Reds 7, Twins 4 (F/10): The Red(s) Scare
Swept by Cincy
Apr 18, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) look to the video boards in the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Coming into this weekend series with the Cincinnati Reds, the Minnesota Twins had won three consecutive series and were in first place in AL Central. None of that momentum would carry over into the cold conditions as the Twins were swept by Terry Francona’s Reds.
The Twins got off to a good start in the bottom of the first inning when Byron Buxton beat feet on an infield hit, advanced to second base on an errant throw, and later touched home plate on a Victor Caratini sacrifice fly. After MN SP Bailey Ober breezed through the first turn of Cincinnati’s starting nine, the Twins were back to the bat rack attack in B3. A Buxton walk—those rarest of gems—started the rally and was quickly followed by consecutive singles from Trevor Larnach, Josh Bell, & Caratini to up the margin to 3-0.
The Reds reached the scoreboard in T4 when an Elly De La Cruz triple was paid off by a Sal Stewart RBI ground out. Fortunately, further damage was limited by Big Bailey. Speaking of the big man, this was a good afternoon: 6.
1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 10 K. That was all with an average fastball of 89 MPH and an average overall velocity of 84 MPH—the lowest of all qualified MLB pitchers thus far this season. Bailey did leave a bit of a mess on the basepaths when he departed in the 7th, but Taylor Rogers emerged from the care of LaTroy Hawkins and cleaned it up nicely.