Twins' Boyer frustrated after giving up three runs in extra-inning loss
MINNEAPOLIS -- Frustrated about his role in the Minnesota Twins' 4-1 extra-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, reliever Blaine Boyer had to go back and see what happened all over again.
In the aftermath of the loss, snapping Minnesota's modest three-game winning streak, Boyer watched the video of his 10th-inning performance when he entered a tied game and allowed three runs. His first assumption was he was leaving pitches in the middle of the plate as he allowed three hits, the most he's given up in a game since his fourth game of the year in early April.
"In my mind I was thinking that I was just missing over the plate," Boyer said. "I went back and watched every pitch and at least the ones that they did damage on, they were on the corners. You tip your hat at that point. There's nothing I can do about that."
Boyer (2-3) allowed three runs -- one earned -- on three hits and an intentional walk. Dexter Fowler reached on an error by second baseman Brian Dozier to lead off the inning before Anthony Rizzo singled through middle to put runners on first and third with no outs. Boyer got talented rookie Kris Bryant to fly out but intentionally walked Chris Coghlan. Starlin Castro flared an inside pitch past a drawn-in infield to score two runs.
Twins manager Paul Molitor thought about shifting with Rizzo at the plate, as he's done much of the series, but decided against it.
"We've been doing (that) a lot but I also didn't want to give him the whole side of the field to shoot the ball," Molitor said. "Kind of wanted at least one strike before I went over there and sure enough he whacked it right through the space there. The shift helps and sometimes you pay the price if you do it or don't do it.
"He got Bryant, a big out. Castro got a ball in on his hands and muscled it out there. It's easy to second-guess throwing a different pitch or whatever. I think he thought his best chance at a ground ball there was throwing a sinker down and in, and guy stayed inside it enough to get it through."
There was second-guessing on Boyer's part, but he believed it might have been more location than pitch selection. After taking a closer look, he felt he made the right pitches.
"It just didn't go my way," Boyer said. "It stinks. We're playing, we're battling and I hate that I was the cause of the loss right there."
Boyer has been a reason for wins instead of losses this season in his first year with Minnesota and first in the American League. The three runs allowed were the most he's given up since that fourth outing of the year on April 12 when he allowed three earned runs and four hits.
At the time, Boyer had been scored on in three of his first four outings and had a 15.00 ERA. The right-hander had allowed just three earned runs in 29 innings since then, sporting a 0.93 ERA as he became an integral piece to the back of the Twins' bullpen.
Boyer was upset with Saturday's performance but didn't want to let the outing change his outlook on the season.
"I think in our situation as a pitcher and what we do day-in and day-out, yeah, I'm not going to let that gain any ground on anything I've done this season," Boyer said. "Just put it behind me and get back out there tomorrow and hopefully the same situation and shut them down."
For an evening, with video replay showing he wasn't too far off, Boyer's frustration was apparent.
"The fault is all mine, nobody else's," Boyer said. "I should have just shut them down and I could have just shut them down. I was in that situation the other day and had to get the outs, and got the outs. It's square on my shoulders and I'm fine with that."
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