MINNEAPOLIS – After a pair of hard-fought, frustrating losses, the Twins were in dire need of a good win. They got one, thanks to a strong bullpen showing, a home run from Ryan Jeffers and an uncharacteristic defensive lapse by the Brewers.
Jeffers hit a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth, and the Minnesota relief corps delivered four strong innings in one of its better showings of the year to beat Milwaukee, 5-4, at Target Field Sunday to avert a sweep. The Brewers had won each of the series’ first two games by one run.
“When you lose close games like that … yeah, you definitely want to come away with one,” Jeffers said. “We kind of had our back and forth in that game, but getting on top and being able to hold that lead was really crucial.”
Kody Clemens hit a pair of RBI doubles, one of which turned into a Little League home run, as the Twins took an early 3-1 lead behind Bailey Ober. Joey Ortiz misfired on a relay throw in the third inning as Clemens motored around to score and stake Ober to a two-run lead.
But the visitors clawed back, tying the score before Jeffers’ seventh homer of the year put the Twins ahead for good.
For Ober, there was no repeat of his brilliant shutout earlier in the week, but he was effective enough to secure his fifth win of the year. He allowed three runs on six hits over five innings, walking two and striking out one. He handed it over to a bullpen that has been shaky at times this year but locked down on a clear, cool day at the end of Rivalry Weekend.
“I’m not always going to have my stuff like I did last game, where I’m able to locate everything, and I know that,” Ober said. “I feel like I did enough for the team to stay in it, and our offense after they tied it up in the fifth, Jeffers coming out and hitting that home run was huge. A credit to the guys in this clubhouse.”
Anthony Banda got two outs before handing over to rookie Andrew Morris, who continued to impress with a perfect inning. Taylor Rogers and Justin Topa took it through the eighth before Luis García finished it off.
It was the second save for the veteran right-hander, tying him for the team lead in a bullpen that has gone closer by committee.