Twins fans, we feel your pain. For years, the Texas Rangers ran up against the New York Yankees in the playoffs. And they went home empty.

In the Division Series in 1996, the Rangers won the first game, then proceeded to drop the next three.

In 1998, the Yankees swept the Rangers in three hapless Division Series games.

It got worse in 1999, if there is such a thing as worse than a sweep. The Rangers ran up against the Yankees in the Division Series again. In three games, they scored just one run. 

So, when the Rangers finally made it past that dreaded first round in 2010, of course, they had to face the Yankees in order to advance to the World Series.

With a four-run lead in Game 1, Texas proceeded to give up five runs to New York in the eighth and it was deja vu all over again. The Rangers lost the first game in crushing fashion.

But then something happened. It was either Karma or the cosmic tumbers finally falling into place, or the baseball gods smiling down on Texas for once, but the Rangers won Game 2, Game 3, Game 4, and, when Neftali Feliz struck out A-Rod, Game 6. They finally vanquished the hated Yankees.

The Rangers step-brothers in Minnesota lost to the Yankees in the Divison Series in 2003.

In 2004.

In 2009.

In 2010.

Then they lost the Wild Card Game to them in 2017.

So last night’s 10-4 spanking by the Yankees was all too familiar. The Twins have now lost 14 straight playoff games, and 11 in a row to the Yankees. There was a sweep by Oakland stuck in there.

Rangers fan’s feel your pain, Minnesota. But there’s no sweeter joy than beating the Yankees. Maybe this is the year Twins fans’ experience that.

The rest of the world is pulling for you.

*****
TODAY’S GAMES:

Randy Dobnak vs. Masahiro Tananka
Game time: 4:05 on FS1

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Blake Snell vs. Gerrit Cole
Game time: 8:07 on FS1