see something like that. And then all of a sudden, it’s kind of surreal.”
Morneau also received a 52-inch plasma TV on Tuesday for being named SHARP AL Player of the Month for May. What a life, right? But, you know, it’s cool seeing the genuine appreciation Morneau and other Twins have at moments like this. The Metrodome crowd was going crazy just watching Morneau accept his award. It can’t be the same for Yankees fans whenever A-Rod gets a new plasma.
Great game tonight. Scott Baker, Pat Neshek and Joe Nathan were outstanding, combining to record 15 Ks. Juan Rincon pitched a scoreless 12th. In the press box, we wondered if the Twins might send Morneau to the plate for a Kirk Gibson-esque moment. Instead of Morneau, it was Jeff Cirillo walking up to pinch hit for Jason Tyner in the 12th. Two outs, bases loaded. It wasn’t a walk-off blast; it was a walk-off bloop. But when Vernon Wells couldn’t catch it, the Twins celebrated as if Cirillo had just crushed one into the football seats.
“It was a fluky hit,” Cirillo said. “But I’ll take it.”
FYI, Matt Garza gave up four runs on 10 hits in five innings tonight against Class AAA Durham. Detroit lost a wild one to Texas. Cleveland rallied for five in the ninth in an 8-5 victory over Oakland.
