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2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL games, May 22-24

By Bill Felber

BOSTON, MA - MAY 19: Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros makes a throw to first base in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 19: Yuli Gurriel #10 of the Houston Astros makes a throw to first base in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 19, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL Games (May 22-24)

American League Central

With a gracious assist from the National League Dodgers, the Minnesota Twins are beginning to open up the AL Central race.

The Twins held off Chicago in Minneapolis this weekend, giving them an even split of the teams’ four-game series. In concert with Cleveland’s unproductive weekend on the coast, that means Minnesota now leads by a season-high three and one-half games. The White Sox remain six and one-half back.

With a  bit of offense, the Sox could as easily have swept the Twins. Following their 4-2 Thursday win, Dylan Cease, 2-2, held the Twins to one run and five hits Friday. But Josh Donaldson’s sixth-inning single got Jorge Polanco across, and Jake Odorizzi, 8-2, made that lone run stand up for a 1-0 win. Odorizzi fanned nine.

The White Sox took Saturday’s game 7-4 behind Lucas Giolito, 6-3. A four-run seventh, capped by Tim Anderson and Edwin Encarnacion home runs, did the trick. Sunday’s game was tied 2-2 all the way to the 12th inning when Donaldson doubled and Max Kepler tapped Jace Fry for the walk-off winner.

The visiting Rays nearly left Comerica with a three-game sweep. Tampa won 4-3 on Friday behind Charlie Morton’s seven and two-thirds innings. Morton is 3-5. Ivan Nova, 2-4, allowed eight hits, two being home runs by Austin Meadows and Hunter Renfroe. Both came with a man on base, accounting for all of Tampa’s runs.

Brendan McKay, 5-3, and two relievers shut out the Tigers 3-0 Saturday. Meadows’ two-run eighth-inning home run broke open a 1-0 pitching duel with Daniel Norris, 2-6. The Tigers salvaged Sunday’s game 6-5 on C.J. Cron’s walk-off homer leading off the 10th.

2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL games, May 15-17. light. Related Story

                                W-L         Pct         GB

Minnesota          37-17     .685        —

Cleveland            33-20     .623        3.5

Chicago                30-23     .566        6.5

Kansas City         21-33     .389      16

Detroit                 17-35     .327       19

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