Buxton's Power Surge Ends Twins' