Twins, Lynx, And Gophers Take Home Weekend Wins
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) - After some less then pleasing seasons in Minnesota sports, two professional and one collegiate team took home exciting weekend wins.
The Minnesota Lynx secured a 92-73 win over the Indiana Fever on Friday night, clinching a first-round bye in the WNBA playoffs. Sylvia Fowles led the basketball team to victory scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds as the Lynx pulled away in the second half.
Minnesota (21-10) has won 16 of 19 games en route to securing a top four seed as the playoffs begin next week. Indiana (6-25) will finish with the worst record in the league and clinched the best chance at winning the draft lottery.
Also on Friday night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected for his major league-leading 46th homer, but Jorge Polanco, Josh Donaldson, and Miguel Sanó hit consecutive homers as the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-3.
"When we score, we tend to score in bunches, and we were able to do that again tonight," Donaldson said after denting his former team's postseason hopes.
Guerrero hit a solo homer in the third that cut the deficit to 6-3. He was tied with Kansas City's Salvador Perez for the homer lead going into the game.
On Saturday the Toronto Blue Jays moved back into a playoff position by beating the Minnesota Twins 6-2. Marcus Semien became the fifth second baseman to hit 40 home runs in a season.
Undoubtedly the most exciting win of the weekend also occurred Saturday in an eventful day from start to finish for the Minnesota Gophers. The team won their 21st straight nonconference game by beating the Buffaloes 30-0.
Thomas Rush's big-play afternoon looked like this: Three tackles, two sacks and assisting fans who fell a short distance near the north end zone after a retaining barrier broke.
The Minnesota defensive lineman was one of several Gophers players and team personnel who came to the rescue when a fence gave way along the Minnesota sideline as the team celebrated following the game. The advertising signs helped brace the short fall — the Gophers mascot was knocked to the ground — and police quickly arrived to assist. No injuries were reported.
Trey Potts ran for three touchdowns, Minnesota's swarming defense held Colorado to just 63 total yards.
"We were all on the same page," Rush said.
This marked the first time Colorado (1-2) has been shut out at Folsom Field since Nov. 3, 2012, against Stanford. The last nonconference team to shut out Colorado in Boulder was LSU on Sept. 15, 1979.
In addition, it was the first shutout of a Power Five team on the road by Minnesota since Nov. 12, 1977, at Illinois.
"We came in here with incredible focus," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck explained. "What our defense did was a wonderful performance."
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)