[Nick Soulis]

Series #210



1911 Detroit Tigers
Record: 89-65
Finish: 2nd in AL
Manager: Hughie Jennings
Ball Park: Bennett Park
WAR Leader: Ty Cobb (10.7)
Franchise Record: 14-9
1911 Season Record: 1-2
Hall of Famers: (2)
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1911.shtml

This Tigers squad boasted one of the most fearsome lineups in Deadball Era history. Cobb, in the midst of his legendary prime, was a menace on the basepaths and a nightmare at the plate. With Crawford as a potent complement, Detroit relied on its dynamic outfield duo and strong top-of-the-order offense.

2007 Minnesota Twins
Record: 79-83
Finish: 3rd in AL Central
Manager: Ron Gardenhire
Ball Park: Metrodome
WAR Leader: Johan Santana (5.2)
Franchise Record: 4-2
2007 Season Record: 3-1
Hall of Famers: (1)
https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/2007.shtml

Though not a playoff team in 2007, these Twins brought a solid mix of power, finesse, and versatility. Anchored by former MVP Morneau and batting champ Mauer, Minnesota leaned on their Gold Glove defense and the dominant left arm of Santana to stay competitive in every game.
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**Media**
[Open to the grainy amber hue of the Field of Dreams broadcast. A sweeping camera pans over Bennett Park’s wooden bleachers, creaking under the weight of time. Fans in fedoras mingle with others in Twins jerseys. And then, with unmistakable grandeur, the voice of Howard Cosell fills the broadcast.]

Howard Cosell (voice rising like a curtain at the Met):

"Ladies and gentlemen, what we are about to witness is not merely a baseball game—no, no. This is a collision of centuries, of ethos, of temperament. A dance between flannel and polyester, between bunts and bombers, between the ragtime era and the age of sabermetrics."

"We are live at Bennett Park, the very heartbeat of Detroit baseball in its formative years. A field where Ty Cobb carved his legend with spikes and fury, where the game was wilder, rougher, and perhaps... more human."

"Across from him now—figuratively and soon literally—stands the 2007 Minnesota Twins. A team built on pitching precision, defensive polish, and the quiet excellence of men like Joe Mauer and Johan Santana. They come from a world Cobb would not understand... and frankly, would not respect."

"Cobb, that irascible genius from Georgia, has already made it clear: he doesn’t like what he sees. And make no mistake, he intends to settle his differences the only way he knows how—by turning this diamond into a battlefield."

"For the Twins, it’s an opportunity to silence ghosts. To prove that their brand of baseball—the measured, the modern—can survive in a place where the only metrics were blood, grit, and batting average."

"And so we stand on the precipice of a seven-game saga. Not just a series—but a reckoning. One team will advance. The other will return to its place in history... with the bitter taste of what might have been."

"From Bennett Park in Detroit, where the past refuses to be forgotten, this... is the Field of Dreams. And I, Howard Cosell, am honored to bring it to you."
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Twins Humble Cobb And Tigers
Santana Two Complete Games As Modern Era Shines



Game 1
At Bennett Park
2007 Minnesoa Twins 4
1911 Detroit Tigers 1
WP: J. Santana (1-0) LP: B. Donovan (0-1)
HR: J. Morneau (1)
POG: Johan Santana (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 103 P)
2007 Twins Lead Series 1-0

The 2007 Minnesota Twins opened Field of Dreams Series #210 with a commanding 4–1 win over the 1911 Detroit Tigers, backed by a sensational complete-game performance from ace Johan Santana. Under a crisp autumn sky at historic Bennett Park, Santana dazzled in front of the vintage crowd, striking out nine and scattering four hits in a wire-to-wire victory.Minnesota jumped ahead early with a Justin Morneau solo homer in the 2nd, and the AL MVP wasn’t done—he would add two more hits and score twice to lead the Twins' offense. The pivotal blow came in the 9th when Jason Kubel, pinch-hitting for Jeff Cirillo, lined a clutch two-out, two-run single to provide breathing room.Detroit answered with a brief spark in the 3rd when pitcher Bill Donovan doubled and scored on a Jim Delahanty two-bagger. But that was all the Tigers could muster against Santana, who allowed just one baserunner after the 5th inning.The Tigers had their chances—Ty Cobb doubled in the 6th and reached scoring position—but Santana calmly retired the heart of Detroit’s order. Notably, Sam Crawford went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, and Cobb was left stranded twice.

