*Photo from AP News*
Bailey Ober had a strong start, Willi Castro and Manuel Margot each drove in a pair of runs, and the Minnesota Twins defeated the Philadelphia Phillies with a 7-2 victory Monday night in Minneapolis.
The win by the second place Twins closes the deficit in the AL Central to 4 games back of the division leaders, the Cleveland Guardians. The Twins offense woke up with 7 unanswered runs while the pitching staff held the powerful Phillies offense to one hit in their last 27 at bats.
Bryce Harper got the Phillies the lead early, hitting a two run home run in the first inning to make it 2-0 early. In the 3rd, Castro got the Twins on the board with a single up the middle to make it 2-1. The Twins took the lead in the 5th as Margot scored Diego Castillo and Max Kepler with a two run single, making it 3-2 Twins.
Carlos Santana extended the Twins lead to 4-2 in the 7th inning, hitting a double to right field that scored Ryan Jeffers. In the 8th, Kepler gave the Twins an insurance run, making it 5-2 when Austin Martin scored on his single. Castro made it 6-2 when he drew a bases loaded walk and Edouard Julien scored on a wild pitch to make it a 7-2 game.
Ober was the starting pitcher for the Twins and turned in a good start, allowing two runs on 4 hits and a walk in 7 innings pitched, striking out 4 hitters in the process. Cole Sands sealed the win with two scoreless innings, also picking up his 3rd save of the season.
Asked about his start, Ober said "I feel like the biggest thing, when stuff’s going right, is the mental side. You’re on the current pitch, and then when that one’s over, you’re on to the next one. Nothing else is really going through your mind, you’re just in that kind of flow state of getting outs and executing pitches, and right now, I’m feeling pretty good."
Ranger Suarez made his first start since dealing with a back injury for the Phillies, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and one walk in 5 1/3 innings. Orion Kerkering got out of the 6th before Seranthony Dominguez allowed a run in the 7th. Yunior Marte gave up 3 runs in one inning pitched.
Suarez said after his start "I felt good. When you’re healthy, you don’t have to worry about what’s hurting you. You can just focus on working. Today, it was just that. I think that I threw the pitches that I wanted. I think they were good pitches, with bad results."
Game two of the series is set for Tuesday night. Simeon Woods-Richardson is the starter for the Twins as they try to secure the series win, while Zack Wheeler takes the mound for the Phillies as they look to tie the series at a game apiece.
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