Twins take series over MLB-leading Phillies with walk-off win

Minnesota came back from a 4-1 deficit to walk off the Phillies 5-4.

Jul 24, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa (58) delivers against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports / Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

Max Kepler now has 11 career walk-off hits for the Twins, who used his infield single in the ninth inning to walk-off Phillies 5-4 Wednesday afternoon at Target Field.

This hit ties Kep with Kirby Puckett and Harmon Killebrew for the most walk off's in team history at 11! pic.twitter.com/V5FAHkQnLp

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 24, 2024

"I feel like I say the same thing every time, but you try to play small ball here and big things happen," Kepler said on Bally Sports North after the win.

The Twins had to come back from a 4-1 hole to win the game and the series against the MLB-leading Phillies. In the seventh, the Twins loaded the bases with one out before Max Kepler narrowly beat the relay throw on a double-play ball, allowing Willi Castro to score and cut the deficit to 4-2. Then, Carlos Santana doubled off the base of the wall in left-center field to tie the game 4-4.

"He's like the Godfather in our clubhouse. Everyone's looking up to him and we really rely on him," Kepler said of Santana.

He's got the clutch gene 🧬 pic.twitter.com/BcyD9fTsSY

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 24, 2024

The ninth inning started with Trevor Larnach being hit by a pitch. He moved to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Austin Martin. That set the stage for Kepler's winning single.

Minnesota's first run of the game came on a 441-foot homer by Matt Wallner. That run evaporated when Trea Turner hit a 425-foot homer off David Festa in the fifth inning, and the Phillies piled on with two runs against Caleb Thielbar, whose earned-run average this season has ballooned to 6.20.

Festa, on of the top pitching prospects for Minnesota, hadn't pitched for the Twins since July 3 and hadn't pitched in a game of any kind since July 12. He entered the game with one out in the first inning after opener Steven Okert struggled, and Festa wound up with seven strikeouts and just one run allowed on four hits in 4.1 innings.

David Festa with the best performance of his @MLB career thus far🌟

4.1 IP / 4 H / 1 R / 2 BB / 7 K

His seven strikeouts is his major league career high 📈@Twins | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/BkMBwfJxXv

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) July 24, 2024

Cole Sands blew the Phillies away in the eighth inning Jhoan Duran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth after getting lit up and struggling to throw strikes in Tuesday's 3-0 loss to Philadelphia.