Twins 8, Brewers 6: Twins Dig Out of Early Setback and Secure Game One Win

Box Score
SP: Zebby Mathews 5 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (83 pitches, 50 strikes (66% strikes)
Home Runs: Josh Bell (15), Kaelen Culpepper (1)
3 WPA: Josh Bell (0.32); Royce Lewis (0.15); Yeondrez Gomes (0.09)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)


Every game for the Twins has the pressure of competing for a postseason spot, as they entered today just a half-game out of the last Wild Card spot in the American League. But this game had an extra layer: after a long-awaited call-up, the Twins have promoted Kaelen Culpepper to the 26-man roster. Make the two extra layers: since Joe Ryan was placed on the 10-day injured list, Zebby Matthews returned to the rotation to try and finish his season on a strong note. 

The Twins threatened early but couldn't capitalize in the top of the first with a walk, a stolen base and a single. Milwaukee answered in the bottom half, with Brice Turang striking out before Jackson Chourio launched a solo home run to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. 

Milwaukee added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Christian Yelich singled and Luis Lara walked before a Royce Lewis fielding error allowed David Hamilton to reach and Yelich to score. Turang then delivered a two-run double, scoring Lara and Hamilton to push the Brewers' lead to 4-0. Chourio grounded out to end the inning, leaving Milwaukee with a commanding early advantage.

But the Twins responded in their half of the third with a two-out, two-run home run from Josh Bell, scoring himself and Ryan Jeffers. Bell went four-for-five on the night as he shakes his midseason slump. 

Zebby stayed locked in after his rough start and worked quickly through the Brewers lineup and gave the offense every chance to keep the pressure on Milwaukee. The Twins took advantage of those clean innings from Mathews and struck back with a solo-homerun from Culpepper on his second at-bat, making the game a one run game 4-3. Then Austin Martin doubled, driving home Victor Caratini, but Ryan Kreidler was thrown out at the plate. Still, it was a new game at 4-4. 

In the fifth, the offense continued with a string of singles that scored two, giving the Twins a 6-4 lead. But the Brewers were not giving up. They loaded the bases with no outs, and a sac-fly to Martin gave the Brewers a run back. Garrett Mitchell "singled" on a ground ball to Culpepper who was slow to deliver the ball to first base. That tied the game, but Matthews' fourth strikeout got the Twins out of the inning. 

The Twins responded. With two outs, Jeffers got his tenth double of the season. Lewis also doubled, scoring Jeffers. Then a sharp line drive double from Bell scored Lewis, and the Twins put up a two-spot for the fourth straight inning, taking the lead again 8-6. It appeared the momentum was not going to switch off and on, just back and forth. 

Tommy Nance replaced Mathews for the sixth inning, but not for production; Mathews came out of the game for a blister that had formed on his foot. Nance gave up a leadoff single, but retired the next two batters before being replaced by AJ Minter to face lefty Brice Turang who struck out to end the inning. 

Then the Twins revamped bullpen held the lead. Jeff Hoffman pitched the seventh, Andrew Morris pitched the eigtht, and Yoendrys Gomez got his sixteenth save in the ninth to help the Twins take the first win of the series. 

What’s Next?
The Twins will send Taj Bradley to the mound (9-4, 3.69 ERA) facing Robert Gasser (LHP)(3-4, 4.48 ERA) at 6:10 Saturday night. They will again try to find their way into the last Wild Card spot, as they remained a half game behind the Texas Rangers, who also won on Friday. 

Postgame Interviews