Harrison Bader's two home runs propel Twins to win over Rays

Jerry Zgoda, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jul 4, 2025

Published in Baseball

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MINNEAPOLIS — Harrison Bader hit the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning for a walk-off home run, lifting the Twins past the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on a hot Friday afternoon at Target Field.

The homer off Kevin Kelly was the second of the game for Bader, and completed a comeback from a 3-1 deficit as the Twins started a nine-game homestand.

Louis Varland picked up the victory by pitching two scoreless innings.

Praised during pregame by manager Rocco Baldelli for his left field defense, Bader, the last man in the batting order, belted a fifth-inning home run into the second deck to give his team a 1-0 lead.

The Rays answered right back with a two-run sixth inning, the first runs of the game against Chris Paddack, who went five full innings and struck out five. Josh Lowe singled to lead off the sixth and Yandy Diaz double him in. Danny Coulombe relieved Paddack and give up a run scoring single to Junior Caminero.

The Rays scored one more in the seventh inning, when Chandler Simpson scored from second base on a single by Lowe off Brock Stewart to make it 3-1.

The Twins responded in their seventh to tie the game. Matt Wallner and Ty France had singles against Rays reliever Edwin Uceta and, with two outs, Byron Buxton doubled home Wallner. Uceta hit Willi Casto and Brooks Lee in succession to tie the score 3-3 before Carlos Correa struck out with the bases loaded.

The Twins on Friday began their longest homestand of the season, nine games in 10 days including three weekend games against the Rays, a Monday off day, and three more each against the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh.

It runs right up to the All-Star break and the All-Star Game in Atlanta on July 15.

The Twins returned Friday from a six-game trip on which they went 2-4 at Detroit and Miami, ending Thursday afternoon with a 4-1 matinee loss.

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