2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL games, June 26-28

During this 2020 MLB season, in the AL Central, Cleveland’s arms have been dominant.

Cleveland pitching held the home-standing Royals to just three runs in three games. Aaron Civale pitched seven two-hit innings and ran his record to 8-3 Friday as Cleveland won 4-0. Saturday’s game was an 8-2 breeze for Carlos Carrasco, supported by a 12-hit Indian attack.

Mike Clevinger had to work harder Sunday, but he out-pitched Danny Duffy to come away with a 2-1 victory. Clevinger lasted eight innings and got the win when Christian Arroyo lifted a Tim Hill pitch into the seats in the top of the ninth to break the 1-1 deadlock.

Against the visiting Rockies, the Twins did what they always do…bash the ball. Twins batters slammed 13 home runs in the three games, five coming off the bat of Mitch Garver. AL home run leader Miguel padded his league-leading total by three; Sano now has 40 barely past the season’s halfway mark.

The only close game was Sunday series finale, taken by Minnesota 5-3 thanks to a four-run eighth inning. Rockies loser Kyle Freeland, who had held Minnesota to one run to that point, threw gopher balls to Sano, Nelson Cruz, and Luis Arraez in that eighth inning.

The Friday and Saturday finals were 9-6 and 19-0, six of Minnesota’s home runs coming in that explosion against German Marquez and two relievers. Have some pity for Alex Gonzalez. With his team trailing 8-0 after five, Gonzalez was called on to give the Rockies some innings. He lasted three innings during which he allowed 13 runs – all of them earned – on a dozen hits, five of them leaving the yard. He also walked three.

With the Astros taking a tumble at home against Texas, Oakland’s series win in Chicago could not have been better timed. The A’s won Friday’s game 4-2 behind Sean Manaea, then added a 3-2 Saturday win when Mark Canha tripled home two runs against Dallas Keuchel.

The White Sox managed to save Sunday’s game  8-6, Alex Colome killing off a ninth-inning A’s rally after it had produced three runs to make the game close. Tim Anderson doubled home two runs off loser Mike Fiers, 10-5.

                                               W-L          Pct        GB

Cleveland Indians            55-28     .663          —

Minnesota Twins             54-31     .635           2

Chicago White Sox           44-41     .518        12

Kansas City Royals          33-53     .384        23.5

Detroit Tigers                    30-53     .361        25