MILWAUKEE — There’s no mystery regarding what has sparked the Minnesota Twins on their 13-game winning streak.
Their pitching staff is on a roll unlike any before in Twins history.
Minnesota recorded its third straight shutout in a 7-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night. The Twins allowed six runs in the third inning of an 8-6 win at Baltimore on Wednesday, but they haven’t given up any since.
That stretch of 33 straight shutout innings is the longest such streak in Twins history, which began in 1961. They had three longer shutout streaks when they were the Washington Senators, but the most recent of those took place in 1913.
That streak includes three straight shutout wins, a feat the Twins last accomplished in July 2004. Chris Paddack allowed three hits over seven innings in a 4-0 triumph at Baltimore on Thursday. Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez each gave up two hits over six innings the past two nights in Milwaukee.
“You want to follow suit,” Lopez said after Saturday’s game. “You want to be the guy that just keeps that momentum going. Joe did it after Paddack. I wanted to do it after Joe. I woke up today just feeling so motivated and feeling ready that I want to continue that. I want to be on the mound and just feel those energies just take over. We have such a good thing going with the pitching and the hitting.”
This represents the second-longest winning streak in Twins history. They won 15 straight in 1991, the year they won their last World Series championship.
It also is the second straight year that the Twins have produced a winning streak of at least 12 games.
They’re the first MLB team to win at least 12 straight games in consecutive seasons since Cleveland did it in 2016-17. The only other team from one of the men’s major sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL) to accomplish that feat is the Golden State Warriors, who had streaks of that length in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Each of the past two years, the Twins have used a long winning streak to bounce back from a slow start.
Last year, the Twins got off to a 7-13 start before reeling off 12 straight victories, though, they eventually missed the playoffs after losing seven of their past eight games. This year, the Twins were 13-20 before winning 13 straight.
Pitching has keyed that turnaround.
“It’s been a pretty nice run the boys have been going on, but I’d prefer not to talk about it too much,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I’d prefer to just let them keep playing the way they’re playing and pitching the way they’re pitching.”
Minnesota starters went a combined 1-5 with a 6.90 ERA in the Twins’ first 10 games. They’re 15-4 with an MLB-leading 2.46 ERA in the 36 games since.
“Once you kind of get your feet wet to start the year, from spring, you’re able to get a good routine in, get the schedule kind of mapped out after those early off days and some rainouts,” said Bailey Ober, who has gone 4-1 with a 3.72 ERA. “I feel like we’re just kind of getting back on schedule and kind of doing our thing.”
The bullpen has been even better. Twins relievers have allowed one earned run over 38⅓ innings since May 6.
“The most important thing is we’re pounding the zone with strikes,” said Danny Coulombe, who has worked 16⅔ innings this season without allowing a run. “We have a lot of really good stuff in this bullpen, so when you pound the zone with good stuff, generally good things happen.”
That outstanding pitching has helped the Twins withstand injuries to key position players as they fight for position in the loaded AL Central. Minnesota is second in the division, four games behind the Detroit Tigers.
Shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder Byron Buxton have both gone on the seven-day concussion injured list after colliding while chasing a shallow fly ball Thursday. Utility man Willi Castro also was out of the lineup Saturday after fouling a ball off his right knee in a 3-0 victory at Milwaukee on Friday.
Even with a few of its highest-profile hitters missing, the Twins managed to keep it rolling. It helps when the pitchers aren’t allowing any runs at all.