FORT MYERS, Fla. — After three scoreless starts, Kenta Maeda said "it's scary when things are going so well," and mused that he might want to give up a run before training camp ends. Having accomplished so much this spring, on Saturday, he managed even that.
Kenta Maeda pitches Twins to 2-1 spring training victory over Tampa Bay
March 21, 2021 at 12:53AM
Maeda was brilliant again in the first night game of the spring at Hammond Stadium, allowing a solo home run just inside the foul pole but little else, and the Opening Day starter helped the Twins snap their four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
"I'm really glad I said that. It's an excuse for me to give up a run tonight," Maeda joked after throwing 75 pitches in 5 1/3 innings, allowing three singles and Mike Brosseau's home run, and striking out six. "It was a pretty good pitch [to Brosseau]. I threw the ball well. He put a good swing on it, but I didn't think it would go out."
Everyone seemed a little shocked to see Maeda give up a run after an all-but-perfect spring. With one more tuneup start remaining before he opens the season April 1 in Milwaukee, the veteran righthander owns a 0.63 ERA and 18 strikeouts (and just one walk) in 14 1/3 innings.
Rays starter Michael Wacha held the Twins scoreless over four innings, but a Kyle Garlick sacrifice fly tied the game in the fifth. Josh Donaldson then set up th winning run with a single; moments later, Keon Broxton scored from first base on Nelson Cruz's long single into the right-field corner, sliding home just ahead of the tag.
Hansel Robles helped protect the Twins' lead with a scoreless seventh inning, only the second time in seven spring appearances in which he didn't allow a hit. And bullpen candidate Brandon Waddell closed out the game with two shutout innings, recording five of the six outs on strikeouts.
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