Twins Crush Cubs 8-1 in One-Sided Matchup

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — The Minnesota Twins overpowered the Chicago Cubs 8-1 at Target Field on Tuesday night, led by a stellar pitching performance and a powerful offensive showing.

Twins pitcher Woods Richardson delivered five scoreless innings while earning his fifth win of the season. The 25-year-old left-hander’s effort came after two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, marking his first six-inning outing since April.

The game began with the Twins striking early, as back-to-back doubles in the first inning by Jorge Polanco and Ryan Jeffers provided two quick runs. Polanco contributed three RBIs throughout the match. Later, a commanding six-run eighth inning showcased the depth of Minnesota’s lineup, which included three home runs.

Cubs starter was unable to fend off the Twins’ attack, and reliever Luke Imanaga struggled, giving up three homers and six runs in one inning. The Chicago offense faltered, recording no runs until an eighth-inning solo home run by Seiya Suzuki, which only served to avoid a shutout.

Despite this loss, Woods Richardson held his own against one of Major League Baseball’s top offenses, limiting the Cubs to just four hits in his outing.

The Twins regained control after a rocky start, relying on their bullpen to navigate the late innings. Key for Minnesota was their ability to escape potential jams, particularly when pitcher Imanaga retired the last three Cubs batters of the eighth inning after allowing the first two men to reach base.

As for the Cubs, their offense which was hot over the weekend went silent against the Twins. They face a vital game two on Wednesday, where they will look to rebound against Minnesota’s starting pitcher in an attempt to even the series.