Matt Wallner exits after being hit by pitch; Twins top Pirates
The Twins beat the Pirates 5-1 Friday night and everyone in Minnesota is breathing a sigh of relief after rookie slugger Matt Wallner left the game after being hit by a pitch.
The concerning scene unfolded in the seventh inning when Wallner was hit by a pitch on his right hand while swinging the bat. The Twins later said Wallner left the game with a right hand contusion, which is the best-case scenario considering it could've been much worse.
Matt Wallner got hit on the hand on a check swing and it doesn't look great pic.twitter.com/oStrSfKxoj
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 19, 2023
“His bones are like made of cement. I don’t know how his hand isn’t broken," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said, via MLB.com reporter Do-Hyoung Park.
Wallner had gone 1 for 3 with a ground-rule double before exiting the game.
Minnesota won on the back of Michael A. Taylor's two-run homer in the fourth inning and six shutout innings by right-hander Pablo Lopez. The All-Star starter has allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his last nine starts dating back to June 30.
The win coupled with the Guardians splitting Friday's doubleheader with Detroit has the Twins on top in the AL Central Division by five games.
Up next: Twins vs. Pirates, Saturday at 6:10 p.m. CT.
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