Shadows at Target Field Giving Minnesota Twins Batters Trouble in Game 3 of ALDS

The Minnesota Twins may be playing at home, but they don't seem to have much of an advantage at the plate Tuesday.

Game 3 of the ALDS between the Twins and Houston Astros got underway at 3:07 p.m. local time in Minnesota. The Astros opened the contest with four runs in the first inning, just before the shadows at Target Field started to shift.

The Twins had men on second and third with two down in the bottom of the frame when shortstop Carlos Correa stepped up to the plate, looking to cut into the deficit.

Color commentators Adam Wainwright and AJ Pierzynski – a longtime pitcher and veteran catcher, respectively – pointed out that the strip of light between the mound and home plate would make it tough for Correa to judge pitches. They were right, as the former All-Star wound up striking out to end the inning.

The FOX Sports broadcast showed the umpire's view of the at-bat coming out of the commercial break, in addition to a shot of a confused Correa after his strikeout.

Ump Cam of Carlos Correa's at-bat against Cristian Javier in the first inning 😯

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/nP8fz5fbrw
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 10, 2023

The Twins struck out twice in the second, and they stranded another two runners in the third. The Astros haven't gotten much going offensively since the first inning, either.

Field reporter Tom Verducci asked manager Rocco Baldelli about the conditions in the fourth inning, and Baldelli said his hitters were being slightly too aggressive at the plate. He recognized the issues that the shadows caused, but pointed out that the Astros had scored a handful of runs amid those same issues.

Houston leads Minnesota 4-0 in the fourth inning. The best-of-five series is tied 1-1.

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