Twins come up short in high-scoring series finale to Brewers

Byron Buxton homered twice but the Twins were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Jul 21, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) pitches in the first inning to Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames (27) at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

After a rain storm delayed the first pitch by 50 minutes, the Twins were not able to get a win on a day that saw Joe Mauer officially enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, falling to the Brewers 8-7.

Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan faced only six batters through the first two innings and struck out three of them. He quickly received some run support when a Christian Vazquez infield single drove home Max Kepler.

Home runs were traded in the third inning when Eric Haase got the Brewers on the board and then Byron Buxton added his 10th dinger of the season to make things 3-1 after three innings.

Ryan had allowed only one hit and struck out six batters through four innings, but Milwaukee figured things out in the fifth. A trio of RBIs and four total hits in the inning gave the Brewers a 4-3 lead.

The Twins quickly responded, as Trevor Larnach launched his 10th home run of the season and drove home Willi Castro in the bottom of the fifth inning. If you're keeping track, make it 5-4 Twins.

After six innings of work, seven hits, four earned runs and six strikeouts, Ryan was replaced by Jorge Alcala and the right-handed reliever immediately served up a homer to rookie phenom Jackson Chourio. The 443-foot homer tied the game 5-5.

Griffin Jax relieved Acala in the eighth inning and Milwaukee's bats kept rolling. A two-run home run from Rhys Hoskins gave the Brewers a 7-5 lead. Jax gave way to Caleb Thielbar and Haase tagged him for his second homer of the day.

Buxton opened the bottom of the ninth with a 386-foot, solo home run and Brooks Lee added an RBI, but it was too little too late as the Twins fell short in the 8-7 loss.

The Twins move to 54-44 on the season as they prepare for the MLB-leading Philadelphia Phillies Monday-Wednesday at Target Field in Minneapolis. First pitch Monday is set for 6:40 p.m. CT.