The Minnesota Twins were in a slugfest at Target Field on Wednesday, hitting seven home runs but losing 17-14 to the Detroit Tigers.
It’s the first time in MLB history a team has out-homered an opponent by seven and still lost.
The Twins put themselves in an early deficit due to the performance of J.A. Happ. The right-hander allowed nine runs over three innings and eight runs in the fourth to spot Detroit a 10-0 lead.
With the Twins down double digits, they tried to slug their way out beginning with a six-run fourth inning. Miguel Sanó put the Twins on the board with a solo home run before Ryan Jeffers delivered a grand slam to make it a 10-5 game.
Must be a catcher thing!! @Twins | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/l0ox2LRwfk
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) July 28, 2021
Sanó added another run on an RBI single before the Tigers expanded their lead with three runs in the sixth. Down 13-6, the Twins once again flexed their muscles hitting four homers in the eighth inning.
what is happening?!?!@Twins | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/wUVndALks5
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) July 28, 2021
Max Kepler and Brent Rooker started the inning with back-to-back home runs before Sanó launched a 473-foot, two-run moonshot to make it a 13-10 game. With Willians Astudillo aboard, Jeffers hit his second homer of the game to make it a one-run game heading into the ninth.
Don’t mind us, just hit 4 homers in the 8th inning. https://t.co/pdhajIDMBC
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 28, 2021
Juan Minaya ran out of gas after two effective innings, allowing a three-run double by Eric Haase to give Detroit a 16-12 lead. A bloop double by Jeimer Candelario added another run but Jorge Polanco smashed the Twins’ seventh homer of the day to make it 17-14.
somebody turn on dynamic difficulty #BOMBASZN | #MNTWINS pic.twitter.com/pG7oMdM7E2
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) July 28, 2021
But Gregory Soto recovered and got Astudillo to ground to third for the final out and end the game.
The Twins are off on Thursday before opening a three-game series on the road with the St. Louis Cardinals. Pending a last-minute deadline trade, José Berríos is expected to start Friday’s opener against Wade LaBlanc.
The Minnesota Twins are the first team in MLB history to outhomer their opponent by 7 and lose.
The Detroit Tigers are the first team in MLB history to be outhomered by 7 and win. pic.twitter.com/fyJx6gLodG
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 28, 2021
