Brooks Lee & Christian Vázquez hit back-to-back homers on June 9, leading the Twins to a 6-3 win over the Blue Jays to snap a skid. See how they did it.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
After a frustrating three-game slide, the Minnesota Twins finally found their thunder. Facing a sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays, the bats came alive at the perfect moment. Brooks Lee and Christian Vázquez launched back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning on Sunday, turning a deficit into a lead and powering the team to a much-needed 6-3 victory at Target Field.
Danny Coulombe returns to the bullpen with a sparkling 0.00 ERA, a 0.60 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts across 16.2 scoreless innings this season.
The game's pivotal moment came with the Twins trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Brooks Lee stepped to the plate and blasted a go-ahead two-run shot, followed immediately by a solo homer from Christian Vázquez. The consecutive long balls completely shifted the momentum. The offense wasn't just about power, though; the Twins showed impressive plate discipline, drawing eight walks. Ty France added a key RBI single and Trevor Larnach contributed a sacrifice fly, rounding out a complete team effort at the plate.
On the mound, Joe Ryan didn't have his sharpest stuff early but showed the grit of an ace. After allowing three runs (two earned), he locked in, retiring the final eight batters he faced to earn his seventh win. Ryan's performance keeps his season ERA at an impressive 2.96 and his WHIP at an elite 0.93, ranking him among the American League's best. Once Ryan exited, the bullpen was simply lights-out. Brock Stewart, Cole Sands, and Griffin Jax each tossed a scoreless frame, setting the stage for Jhoan Duran to slam the door for his 10th save.
The bullpen's dominance got an extra jolt of good news as the team activated left-hander Danny Coulombe from the injured list. The 35-year-old veteran has been untouchable this year, posting a 0.00 ERA in 19 appearances. His return adds another high-leverage weapon to an already strong relief corps. The move was bittersweet, however, as it corresponded with rookie starter Zebby Matthews landing on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder strain. While Matthews had shown flashes of promise after his call-up from St. Paul, his rotation spot will now need to be filled as he recovers.
Snapping the skid was crucial, and doing it with a power surge and lockdown pitching provides a perfect jolt of momentum. The team's 'Summer Score' of 14 reflects their solid play over the past couple of weeks, and with a healthy Danny Coulombe rejoining the bullpen, the team is well-equipped for the battles ahead. All eyes now turn to the upcoming road trip, where Joe Ryan is slated to face the formidable Houston Astros in a key weekend matchup.
