The Twins finally found some life at the plate Wednesday night, and it was enough to bury a Cleveland rally and snap a four-game losing streak with a 10-6 win over the Guardians.
Minnesota wasted no time setting the tone. Trevor Larnach opened the game by hammering a 404-foot leadoff homer to right-center, and the early 1-0 lead gave the Twins a jolt they badly needed.
Cleveland answered quickly, though, and did it the way it’s been doing so often: with soft contact, patience, and pressure. Bailey Ober, making just his third start since returning from the injured list, wasn’t getting blasted, but the Guardians kept stringing together bloops and singles.
José Ramírez and Brayan Rocchio each singled in runs as Cleveland moved in front 3-1 in the second.
Minnesota didn’t let that last long. Alex Jackson doubled, Larnach drew a walk, and Brooks Lee knocked in a run with a single. Josh Bell then tied it with an RBI groundout, and Ober worked through a messy third without surrendering another run, even as his pitch count kept climbing.
The game turned for good in the fourth. The Twins strung together three straight singles to retake the lead, then Lee unloaded his 18th homer of the season to stretch the margin to 7-3. Cleveland answered with a run in the bottom half, but Ober limited the damage and handed off a lead that Minnesota would protect the rest of the way.
There was a brief scare in the fifth when Victor Caratini fouled a pitch off his right knee and had to leave with help. Ryan Kreidler came in for him, and Luke Keaschall drew an 11-pitch walk, but the Twins left the runners stranded. Caratini was later diagnosed with a right knee contusion, needing further testing.
From there, Minnesota’s bullpen delivered exactly what the club needed. Kody Funderburk threw a scoreless inning, and Travis Adams was even sharper, getting through the sixth on six pitches before adding another clean frame in the seventh. For a team that has often seen early bullpen calls turn ugly, those innings mattered.
The Twins kept adding separation late. After Ramírez made an error, Matt Festa hit Keaschall with a pitch, and Larnach followed with a two-run single to push the lead to 9-4. Bell added another run to make it 10-4, and that was more than enough cushion.
Andrew Morris entered in the eighth and saw his 18-inning scoreless streak end on Kyle Manzardo’s solo homer. Morris allowed two more runners, but he got out of the inning without further damage. Yoendrys Gómez finished it off in the ninth, allowing one run while working through the heart of Cleveland’s order.
It was a sloppy night for the Guardians and a much-needed one for the Twins, who now finish the series and the road trip with a getaway day game at 12:10 pm CST. Minnesota will send Taj Bradley to the mound, with Gavin Williams going for Cleveland, before heading home for one last push before the trade deadline.
In Other News...
Twins May Be Creating A Keaschall Problem They Cant Hide
Luke Keaschalls move from second base into the outfield has become one of the more interesting side projects on the Twins roster. Since June, Minnesota has tried him in right field and then in center during Byron Buxtons injury absence, and now that Buxton is back, Keaschall has settled again on the right side while the club keeps working to turn his athleticism into something usable in the grass.
The challenge is that the Twins are asking him to learn on the fly in a spot where mistakes are hard to hide. They have been shading him deeper in center to make the job easier as he develops, but that also changes the look of the defense and puts a spotlight on every read and route. Buxton can play shallower because of his elite range, and Keaschall is still trying to find the balance between protecting against balls over his head and being in position to attack the ones in front of him. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Could Lose Two Key Regulars If This Slide Gets Worse
A four-game skid has nudged the Twins farther from the American League Wild Card picture, and the timing matters with the Aug. 3 trade deadline closing in. Minnesota is sitting at 49-53, which is the kind of record that starts forcing difficult conversations about whether to push for a run or listen on established regulars while there is still value to be had.
Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach are the names to watch if the slide continues. Jeffers is in the final year of his deal and has drawn attention from clubs looking for catching help, while Larnach remains under team control through 2027 and could become expendable if the Twins decide their outfield depth gives them room to deal from strength. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Ryan Just Became The Twins Trust Test
Joe Ryan has become one of the most interesting names on the Twins board as the trade deadline approaches, and not just because of what he does on the mound. He has pitched well enough to draw attention from contenders, and with team control beyond this season, he is the kind of arm that can bring back real value if Minnesota decides the time is right to move him.
The harder question is what kind of message that would send to a fan base that has already watched attendance sag at Target Field and has little appetite for another summer selloff. The Twins can talk themselves into several paths with Ryan, including holding him, moving him later, or cashing in now, but any deadline decision will land with more weight than a typical roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]