The Twins lost 2-1 to the Astros on June 15, 2025, wasting a gem from Simeon Woods Richardson and a Brooks Lee HR to suffer a demoralizing series sweep.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a painful case of deja vu in Houston. For the third straight day, the Minnesota Twins found a new and frustrating way to lose, dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker in 10 innings to the Astros. A brilliant start from Simeon Woods Richardson and a solo blast from Brooks Lee went to waste as the offense sputtered in key moments, resulting in a demoralizing series sweep.
The Twins managed 8 hits but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
For six masterful innings, it looked like Simeon Woods Richardson was going to play the role of stopper. The young right-hander was dealing, holding the potent Astros lineup scoreless while striking out seven and allowing just four hits. The Twins clung to a 1-0 lead, but the game turned in the ninth when Jhoan Duran allowed the tying run on a Victor Caratini sacrifice fly. The inevitable finally happened in the 10th, when Cole Sands surrendered a walk-off single to Mauricio Dubón, sealing the sweep and dropping the Twins to 36-34 on the season.
While the team result was grim, a couple of individual performances offered a glimmer of hope. Rookie phenom Brooks Lee provided the only offense of the day, launching his 7th home run of the season in the third inning. Lee continues to be a force at the top of the order. Meanwhile, Willi Castro was a hitting machine, slapping three singles to go 3-for-4 and raise his season average to a crisp .290. In a game where hits were scarce, Castro was a consistent threat.
The story of this game, and frankly the entire series, can be summed up by three letters: RISP. The Twins had their chances, putting eight men on base via hits, but they couldn't get the one big knock to break the game open. Their 0-for-7 performance with runners in scoring position is an infuriating statistic for a team with playoff aspirations. Leaving runners stranded has become a recurring nightmare, and it was the primary reason they left Houston with three losses instead of at least one win.
A much-needed off day on Monday should give the Twins a chance to reset before heading home. They'll need it, as they open a tough three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. Rookie David Festa (1-1, 4.76 ERA) will get the ball, facing a stiff test in the Reds' ace, Andrew Abbott (6-1, 1.87 ERA). A change of scenery and a fresh opponent is exactly what this team needs to wash away the bitter taste of Houston.
