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Minnesota pitchers fan 27 batters in sweep of Detroit | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

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Minnesota pitchers fan 27 batters in sweep of Detroit | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette


DETROIT — Edouard Julien and Willi Castro homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 4-1 in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Minnesota used a seven-run 12th inning to win the first game 11-5.

“This is a good, important day for us,” Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Our guys came out and played a good day of baseball.”

The Tigers struck out 27 times in the doubleheader and 42 times in a 24-hour span including Friday’s rain-delayed 8-2 win.

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Simeon Woods-Richardson (1-0) allowed one run on two hits and a walk in six innings in the second game.

“We just couldn’t center him up and put pressure on him,” Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch said.

Cole Sands pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for his first save of the season and the second of his career.

“We had 18 innings to cover today,” Sands said. “I’ve been in there for bulk situations before, but not usually in a big one.”

Matt Manning (0-1) gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven. Like Woods-Richardson, he was called up Saturday.

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Both offenses struggled against the late afternoon shadows in the first five innings, with Julien’s third-inning home run giving Minnesota a 2-1 lead.

In the sixth, Castro — who played his first four seasons with the Tigers — picked up Manning’s sweeper well enough to hit his first home run of the season and give the Twins a 4-1 lead.

“I thought Matty was good — really good, just like he has been for us,” Hinch said. “The Castro home run was just a big moment of separation in the game.”

Woods-Richardson retired the last 14 batters he faced.

“It was an odd game for several reasons, not just the shadows,” Baldelli said. “We had three guys in our bullpen and we knew they were going to be mostly using Manning and [Joey] Wentz, so there wasn’t much for me to do.”

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The first game went to extra innings thanks to an 8th-inning pinch hit home run by Ryan Jeffers.

After both teams scored once in the 11th, Detroit reliever Alex Lange (0-1) walked Castro to start the 12th and Christian Vazquez bunted, but first baseman Spencer Torkelson’s throw to third was late, loading the bases.

Lange walked Austin Martin to make it 5-4. Kyle Farmer and Carlos Santana struck out, but Jeffers hit a grounder to third that went through Zach McKinstry’s legs for a three-run error.

McKinstry then replaced Lange, walked Manuel Margot and allowed a long home run to Wallner.

Hinch didn’t think the disastrous finish to the first game played any part in the second game.

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“I’d be very surprised and disappointed if that were the case,” he said.

Jorge Alcala (1-0) got the win, allowing two runs in two innings.

Tigers starter Kenta Maeda allowed two runs — one earned — on five hits in six innings against his old team.

Minnesota’s Joe Kelly struck out a career-high 12 batters in six innings but gave up three runs — one earned — on six hits and a walk.

    Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers (27) celebrates his home run against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 
  photo  Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Santana (30) celebrates scoring with Manuel Margot (13) against the Detroit Tigers in the 11th inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 
  photo  Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers (27) hits the ball to Detroit Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry who committed a fielding error in the 12th inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 
  photo  Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson scores against the Minnesota Twins in the 11th inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 
  photo  Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 
  photo  Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson celebrates scoring against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 
  photo  Detroit Tigers pitcher Alex Lange (55) reacts after walking in a run against the Minnesota Twins in the 12th inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 
 



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Vikings Have a Dubious Connection to the Dexter Lawrence Trade

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Vikings Have a Dubious Connection to the Dexter Lawrence Trade


Of the many terrible roster decisions Minnesota sports teams have made over the past 30 years, the worst of the bunch may have been trading Randy Moss to the Raiders for the No. 7 pick in the draft and linebacker Napoleon Harris.

Why are we bringing up a trade that happened 21 years ago? Because the New York Giants traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 pick in this week’s NFL Draft. It was the first time a non-quarterback has been traded for a top-10 pick since the infamous Moss trade in 2005.

Minnesota traded Moss for the Raiders’ first-round pick, Harris, and a seventh-round pick on March 2, 2005. The Vikings used the No. 7 pick on wide receiver Troy Williamson, who never panned out in the NFL. He had 24 catches for 372 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, 37 receptions for 457 yards and zero touchdowns in 2006, and just 18 catches for 240 yards and one touchdown in 2007.

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Williams led the league with 11 dropped passes in 2006. Minnesota traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick after the 2007 season, where he played in 10 games over two seasons and totaled just eight catches for 64 yards. He was cut before the start of the 2010 season, and that was a wrap on the former South Carolina speedster’s NFL career.

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Sept 11, 2006; Landover, MD, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver (82) Troy Williamson is unable to make the catch against the Washington Redskins in the first quarter at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images Copyright © James Lang | James Lang-Imagn Images

Moss didn’t put up jaw-dropping numbers with the Raiders for two seasons, but he set an NFL record with 23 touchdown catches in 2007 with the New England Patriots. He caught 47 touchdowns in 48 regular-season games with the Patriots from 2007 to 2009.

