Twins top Phillies 7-2, after Ober rebounds from Harper’s early 2-run homer to finish 7 innings

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Bailey Ober bounced back after Bryce Harper’s early two-run homer, settling in for seven solid innings as the Minnesota Twins cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.

Ober (9-5) threw just 83 pitches, retiring 17 of the last 18 batters he faced, including inducing a double-play grounder to erase the lone baserunner during that stretch. The towering 6-foot-9 right-hander surrendered four hits and one walk, showcasing his dominance with a 4-1 record and a sparkling 2.23 ERA over his last six starts.

Cole Sands closed out the game with two scoreless innings for the Twins, who stifled the Phillies to just one hit in their final 27 at-bats.

Minnesota’s offense came alive with Willi Castro’s RBI single in the third inning and Manny Margot’s go-ahead two-run single in the fifth off Phillies starter Ranger Suárez (10-5). Suárez, who has struggled recently, allowed seven hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings, failing to finish the sixth inning for the third time in his last four starts.

Carlos Santana added an RBI double in the seventh, while Max Kepler’s RBI single sparked a three-run eighth inning for the Twins (55-44), snapping their three-game losing streak and pulling them within four games of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central – their closest position to the lead since mid-May.

Harper’s 424-foot blast in the first inning, following Trea Turner’s single, was the highlight for the Phillies (63-37), who entered Target Field with the best record in baseball. However, they struggled against Ober and the Twins’ bullpen, managing just one hit after Harper’s homer.

The game was delayed 90 minutes due to a severe storm that soaked the ballpark, but it didn’t dampen the Twins’ performance as they capitalized on their opportunities against a formidable opponent.

Next up, Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.70 ERA) is set to pitch on Tuesday night, while Simeon Woods Richardson (3-1, 3.51 ERA) takes the mound for the Twins in the series’ middle game.

(Photo courtesy of Twins/MLB)