The Minnesota Twins avoided a weekend sweep in style on Sunday, thanks to a powerful performance at the plate from Royce Lewis and a dominant outing on the mound from Joe Ryan. The Twins defeated the Colorado Rockies 7-1 at Target Field, salvaging the final game of their three-game series.
Royce Lewis delivered the first multi-homer game of his career, blasting two long balls to fuel Minnesota’s offense. The 25-year-old third baseman has battled injuries throughout his early career, but when healthy, he continues to show why he’s considered one of the Twins’ most exciting young stars. His two home runs on Sunday not only energized the home crowd but also helped the Twins regain momentum after dropping the first two games of the series.
Lewis’s first homer came early in the game, setting the tone for the Twins’ offense. He added his second later in the contest, rounding out a memorable day at the plate. With these shots, Lewis continues to make a case for being a central figure in the Twins’ lineup moving forward.
On the mound, Joe Ryan picked up right where he left off following his first career All-Star appearance. The right-hander was electric, striking out 11 Rockies over seven innings while allowing just one run on five hits. Ryan, now 10-4 on the season, showed the kind of poise and control that has made him one of Minnesota’s most reliable starters. He didn’t issue a single walk and stayed in command throughout the game.
Ryan’s performance comes just days after he pitched a scoreless fourth inning in the MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta, where he struck out two batters on the national stage. His return to regular-season action Sunday was nothing short of dominant.
The Twins’ bullpen continued to lock things down after Ryan exited. Setup man Griffin Jax threw a clean eighth inning, followed by closer Jhoan Duran who worked a scoreless ninth, preserving the win without any drama.
Minnesota’s offense didn’t rely solely on Lewis, though he provided the biggest spark. Outfielder Matt Wallner added to the onslaught with a two-run homer in the third inning off Rockies starter Germán Márquez, who struggled once again. Márquez fell to 3-11 on the season after giving up multiple long balls, unable to find his rhythm against the Twins’ lineup.
Veteran outfielder Harrison Bader also joined the home run party, sending a solo shot over the fence to pad the Twins’ lead in the middle innings. For a team that has at times struggled with consistency at the plate this season, Sunday’s barrage of homers was a welcome sight.
With the win, the Twins improved their record and avoided a frustrating sweep at home. The victory gave the team a much-needed boost as they look ahead to the second half of the season with playoff hopes still within reach.
Next up, Minnesota will try to build on this momentum as they prepare for their upcoming series, aiming to stay competitive in the American League Central.