Twins end historic losing streak: Pablo López channels Johan Santana as team wins first playoff game since ’04

Tuesday afternoon Pablo López did one thing no Minnesota Twins pitcher had achieved since 2004: he received a postseason game. The Twins snapped their 18-game postseason losing streak in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series towards the Toronto Blue Jays (MIN 3, TOR 1). It used to be their first postseason win since Game 1 of the 2004 ALDS towards the New York Yankees on the outdated Yankee Stadium. Johan Santana outdueled Mike Mussina that night time.

López — who entered the stadium wearing a Santana jersey — held the Blue Jays to 1 run in 5 2/3 innings and he were given a number of lend a hand from Royce Lewis. The No. 1 select within the 2017 draft swatted a two-run homer within the first inning and a solo homer within the 3rd inning. He’s simplest the 3rd participant to move deep in his first two profession postseason at-bats. Minnesota took the lead 3 batters into the game and not regarded again.

Minnesota’s 18-game profitable streak used to be historic. It used to be now not simply the longest postseason losing streak in baseball historical past. It used to be the longest such streak within the historical past of the 4 main North American professional sports activities leagues. Here’s the record now that the streak is over:

1. Minnesota Twins: 18 video games (2004-2020)
2. Chicago Blackhawks: 16 video games (1975-79)
3. Detroit Pistons: 14 video games and counting (2008 to provide)
4. Los Angeles Kings: 14 video games (1993-2001)
5. Several groups tied at 13 video games

Assuming the Twins had a 50/50 probability of profitable each and every game (now not sensible, however humor me), the chances of losing 18 consecutive video games are 0.00038147%, or one in 262,144. This losing streak has spanned more than one generations of avid gamers, more than one managers, more than one entrance workplaces, or even more than one house ballparks. The Twins at the moment are 1-5 all-time at Target Field within the postseason.

“We’ve had three managers now be a part of this streak, and how many dozens of players? Probably hundreds of players,” one fan told MLB.com recently. “And they’re not necessarily the ones who, like, were the streak when they added on their couple of games to it. But it really is a streak of the fans who have been here for closing in on two full decades of it.”

In case you or that fan are questioning, 99 other avid gamers seemed in a postseason game for the Twins throughout the losing streak, led by means of Michael Cuddyer’s 13. Joe Mauer is the one different participant in double digits. He performed in 10 of the 18 losses. Here are Minnesota’s postseason effects from 2004-20, which lined the 18 instantly losses:

I’m now not certain anything else would were sweeter than beating the Yankees to end the losing streak, but it surely used to be now not intended to be. The Yankees completed in fourth position and did not make the expanded 12-team postseason box. Then once more, I doubt the Twins and their fanatics cared who the Twins beat to end the losing streak. They simply sought after that postseason win, they usually were given it Tuesday.

There had been remarkably few shut calls throughout the streak. Only 4 of the 18 losses had been by means of one run — the common margin of defeat used to be 3.2 runs — and simplest two times did the Twins have a lead within the 9th inning or later. Joe Nathan blew the save and allowed a walk-off sac fly to Hideki Matsui within the Game 2 in 2004, and Nathan surrendered a game-tying two-run homer to Alex Rodriguez within the 9th inning of Game 2 in 2009. Minnesota misplaced that game on Mark Teixeira’s walk-off homer within the eleventh.

I’m now not a believer in jinxes or curse or anything else like that. Nothing that came about in 2004 or 2010 or final week has any touching on what occurs subsequent. That mentioned, the Twins were given requested concerning the losing streak each and every October. It used to be tiresome and it is the type of factor that may creep into the again of your thoughts whenever you fall at the back of, even by means of one run. They would not have to fret about that any further. Now that the monkey is off their again, do not be shocked if the Twins move on a run.

“Nothing is more important than winning tomorrow,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey mentioned Monday (per The Athletic).