Game 2
At Bennett Park
2007 Minnesoa Twins 7
1911 Detroit Tigers 3
WP: S. Baker (1-0) LP: E. Summers (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Joe Mauer (2-3, 2B, 4 RBI, R, BB)
2007 Twins Lead Series 2-0

Joe Mauer drove in four runs and Scott Baker delivered a complete game as the 2007 Minnesota Twins took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the 1911 Detroit Tigers with a 7–3 win at Bennett Park in Game 2 of Field of Dreams Series #210. Mauer set the tone in the top of the 1st with a 2-run double off Tigers starter Ed Summers, and Minnesota never looked back. Mauer later added a sacrifice fly and another RBI single, giving him four RBI on the afternoon and making life miserable for a shaky Detroit defense that committed five errors—two by third baseman Charles Lathers. Twins outfielder Torii Hunter and shortstop Jason Bartlett each added key two-out RBI, while Minnesota stole two more bases and pressured the Tigers with relentless baserunning.Detroit showed signs of life in the 3rd when Ty Cobb doubled home a run and Sam Crawford followed with an RBI single, but Baker bore down and stranded runners across multiple innings. Cobb also walked and scored again in the 8th, but his efforts weren’t enough to spark a comeback.Despite tossing 147 pitches, Summers was left in until the 7th inning and charged with 7 runs (5 earned) over 6.2 innings. He was hurt not only by the errors but also by key hits from Minnesota’s disciplined lineup.

Game 3
At Metrodome
1911 Detroit Tigers 0
2007 Minnesoa Twins 4
WP: M. Garza (1-0) LP: E. Lafitte (0-1)
HR: None
POG: Matt Garza (9 IP, 9 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 124 P)
2007 Twins Lead Series 3-0

The Minnesota 2007 Twins moved one win away from a clean sweep in Field of Dreams Series #210, blanking the 1911 Detroit Tigers 4–0 at the Metrodome. Behind a dominant complete-game shutout by right-hander Matt Garza, the Twins now command a 3–0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup.Garza was simply untouchable when it counted most, scattering 9 hits over 9 innings, walking just 2 and striking out 2. The Tigers managed a few rallies but never capitalized, stranding 9 runners and failing to solve Garza’s aggressive, groundball-heavy approach. His effort earned him Player of the Game honors.Meanwhile, Minnesota’s bats remained opportunistic. A three-run second inning set the tone, fueled by clutch RBI hits from Jason Tyner, Luis Castillo, and Jeff Cirillo. Tyner finished the game 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Castillo collected two hits and a key RBI of his own.Detroit starter Ed Lafitte was tagged for 11 hits and 4 earned runs across 8 innings. Though he kept the ball in the park and battled into the late innings, his defense again let him down—Detroit committed 2 costly errors, bringing their series total to 8 in just three games.On the other side, the Twins flashed the leather as well, with Michael Cuddyer cutting down a run at the plate and shortstop Jason Bartlett turning a sharp double play with Castillo and Morneau.
As the series shifts into Game 4 tomorrow in Minneapolis, all eyes turn to whether the Twins can finish the job—or if the Tigers, backs firmly against the wall, can channel the fire of a desperate team and extend their season.

Game 4
At Metrodome
1911 Detroit Tigers 1
2007 Minnesoa Twins 4
WP: J. Santana (2-0) LP: B. Donovan (0-2)
HR: T. Hunter (1)
POG: Johan Santana (9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 110 P)

The 2007 Minnesota Twins are champions of Field of Dreams Series #210. Behind another sterling performance from ace Johan Santana, the Twins capped off a clean 4-game sweep of the 1911 Detroit Tigers with a 4–1 win at the Metrodome.

Santana was dazzling yet again, going the distance for his second complete game of the series. He struck out 9, walked none, and allowed just 1 earned run on 5 hits, lowering his series ERA to an eye-popping 1.00 across 18 innings. For his efforts, he was named Series MVP.

Minnesota took control late after a 1–1 deadlock early. With two outs in the 8th, Jason Kubel doubled, Michael Cuddyer followed with an RBI double, and Torii Hunter delivered the knockout blow—a towering 2-run homer to left-center that brought the dome crowd to its feet.

Hunter, who finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs, also made a brilliant running catch in the 6th. His bat and glove were pivotal throughout the series. Detroit’s only run came in the top of the first, when Ty Cobb, who had 3 hits in the finale and batted .357 in the series, drove in Jim Delahanty with a single. But Santana locked in from there, retiring 14 of the next 15 batters and never letting the Tigers threaten again.
Detroit’s Bill Donovan pitched well enough to win on most days, surrendering only 2 earned runs on 6 hits over 8 innings. But his defense crumbled again, with 3 errors—two by George Moriarty—dooming Detroit’s already slim hopes.The Twins, who outscored Detroit 19–5 across four games, now enter the lore of Field of Dreams champions. With balanced offense, crisp defense, and utterly dominant starting pitching, they authored one of the most complete series wins in memory.

2007 Minnesota Twins Win Series 4 Games To 0

Series MVP:

(2-0, 18 IP, 2 ER, 1 BB, 18 K, 0.56 WHIP, 2 CG)