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Box Score
Starting Pitcher: Steven Okert 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (14 pitches, 7 strikes (50% strikes))
Home Runs: Matt Wallner (4)
Top 3 WPA: Carlos Santana .372, David Festa .180, Max Kepler .136
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
Another Rookie Put to the Test
Following the Twins' loss Tuesday night, the team announced Okert would be on the mound to start Wednesday's game as the opener. The plan was simple enough, on paper: have him face off against Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper in the first, then hand things off to Festa for the next 3-5 innings.
While it sounded easy, the results from Okert were less than ideal. He walked Schwarber to start the game, then gave up a single to Turner. Fortunately, he got Harper to fly out before further damage could occur. But that would be all from Okert, as Festa entered the game with runners on second and third and only one out.
Festa got the Twins out of a crisis by striking out Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh looking. The second inning was the biggest challenge of Festa’s career so far. Nick Castellanos laced a lead-off double to Byron Buxton to start the inning. The slender righty got the next hitter, Bryson Stott, out on a flyout, but walked the next two batters to set up a bases-loaded situation for the Phillies' leadoff man, Schwarber.
Schwarber is one of the three guys in the Phillies lineup Festa did not want to face with the bases loaded, as he’s hitting .300 on the season in these situations. In a second straight show of unflappability, though, he struck out both Schwarber and Turner.
Following the shaky second inning, Festa remained solid through the third and fourth innings, allowing only one runner, on an Alec Bohm double. However, the fun wouldn’t last forever for Festa. With one out in the fifth, Turner avenged himself for the earlier punchout, crushing an 0-1 fastball into the left-field bleachers to tie the game at 1-1. Festa struck out Harper to get the second out, but Bohm was pesky once more, getting another double off him and ending his day.
Despite the situation Festa entered the game with, he pitched a fairly solid 4 1/3 innings against the Phillies, allowing four hits, one run, and two walks. He struck out seven. Considering he entered the game in a jam, the Twins couldn’t ask for much more from Festa, who fared much better than his previous outing in the Majors on Jul. 3.
Twins Daily's winning "Make It Official!" game recaps are sponsored by Official Fried Chicken, which you can find in center field of Target Field. With a name like "Official," we know we have to be the best in the game every day, and from your first bite, you'll know that's a promise we make good on.
Wallner’s Reawakening Sparks Lineup
The Twins lineup was ice-cold on Tuesday, night and looked the same way the first time through the order on Wednesday. They were 1-for-5 with their first five batters, with only Buxton reaching base on a double in the first. Matt Wallner was the Twins' sixth man up in the order. He had never faced Aaron Nola before in his career, but he only needed one pitch to find what he liked.
Wallner got great extension on a swing and crushed the first pitch he saw from Nola, sending it 441 feet into the right-center field bleachers to give the Twins the first run of the game. However, Wallner’s homer would be the Twins' only significant offensive output until the bottom of the fifth.
The Twins mounted a one-out threat with back-to-back singles from Edouard Julien and Willi Castro, but any hopes of breaking the tie were cut short, as Trevor Larnach grounded into a double play to end the inning.
The Bullpen After Festa
Caleb Thielbar was the first man out of the bullpen following Festa, taking the bulk of the outing from the Twins bullpen. He struck out the first batter he faced to get the Twins out of the bottom of the fifth, but the Phillies took their opportunities for the lead in the sixth off him.
Thielbar gave up two singles and a sacrifice bunt to Johan Rojas, to set up runners on second and third for Schwarber. This time, the burly DH delivered, with a two-run single to center field that put the Phillies up 3-1.
The day was over for Thielbar after the sixth, and it was time for Brock Stewart’s first outing for the Twins since May 1. Stewart got his first batter via the strikeout, but walked the second batter and got a force out at second to set things up against Castellanos. No global event of the day was notable enough to power him up for a homer, but Castellanos hit an RBI single that scored Brandon Marsh from second to extend the Phillies' lead to 4-1. Fortunately, Stewart would have the final say against Castellanos, picking him off to end the inning.
Mounting a Comeback
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the Twins were able to wear down Nola and mount a comeback. Carlos Santana got things started with a double, after which Wallner and Jeffers both drew walks to load the bases for Brooks Lee. The rookie battled against Nola, but struck out on a sinker up and away from him to keep the Phillies up 3-1.
This was the fourth time in the series the Twins had the bases loaded against the Phillies and left their runners stranded, but it wasn’t the last time they’d have a chance to make up for the lost opportunities.
With Orion Kerkering on the mound for the Phillies in the seventh, the Twins took the patience approach, drawing two one-out walks to get runners on for Byron Buxton. Buxton got hit by a pitch and loaded the bases for Max Kepler. The right fielder broke the Twins' bad streak of 0-for-4 with the bases loaded and hit into a fielder's choice that scored Castro.
The next at-bat, Santana drilled a bases-clearing double to left field to tie the game 4-4. Lefty Matt Strahm was on the mound to face Santana, and with Wallner due up next, he was pinch-hit for by bench bat extraordinaire Manuel Margot, who entered the game 0-for-23 as a pinch hitter. He extended this hitless drought to 0-for-24, flying out to right field to end the seventh.
Tense Ending
As the game entered the bottom of the eighth all tied up, the Twins had only four relievers left to use in their bullpen. Cole Sands retired the minimum on just 15 pitches, leaving himself available for another inning of work if the game remained square. Lee reached on a one-out single, and following a called strike three on Julien for the second out, he advanced to second on the first pitch in Castro’s at-bat. Castro, who’s struggled with runners in scoring position all year, continued those struggles, striking out on a bad pitch low and outside to end the eighth. For the fourth time in five games, the Twins would have to walk things off if they wanted to win the game.
Despite throwing 15 pitches, Sands did not remain in the game for the 9th. Those duties were handed off to Durán once again, to redeem himself from his outing on Tuesday night.
Fortunately, Durán made up for his mistakes the night before, retiring Schwarber, Turner, and Harper on just 10 pitches. He not only gave himself a new boost of confidence, but (perhaps) juiced up his teammates a bit in the process.
Fortunately for the Twins, luck would be on their side to finish things off in the ninth. Larnach reached to lead things off, when a pitch just brushed his jersey, Austin Martin, who entered the game for Buxton, bunted Larnach over from second to third, and Kepler walked it all off with an RBI infield single to give the Twins a 5-4 win.
The Twins are now 4-20 against teams with better records than them, as they finish off a massive series win against the Phillies.
What’s Next?
The Twins are off on Thursday, but will begin a three-game series with the Tigers in Detroit at 5:40 p.m. Pablo Lopez will make the start for the Twins, while the Tigers have yet to announce their starter.
Postgame Interview
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
[Editor's Note: A previous version of this piece, published in error, included a reference to the visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress today. Some of my changes appear not to have been immediately reflected in the document. I suspect user error and apologize for the inadvertent controversy. At Twins Daily, we embrace and support the expression of free speech, but this lateral reference should not have appeared in the text of this piece for public consumption. Thank you. -MT]
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