After the state took a breather on Monday, Minnesota’s pro baseball teams were back in action Tuesday, with all of the garment-rending that might produce. Let’s take a look, shall we?

So often, my routine for checking the Twins score goes something like this.

  1. [Open MLB app on phone]
  2. [See 0 next to Twins logo]
  3. “Ah, crap…”
  4. [Tap on “BOX” link with great trepidation to see if the Twins have been no-hit]

When fans just assume on a daily basis that you are being, or have been, no-hit, you know things aren’t going well.

Anyway, the Twins didn’t get no-hit on Tuesday night - they got four hits, thank you very much, as they lost 7-0 to the Tampa Bay Rays. Michael A. Taylor hit a double and also didn’t strike out, making him by far the Twins’ best hitter. The rest of the lineup managed to fan a combined twelve times, including three more Ks for Carlos Correa, who nevertheless managed to raise his puny batting average by also hitting a double.

Louie Varland got slapped around all night, giving up seven runs on four walks and six hits (including two homers), bringing him rather back down to earth after his gem against Houston last week. It pushes Varland’s season numbers into the “okay maybe we’ll see Kenta Maeda again after all” territory - ERA of 4.40, FIP now north of 6.60.

Max Kepler went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, and is now hitting .189. Rocco Baldelli pinch-hit for him in the seventh, even though the Twins were already losing 5-0. It must be hard for Kepler, knowing that most of the fan base would happily see him defenestrated from the Skydome Hotel, later this week.

In other news, Byron Buxton finally went on the disabled list, after he left the game last Thursday due to a 97-mph fastball in the ribs. I don’t want to tell the Twins training staff how to do their jobs, but it seems like maybe they should have some ice ready, in situations like these. Trevor Larnach was recalled to take his spot.

For the entire season, the Twins have exactly one extra-base hit (a double) with the bases loaded, in 60 tries (they’re batting .140 and slugging .160 in this situation).

Tuesday night, the St. Paul Saints had three tries with the bases loaded, and hit two home runs.

Jair Camargo went deep in the fifth, turning a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead, and Chris Williams added four more insurance runs in the eighth, as St. Paul won for the eighth time in its last nine games by beating the Iowa Cubs, 10-4.

The Saints have hit seven grand slams this year; the Twins have seven hits with the bases loaded this year.

Maybe we’re all just watching the wrong team?

I have to admit right now that I mistakenly thought Camargo was an organizational-depth veteran catcher, probably because I got him confused with former Atlanta and Philadelphia third baseman Johan Camargo - but he’s not even 24 years old yet, and he’s built like a brick… brickhouse. He’s struggled a bit so far in his first go-round at Triple-A, slugging just .357, but he’s hit five homers in 31 games and this was already his second grand slam of the year.

Also I think more people should know that while the Twins have a fishing vest and fishing pole for players when they return to the dugout after hitting a home run, the Saints have a hat that looks like a hot dog, which is pretty on-brand.

Matt Wallner hit a double and threw out a runner at home plate from right field, and also still isn’t Max Kepler. Jose Miranda hit two doubles, too.

Jordan Balazovic got his first Triple-A win ever, after striking out seven in 3.1 innings as the first in a parade of relievers.

Wednesday, the Lynx return to the court in New York, which could be tough - the Liberty might be the second-best team in the league, behind the Las Vegas Aces.

The Twins - assuming they don’t just forfeit twice and head to Toronto early - are taking on the Rays again, and the Saints are home again against Iowa.

On the soccer front, the Minnesota Aurora are back in action, taking on the Chicago Dutch Lions at home and trying to extend their unbeaten, un-tied, un-scored-upon record.

I’ll be checking, of course - to see if the Twins got no-hit, mostly.