Final Score: Twins 7, Phillies 2
Upon taking the mound at Target Field on Monday, Ranger Suárez hadn’t pitched in a game in 10 days. The left-hander seemingly needed the rest. He didn’t go to the All-Star Game because he had back spasms. And, over his last four starts in the first half, Suárez allowed 19 runs (17 earned). All of that came after he posted a 1.75 ERA in his first 15 starts of the season.
With the extra rest, Suárez wasn’t as effective as he had been to start the season, but he was a bit better against the Twins than he had been in recent outings. He finished 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk on 79 pitches. He wasn’t hit all that hard and six of the seven hits he allowed were singles. But the Twins were able to take advantage of some luck in the fifth inning.
After a weakly hit single, Diego Castillo poked a ball down the right-field line that bounced toward foul territory and into the seats for a ground-rule double. With runners on first and second, Manuel Margot laced a single into right field driving both runners in to give the Twins the lead.
While Suárez did his job, the Phillies offense was kept quiet by Twins starter Bailey Ober. Just three batters into the game, Rob Thomson’s squad took a two-run lead thanks to a home run by Bryce Harper. But after that, Ober settled in.
After Bryson Stott led off the second inning with a single, 12 straight Phillies hitters were retired by Ober. It wasn’t until a leadoff walk in the sixth that they had another baserunner. But right after the walk, Harper hit into a double play, ending any threat the Phillies could’ve put together.
It was a frustrating night for the Phillies offense. They only mustered four hits, sent the minimum number of batters to the plate between the third and eighth innings and made just one plate appearance with a runner in scoring position.
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