This date has not been kind to the Twins in recent years. In fact, they haven't won since 2002 when Corey Koskie and Dustan Mohr hit HRs back-to-back to give Brad Radke a 4-0 lead in the first inning of a 10-6 win at SkyDome in Toronto.
The Twins haven't won a home game on this date since 1998, which was also against Toronto. The Blue Jays started some guy named Roger Clemens, who walked two batters and was taken out, presumably because of injury. (He missed his next start that season). The Twins also scored four runs in the first inning to give Bob Tewksbury an easy time of it in the 12-2 win.
Also, in 1987 the Twins opened their season with a 5-4 win in 10 innings against the A's. This game was played at the Metrodome, despite what SBG will tell you based on his clouded memory. The Twins trailed 4-3 in the eighth when Kirby Puckett and Gary Gaetti opened with singles to put runners at the corners and no outs for Kent Hrbek, who hit into a forceout at second to tie the game. Hrbek won the game in the 10th on a single with no outs and the bases loaded.
Oh, Christ. I could have sworn that both games were played on the road. Yeah, and I even looked at the box score when I wrote the piece and it clearly was a home game. That was half my life ago, so I guess I can be forgiven. Oy.
So, what you're saying is that the Twins need to score four in the first inning tonight?
And not stop.