Brooks Lee's walk-off bunt gives the Twins a 6-5 win over the Rays on July 6, 2025! See how Lee, Byron Buxton, and Jhoan Duran sealed another dramatic victory.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
You can't make this stuff up. For the second consecutive night, the Minnesota Twins sent the Target Field faithful home in a state of euphoria, walking off the Tampa Bay Rays. This time, the hero wasn't a towering home run, but a piece of old-school baseball brilliance: a perfectly executed bunt single by rookie Brooks Lee in the bottom of the ninth to seal a wild 6-5 victory.
It's back-to-back walk-offs against the Rays, with Saturday's winner coming on a perfectly placed bunt single from rookie Brooks Lee.
The ninth inning was a masterclass in manufacturing a run. Byron Buxton, whose speed is a constant threat, started it all with a leadoff walk. Willi Castro followed with a sharp single, sending Buxton flying to third. That set the stage for Brooks Lee, who, with the infield drawn in, dropped a sublime bunt up the first-base line. Buxton raced home, and the celebration was on. The win wouldn't have been possible without key contributions earlier. Ryan Jeffers was a force at the plate, racking up three hits, while Kody Clemens blasted his 10th homer of the year to tie the game in the sixth. On the mound, Jhoan Duran was simply dominant, tossing two scoreless innings of relief to earn the well-deserved win.
Speaking of pitching, the Twins made a move just before Saturday's game to bolster their bullpen depth. Right-hander Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul, while lefty Kody Funderburk was optioned back to the Saints. Adams, 25, has been a reliable arm for St. Paul and gives manager Rocco Baldelli a fresh option as the team navigates a stretch of injuries on the pitching staff. It's a necessary shuffle to keep the arms fresh and effective, a strategy that paid off with Duran's stellar performance.
The need for pitching depth is highlighted by the continued absence of starter Bailey Ober, who remains on the 15-day IL with a left hip impingement. While the team misses his presence in the rotation, there's positive news from the farm system. Top outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez is progressing well in his rehab from a right hip strain, moving up to Single-A Fort Myers. His dynamic bat is getting closer to returning to the organization's upper levels. Meanwhile, reliever Erasmo Ramírez continues his own rehab assignment, another potential arm to help the big-league club soon.
While the team is delivering thrills on the field, the front office delivered some good news for fans off of it. The organization announced a price drop for its direct-to-consumer streaming service, TWINS.TV. A full-season subscription is now available for $54.99, with a monthly option at $19.99. For fans who can't get to Target Field, it's now more affordable to catch every heart-pounding, walk-off bunt finish that isn't on a national broadcast.
What a weekend it's been. With two straight walk-off wins under their belt, the Twins have a chance to complete a dramatic series sweep against the Rays on Sunday. Joe Ryan (8-4, 2.75 ERA) gets the ball, looking to cap off a memorable homestand. This team is proving it can win in any fashion—with power, with speed, and even with a little bunt. Don't change the channel; this is getting fun.
