Royce Lewis homered twice and Joe Ryan struck out 11 as the Minnesota Twins crushed the Colorado Rockies 7-1 on July 20, 2025, to snap their losing streak.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Now *that's* the brand of baseball we've been waiting for. After a frustrating stretch, the Minnesota Twins finally put their foot down, dismantling the Colorado Rockies 7-1 in a game that felt like a massive exhale. Led by a truly dominant performance from Joe Ryan on the mound and some stratospheric power from Royce Lewis at the plate, the Twins didn't just win; they made a statement.
7 innings, 1 run, 0 walks, 11 strikeouts. Joe Ryan's masterful Sunday stat line.
In the thin air of Coors Field, Joe Ryan was simply untouchable. The Twins' ace carved up the Rockies lineup for seven brilliant innings, allowing just a single run while striking out a staggering 11 batters. Most impressively, he issued zero walks, pounding the strike zone with 67 of his 88 pitches. It was a masterclass in efficiency and dominance that lowered his season ERA to a sparkling 2.63 and set the tone for the entire day. The bullpen followed suit, with Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran providing clean innings to seal the deal.
While Ryan was dealing, Royce Lewis was busy launching souvenirs. The Twins' star third baseman blasted two solo home runs, providing all the offense the team would need and then some. His first was a 451-foot monster shot to center in the 4th inning, followed by a 411-foot laser in the 8th. When Lewis is healthy and hitting bombs like these, the entire lineup feels different. The power wasn't limited to Lewis, either; Matt Wallner added a two-run homer of his own, while Kody Clemens and Willi Castro both legged out triples to complete the offensive outburst.
Amidst the offensive fireworks, veteran catcher Christian Vázquez quietly etched his name into the record books. With a single during the game, Vázquez recorded his 800th career MLB hit. It's a fantastic achievement for the durable backstop, celebrating a long and successful career. A big congratulations to 'Vaz' on the milestone!
The good news wasn't just confined to the big league club. Down in St. Paul, key players are working their way back. Bailey Ober (left hip impingement) looked sharp in his latest rehab start, tossing four scoreless innings, while top prospect Luke Keaschall (right forearm fracture) is back in the batter's box. With the recent activation of RHP Zebby Matthews, the Twins are slowly but surely getting healthier, which will be crucial for a second-half push.
One win, even a dominant one, doesn't erase a 48-51 record. But this felt different. This was a glimpse of the team's true potential: an ace dealing on the mound, a superstar changing the game with one swing, and a deep lineup contributing from top to bottom. The challenge now is to bottle this energy and build on it. With key players getting healthy and the trade deadline approaching, the Twins have a chance to turn this victory into a season-defining streak. Let's hope this is the start of something special.