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Whether it was trading Moss to the Raiders, the Timberwolves sending Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics — or drafting Ricky Rubio AND Johnny Flynn over Steph Curry — or the Twins cutting David Ortiz and watching him become one of the greatest players in MLB history with the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota sports teams have a long history of making terrible decisions.

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The Bengals, meanwhile, gave up the 10th overall pick for one of the best defensive tackles in the league. They’ll likely get great production from Lawrence, while the Giants are now under pressure to get the 10th pick right. New York also holds the No. 5 pick in Thursday’s first round of the draft.

By the way, the Vikings had two picks in the first round of the 2005 draft. After taking Williamson, they used the No. 18 pick on defensive end Erasmus James. He was just as much of a bust as Williams, playing in 23 games in three years with the Vikings. He had four sacks as a rookie, but injuries wiped out most of his 2006 and 2007 seasons before he was traded to Washington for a conditional seventh-round pick.

James was cut by Washington in December 2009, marking the end of his NFL career.

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Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com

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Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com


Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Wallstedt made 27 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and Zuccarello had three assists.

“I was definitely nervous,” said Wallstedt, a rookie. “I think it shows that it means something to you. I like a little bit of nerves. I think it’s something good. There were definitely some nerves throughout the day and then a little bit extra rolling into the game. But after the national anthem was over and the first couple pucks started coming, you’re good. 

“I wanted to play and I felt like I have been going good. I was a little surprised (to get the start). But I was very excited as soon as I got the news. I just wanted to make sure I was ready today.”

Jason Robertson scored, and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who are the No. 2 seed in the Central.

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“We didn’t deserve to win,” Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think two power-play goals for them, two a little-bit bounces for them where we had guys in the right spot. Just even keel. Playoffs are like this. Sometimes you lose a game, you can feel like you’re done. But that’s the mentality you need to have, you’ve got to reset and learn from mistakes. 

“First 30 minutes, we didn’t win enough battles. They were just that little bit stronger in the battles and that’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger.”

Game 2 is here on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

“We prepped for a couple days coming into this one. Now, we will gather information from this game and continue to move forward,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “For me, it’s game to game and day to day. We want to continue to get better. We won and they [Dallas] lost. It’s not so much being satisfied where you’re at or that’s what it is. We need to continue to find ways to get better.”

Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period on the power play. He scored on a one-timer from the left hash marks to finish a tic-tac-toe passing play with Zuccarello and Boldy, who found an open Eriksson Ek with a pass from the goal line.

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“I think every team in the playoffs talks about not getting too high or too low. Just enjoy every day and each game and then we will go from there,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think we played pretty good today. The next game is a new game, so we just have to do it over and over every game. We know they are probably not the happiest with that game, so I am sure it’s going to be hard next game.”



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ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors

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ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors



Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault accusing him of involvement in a February road-rage incident.

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Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault, saying the agent was involved in a February road-rage incident during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to April 16 Hennepin County court records. He has a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

On Feb. 5, prosecutors said Morgan allegedly drove illegally on the shoulder of a congested Minnesota highway in an unmarked SUV and pointed his weapon at two people in another car.

Morgan is the first agent charged in Operation Metro Surge, the controversial Minneapolis-area federal immigration operation that resulted in two American citizens fatally shot by federal officials, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

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The charges “reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in an April 16 video statement.

Second-degree assault with a gun has a presumptive sentence of 36 months in prison if convicted, she said.

“Mr. Morgan’s conduct was extremely dangerous,” she said, adding his actions could have led to “another disastrous incident” in the community.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to email requests for comment. A cell phone listed for Morgan, identified as a Maryland resident, didn’t immediately respond to a call or text message.

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The incident came less than two weeks after two Customs and Border Protection officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, during a protest in Minneapolis. Pretti would be the second American killed during Metro Surge after an ICE agent in early January fatally shot Renee Good, 37, while she drove her SUV in Minneapolis near an immigration operation.

Later in February, the Trump administration drew down Metro Surge, which officials called the largest immigration operation in modern American history.

Investigators said they interviewed Morgan, who identified himself as the driver. Morgan told investigators he and the other ICE employee were returning from a surveillance shift. Morgan said he feared for his life and others’ safety, so he pulled up alongside the vehicle and drew his Glock 19 firearm. He said he identified himself as police. 

State investigators said neither Morgan nor the other ICE agent reported the incident to an ICE supervisor.

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The April 16 warrant, signed by District Court Judge Paul Scoggin, said there was a “substantial likelihood” Morgan would fail to respond to a summons, and officials couldn’t locate him.

On April 18, Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the county attorney’s office, said there is no knowledge of Morgan being arrested yet.

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.



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