Royce Lewis hit a two-run home run and ignited the game-winning rally in the seventh inning as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Saturday.
Lewis finished with a home run and a double, while Joe Ryan turned in another solid outing before heading to Philadelphia for his upcoming All-Star Game appearance. Minnesota also received key contributions from its revamped bullpen, which protected the lead over the final three innings.
The Angels battled back to erase an early deficit but struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, finishing 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Lewis Gives Twins Early Lead
Minnesota took control in the second inning behind Lewis.
The third baseman opened the inning by driving a two-run home run into the second deck in left-center field, giving the Twins an early 2-0 advantage. The blast continued Lewis’ productive stretch and energized the home crowd.
The Twins added another run later in the inning.
Victor Caratini reached base before Luke Keaschall lifted a sacrifice fly that brought him home, extending Minnesota’s lead to 3-0.
Ryan made the early advantage stand through the first half of the game. The right-hander allowed two runs on six hits across six innings while striking out key hitters to keep the Angels from putting together a sustained rally.
His final outing before the All-Star break secured another quality start as he prepares to represent the Twins in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.
Angels Fight Back
Los Angeles responded in the third inning.
Jorge Soler lined a two-run double to cut the deficit to 3-2, bringing the Angels back within striking distance.
Ryan limited further damage over the next several innings, but the Angels finally drew even in the seventh.
Facing recently acquired reliever Tommy Nance, Nolan Schanuel delivered an RBI single that tied the game at 3-3 and briefly shifted momentum toward Los Angeles.
Despite collecting 11 hits overall, the Angels repeatedly missed opportunities to take the lead. Their struggles with runners in scoring position ultimately proved costly.
Zach Neto continued his strong season by collecting two singles, stealing a base and scoring twice. Mike Trout, Wade Meckler and Schanuel also recorded two-hit performances.
Twins Answer Immediately
Minnesota wasted little time reclaiming the lead.
Lewis opened the bottom of the seventh with a double before Caratini followed with another double that moved the Twins back in front. Alan Roden then added an RBI single, giving Minnesota a 5-3 advantage.
The quick response erased the Angels’ comeback and restored control to the Twins entering the late innings.
The decisive rally also handed the loss to Angels reliever Mitch Ferris, who allowed the go-ahead runs after entering in relief.
Ryan Johnson started for Los Angeles and gave the Angels a chance to compete despite early trouble. The rookie right-hander surrendered three runs on three hits and three walks over five innings before turning the game over to the bullpen.
Bullpen Locks Down Victory
Minnesota’s bullpen completed another effective finish.
Woosuk Go, one of the club’s recent bullpen additions, pitched a scoreless eighth inning while allowing just one hit to preserve the two-run lead.
Closer Yoendrys Gómez handled a tense ninth inning to earn his 10th save of the season.
The final out featured a dramatic sequence. Home plate umpire Chris Segal initially called Vaughn Grissom out on strikes to end the game. Grissom successfully challenged the call through the automated ball-strike system, earning another pitch. Moments later, Gómez finished the at-bat by getting Grissom to swing through a sweeper for the game-ending strikeout.
The strong bullpen effort secured another victory for Minnesota and ensured Ryan’s outing ended with a win.
Twins Build Momentum Before Break
Minnesota combined timely hitting with dependable pitching to claim another victory as the All-Star break approached.
Lewis led the offense with two extra-base hits and played a key role in both the early scoring and the decisive seventh-inning rally. Ryan delivered six quality innings, and the bullpen protected the lead after the Angels briefly pulled even.
Los Angeles generated enough offense to stay close but could not convert key opportunities, leaving runners on base throughout the afternoon.
Up Next
The series concludes Sunday with the Twins sending right-hander Taj Bradley, who is 8-3 with a 3.67 ERA, to the mound against Angels right-hander José Soriano, who enters with an 8-5 record and a 3.40 ERA.
