Taj Bradley delivered a dominant performance on the mound, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Bradley (2-0) outdueled Tarik Skubal, throwing 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts, no walks, and only six hits allowed. This performance helped the Twins secure their second consecutive win.
Bradley’s Impressive Start
Bradley’s strong outing marked his third start of the season, and in each of the Twins’ victories, he has been a key factor. Over 16 2/3 innings this year, Bradley has given up just two runs, walked four, and struck out 22 batters.
Skubal’s Short Night
Detroit’s Tarik Skubal (1-1) was less fortunate, pitching only 4 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Despite his success over the past two seasons, including back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards, this marks one of the rare occasions in which Skubal failed to complete five innings.
Key Hits for the Twins
The Twins broke through against Skubal in the fifth inning. Byron Buxton and Austin Martin both walked with one out, and Luke Keaschall singled up the middle to score Buxton.
Ryan Jeffers followed with a clutch two-run double to right field, giving the Twins a 3-1 lead. Josh Bell then doubled down the left field line, scoring Jeffers and chasing Skubal from the game.
Tigers’ Attempted Comeback
The Tigers mounted a brief rally in the seventh inning, starting with two singles. Bradley struck out Javier Báez before Taylor Rogers came on to retire Jahmai Jones with a fly ball.
Kevin McGonigle then singled home a run, cutting the Twins’ lead to 4-2. However, Rogers struck out Gleyber Torres to end the threat, with Jeffers successfully challenging the call for strike three.
McGonigle added an RBI double in the ninth, but the Tigers couldn’t muster a full comeback.
Bullpen Efforts
Four relievers combined to finish the game for the Twins, with Justin Topa earning his first save by getting the final two outs.
Game Recap
- Minnesota Twins: 4 runs, 8 hits, 5 walks, 9 strikeouts
- Detroit Tigers: 2 runs, 9 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Up Next
The series continues with a matchup between Minnesota’s RHP Bailey Ober (0-0, 6.75 ERA) and Detroit’s LHP Framber Valdez (1-0, 0.75 ERA) on Wednesday.
