Johan Santana Helped Twins Make MLB History 20 Years Ago

Johan Santana is remembered fondly by Twins fans for plenty of reasons. Turning the Metrodome into a nightmare for opposing hitters is one of them. Twenty years ago this week, the Minnesota Twins defeated the Chicago White Sox 7-3 behind another dominant performance from their ace.

Santana allowed one run across seven innings, surrendering six hits while striking out five on Aug. 20, 2006. The victory also moved Minnesota within one game of Chicago in the American League Wild Card race.

What made this outing stand out was the remarkable streak surrounding Santana’s starts at the Metrodome: victory almost always followed. The Twins had won each of Santana’s previous 19 home starts. No. 20 made Minnesota the first team in the modern era, dating back to 1900, to win 20 consecutive home games started by the same pitcher. Santana himself was 13-0 with a 2.03 ERA during the streak.

Santana’s Dominance Had a Soundtrack

Johan Santana delivers a pitch Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports © Copyright 2006 Jerry Lai | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like a professional wrestler entering the ring to a chorus of cheers, Santana had a song that signaled to Twins fans that their ace was about to take the mound. Before each home start, the left-hander would play Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina,” a ritual even manager Ron Gardenhire had learned to appreciate.

"That's a song we love to hear," Gardenhire said before Santana's start against Chicago. "That means Santana is pitching."

Baseball history is filled with players who became synonymous with a particular song. Mariano Rivera’s jog to the mound at Yankee Stadium made Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” one of the most recognizable entrance songs in sports. Edwin Díaz offers a more modern example, becoming a viral sensation for his entrance to Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco”.

“Gasolina” did not signal the end of a game like Rivera’s and Díaz’s entrance songs. Instead, it signaled the beginning of another start from the future two-time Cy Young winner. Not even pitching at less than 100% could slow him down. Santana faced Chicago with a blister and a split nail on the middle finger of his throwing hand and still kept the White Sox lineup under control.

The run did not end at 20, either. Minnesota eventually won 23 consecutive home games started by Santana, while the left-hander went 16-0 during that span before the regular season ended.

The Twins of today do not carry the same dominance at home, but they also do not have Johan Santana. Perhaps someday Minnesota will have another pitcher dominant enough to earn an iconic song of his own.

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