Box Score
Cole Sands: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Home Runs: Kody Clemens (10)
Top 3 WPA: Kody Clemens (.264), Jhoan Durán (.242), Willi Castro (.215)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)
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Invigoration can only last so long. As of Saturday, Minnesota’s dramatic 4th of July walk-off was as ancient as the Sumerians. The win could possibly kick-start a streak of quality play, but whether such an outcome comes to fruition rests entirely on the Twins, their gumption, and the bare-hanging threads of the starting rotation.
For the first time since 2022, Cole Sands started a major league game. His appearance was faux, though; he was just the opener, here to set up Travis Adams as the bulk pitcher. Indeed, Adams entered in the seco—oh wait, that’s Danny Coulombe. Ok, following the veteran lefty, Adams finally arrived on a major-league mound, ready to showcase his stuff at the highest level.
Unfortunately, for the 25-year-old, it seemed that the Rays were intimately aware of his scouting report. They pounced on everything. Fastballs? Tattooed. His menagerie of breakers? Smoked. He didn’t earn his first strikeout until his 18th batter, as Tampa Bay’s batters collected nine hits, three of which went for doubles, and plated at least one run in each inning the Sacramento State product pitched in. The good news is that it’s over: the nerves of a debut will never strike again. Now he’ll just face the usual pressures of everyday modern life and the horrors that come with the burden of knowledge.
The Twins offense was up for a fight, even if their early returns were tepid. They loaded the bases with no one out against Taj Bradley in the second, but could only plate one run on a cheeky Royce Lewis squibber. Something about that man and full bases creates an unshakable aura. A potential Byron Buxton grand slam fell short at the warning track.
The bats laid dormant during Tampa’s turn to plate runs; what was an early lead dissipated into a four-run deficit capable of pushing the watcher to forget Minnesota once held the advantage.
The sixth was the turning point. Bradley surrendered two runners. He punched out Matt Wallner to collect the frame’s second out, but Kevin Cash pulled his starter in favor of Kevin Kelly, the reliever who suffered the loss on Friday. Lewis drilled his second pitch to center for the third baseman’s second RBI of the game. A pulse. Then, with two on and a chance to tie the game, Kody Clemens saw a middle-middle fastball and drove the pitch deep out to left field, carrying, carrying, carrying, until it safely fell into the bleachers. As unlikely as odds once looked, the Twins had knotted the game.
The seventh and eighth innings came and went with occasional drama, yet neither squad could find the critical separation needed to pull ahead. Jhoan Durán pitched two clutch innings to give the home team a chance to win in the bottom half of the ninth. Byron Buxton started with a walk. Then Willi Castro slashed a single to right, allowing the speedy center fielder to dash to third with no one out. Finally—with likely no one in the stadium expecting it—Brooks Lee bunted. Yandy Díaz had no choice but to give a half-assed Olé as he watched the ball bound fair over first base. Game over. Twins win.
Notes:
Jhoan Durán pitched multiple innings for the first time in 2025.
Travis Adam’s nine hits allowed ties a Twins record for most in an MLB debut (h/t Aaron Gleeman.)
Adams is also the fourth player selected by the Twins in the 2021 draft to make his MLB debut. The other three did so with other teams (h/t Jamie Cameron.)
Danny Coulombe appeared in his 320th career MLB game.
Post-Game Interview:
What’s Next?
The Twins and Rays will play again on Sunday, with Joe Ryan set to face off against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is at 1:10 PM.
Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet
