MINNEAPOLIS — The reactions mentioned all of it, actually.
Austin Martin made a type of catches that phrases merely can’t totally describe on Sunday, when he jumped up and reached over the center-field wall to rob Shea Langeliers of a two-run homer within the second inning with what was actually probably the greatest house run robberies to have taken place at Goal Discipline within the ballpark’s historical past.
That felt like the one ball that didn’t depart Goal Discipline as a part of a slugging battle, throughout which Martin additionally cracked two hits, together with a go-ahead RBI double. Royce Lewis continued his tear with a homer and Jose Miranda crushed the eventual game-winning blast in an 8-7 win over the A’s.
With the youth motion rising to the event, the Twins completed a four-game sweep of the A’s at house by profitable each video games in Sunday’s doubleheader, placing them firmly again on one among their upswings as a part of this seesaw season — this time, that includes seven wins of their final eight video games.
Martin’s highlight-reel catch helped set the tone, and for a style of the way it felt within the second, simply watch the emotional odyssey of the relievers within the A’s bullpen, who had a front-row seat to the catch because it unfolded on the wall separating them from the warning monitor in left-center discipline.
Oakland right-hander Vinny Nittoli had his arms raised in celebration lengthy earlier than the ball got here to earth, and T.J. McFarland crouched in keen anticipation subsequent to Nittoli, able to explode in triumph.
As an alternative, there was solely agony when Martin completely timed his leap from the warning monitor, reached again and snared the ball on its means down. McFarland contorted his physique in a spin as he threw his palms as much as his head, whereas Nittoli crouched with balled fists in disbelief. Sitting in a chair subsequent to the scene, left-hander Brady Basso simply threw up his arms in defeat.
And behind them, Twins right-hander Louie Varland’s mouth gaped in shock as he threw his personal arms up in triumph — as did bullpen catcher Anderson De La Rosa.
Discuss a press release return to the Majors for Martin.
The rookie 25-year-old utility man was making solely his third look since his most up-to-date return from Triple-A St. Paul — and Martin can add one other line to the résumé of why the Twins have been seemingly comfy all yr utilizing him as their main center-field choice behind Byron Buxton, regardless of as soon as having been drafted as a shortstop.
Martin’s catch helped Twins starter Chris Paddack keep away from injury off Langeliers’ bat, however the balls continued to fly on a sizzling and muggy night in Sport 2 of Sunday’s break up doubleheader, with Paddack finally being chased within the third inning anyway after permitting a pair of homers, the latter of which got here to Earth on the berm past the center-field wall — this time, a bit too far for Martin.
