Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 8.19.24
Happy State Fair week.
Twins Lose in 10, Still Two Back of Guardians
It sure seemed like the Twins lost Sunday’s 6-5 game in Texas twice. With a 4-0 lead behind Pablo Lopez, Jorge Alcala allowed five runs in the seventh inning. After Carlos Santana’s ninth-inning home run forced extra innings, the Rangers scored a run on Jose Miranda’s infield throwing error in the 10th. With a runner on second, Miranda threw errantly to irst.
Worse yet, the surging Twins could have gotten within a game of slumpling Cleveland for first place in the Central.
It put a dark shadow on the series, which the Twins won 3-1. Miranda sure looks like a DH in the post-season once (if) the Twins have their full slate of players.
The Twins head to San Diego for three; the 70-win Padres have just two losses in their last eight games.
Vikings 2-0 After Beating Browns
They won’t do a SportsCenter special on week two of the NFL pre-season, including the Vikings’ 27-12 win in Cleveland. The teams spent all week practicing and sparring against each other, and virtually no starters or even backups of note played.
One did however - Nick Mullens played a turnover free if not spectacular game at QB, settling him into the No. 2 role ahead of Jalen Hall, who played well in a back-up role.
The biggest Vikings news came off the field Sunday, when they signed two-time All Pro cornerback Stephone Gilmore. It’s a one-year contract guaranteed at $7 million with up to $10 million total. Gilmore played for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in New England many moons ago. He’s 34, but the secondary has been decimated by injuries and tragedy in the last month.
The 2-0 Vikings play at the Eagles on Saturday to finish the pre-season. Then two weeks to prepare for the Sept. 8 season opener at my New York Giants.
Lynx Defeat Mystics Again
Napheesa Collier poured in 30 points as the Lynx used a big third quarter to pull away from Washington 99-83 on the road. The Lynx have beaten the Mystics twice this week and have won three in a row overall.
Minnesota leads the West by 1.5 games, but it’s the top four overall that matters for a best-of-three first-round playoff series next month.
The WNBA trade deadline is tomorrow.
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