Phillies Explode for Seven Runs In Fifth To Beat Twins

The Phillies returned to Target Field for Game 2 against the Twins after their trip to the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. They came away with a 9-1 win behind a seven-run fifth inning and another strong start from Jesus Luzardo, taking a series win over Minnesota.

The scoring started in the second inning when, with the bases loaded, J.T. Realmuto hit a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. In the fifth inning, the Phils blew the game open, putting up seven runs, capped off with a three-run home run by Bryson Stott.

BRYSON STOTT WILL NOT CEASE NOR DESIST pic.twitter.com/qWgCVZx9XW

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 16, 2026

The Phils added another run in the ninth to secure the final score of 9-1.

Luzardo Sweeps Away Twins Offense

Jesus Luzardo was absolutely dealing in this game, and it was due in large part to how he was throwing his kill pitch, the sweeper. In this game, he had perhaps his best sweeper of the season. His line reflects how dominant he was in the game as well: 6.2 innings pitched, nine strikeouts, two walks, and one earned run on 109 pitches.

What made his sweeper so special in this game is that he was able to throw it and control it to both sides of the plate, and it was very sharp with flat plane movement and late life, which the Twins had no answer for in the game. Luzardo had a little bit of a rough stretch in the sixth inning where his earned run came from, but that was in part due to him getting away from the sweeper, as he lost a little sharpness to the break. That was an anomaly because he found the sharp break when he came out for the seventh. After Ryan Kreidler walked, he struck out Kaelen Culpepper to close a very successful night for Luzardo.

Phillies Offense Wakes Up for Seven Runs in the Fifth

Before the fifth inning, the Phillies offense was up to its old tricks with not hitting well with runners in scoring position. In the second inning, when Realmuto drove in the first run, they had the bases loaded with nobody out, and only managed the one run that came on a sacrifice fly. They definitely left that in the second inning. They unleashed some two-out magic to put up seven runs in the inning.

They started with a single by Realmuto, then after two outs, a walk to Trea Turner, a walk to Bryce Harper, Luis Arraez walked in a run, Alec Bohm singled in a run, Edmundo Sosa singled in two, and then Stott hit a three-run home run to cap off the seven-run inning for the Phillies. They have needed that inning since the All-Star break, and they got it when they needed it most in this game. This is the Phillies offense at best, and what’s even more impressive is that they did all of this without anything from Kyle Schwarber.

Defense Plays Fundamental Baseball

The Phillies turned in their sharpest defensive sequence of the night in the fourth inning, erasing what looked like a certain run against the Twins. Brooks Lee singled to center with two outs, and Luke Keaschall took off from first, trying to score all the way from first base. Derek Hill charged the ball and fired a strike to Arraez, who relayed home to Realmuto in time to beat Keaschall to the plate. The umpires initially ruled Keaschall safe, but the Phillies challenged, and the call was overturned on review. The relay wiped out a run that would have kept the Twins within reach in a game that got away from them fast.

The relay showcased the kind of instinct and execution that separates good defensive teams from great ones. Hill read the ball off the bat and got to it quickly, giving himself the angle to make an accurate throw. Arraez turned and fired home without hesitation, and Realmuto held his ground to apply the tag before Keaschall could reach the plate. It was a questionable call to send Keaschall, but the Phils showed that they can play solid defense.

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