HOUSTON — After a relatively turbulent trip through the rotation, Joe Ryan gave the Twins everything they needed from him on Saturday.
They needed length. He gave them seven innings. They needed a chance after falling into two straight noncompetitive games early. He allowed just two runs and two hits. And against Houston Astros starter Hunter Brown, who has been among the best in the majors this season, they needed Ryan to be near his best, too.
And he was.
Yet, even with Ryan’s performance, the Twins were walked off by the Astros, falling 3-2 at Daikin Park on Saturday afternoon, because they, too, could do little against Brown and the Astros’ bullpen.
Houston finally broke through a 2-2 stalemate in the ninth inning against closer Jhoan Duran, who allowed a one-out walk and then a pair of singles with two outs. Cam Smith’s single to center brought home Jake Meyers for the game-winning run, sending the Twins (36-34) to their third straight loss.
“Both teams pop a homer, and when guys were on base, they were able to shoot a couple of groundballs against Duran,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Sometimes that’s enough to get it done.”
It was on Saturday.
Ryan, who did not allow a hit in six of the seven innings he pitched, gave up a two-run home run to Astros catcher Yanier Diaz in the third inning. It was the final hit he would allow.
“We were working on some stuff,” Ryan said. “(Pitching coach) Pete (Maki), (pitching development and acquisitions specialist) Matt Daniels, everyone had some good opinions on some stuff I could work on delivery-wise, and that helped me to keep the head a little bit more still and put the ball exactly where I wanted to more and more.”
He did that, aside from the pitch to Diaz. But so did Brown. Like Ryan, Brown threw seven innings and allowed two runs, both of which came on a Brooks Lee opposite-field shot to the Crawford Boxes in left field. That home run tied the game up in the fifth.
Brown, who retired the first 11 batters he faced, finished the day with 12 strikeouts, a new career high, and lowered his earned-run average to 1.88 this season.
“He has pitched as well as anybody in baseball this year. He has consistently done it,” Baldelli said. “You can see why.”
In the sixth inning, Brown hit Byron Buxton with a pitch on the elbow. After a lengthy check from head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta, Buxton stayed in the game. He would then steal a base and then eventually leave with what the Twins called a left elbow contusion. They are treating it as a day to day issue, and Baldelli said they didn’t have long-term concern.
“I got hit,” Buxton said. “I can tell. I don’t feel too good, but I’ll be alright.”
After Buxton was hit, Trevor Larnach drew a walk, putting a pair of runners on with no outs. But the Twins were unable to do anything with that opportunity — the best they had against Brown all day — with two of the next three hitters striking out to end the starter’s day.
They finished the day with just three hits in the loss.
“We had a couple of opportunities with some guys on,” Baldelli said. “We just needed to come through.”
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Originally Published: June 14, 2025 at 5:45 PM CDT