Twins Rally Late to Top Tigers 3-1 with Brooks Lee’s Heroics

Baseball is a marathon, and no team has embodied that spirit more than the Minnesota Twins in the early days of the 2026 season. After a sluggish start, the Twins are back in the mix, sweeping the division-favorite Detroit Tigers and climbing over .500 for the first time this year. The victory was highlighted by a late-game surge, showcasing the resilience and depth of the Minnesota lineup.

Starting pitcher Mick Abel faced a challenging afternoon but managed to keep the Tigers scoreless, delivering one of his best performances yet. Despite allowing the first two batters to reach base in both the first and second innings, Abel’s composure shone through as he navigated through five innings of pressure, throwing a career-high 102 pitches. With the bullpen nearly spent, Abel’s ability to battle through adversity was crucial in securing the win.

The Twins found themselves with plenty of base runners, though they struggled to capitalize early on, scoring just once in the first seven innings. Their at-bats showed promise, hitting hard balls that found gloves and demonstrating patience at the plate. The lone run of the first seven frames came courtesy of Josh Bell, who launched a moonshot to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. Bell’s three-hit performance has him slashing .325/.440/.650, showcasing his importance to the lineup as other key players, like Byron Buxton and Termarr Johnson, seek their rhythm.

In the seventh inning, new Twin Garrett Acton faced trouble after hitting Tigers catcher Jake Rogers and allowing a single to Colt Keith, putting runners on the corners with one out. Gleyber Torres then delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at one. However, a standout catch by James Outman in left field prevented further damage, and Acton settled down for a clean eighth inning, setting the stage for the Twins’ decisive rally.

With one out in the eighth, Matt Wallner showed grit by battling back from a 1-2 count to earn a walk, followed by a single from Victor Caratini. The stage was set for the bottom of the lineup, where Kody Clemens struck out after taking a 3-0 count. But Royce Lewis, shaking off a brief injury scare, beat out an infield single to load the bases for Brooks Lee, who had entered as a defensive substitute. In what has been a tough start to the season for Lee, he delivered in the clutch with a perfectly placed single that slipped past Tigers second baseman Zach McKinstry, sealing a 3-1 victory for the Twins.

Before closing this recap, it’s worth acknowledging Royce Lewis’s efforts. While his overall numbers may not reflect it yet, Lewis has displayed impressive at-bats and hard contact, with an average exit velocity in the top 15% of the league. His improved discipline is evident in his reduced chase rate and high walk rate, a promising sign for his development. Plus, his determination to sprint to first base after a knee tweak shows the kind of grit that resonates within the locker room.

With this win, the Twins continue to build momentum, and fans can look forward to their next challenge in Toronto.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.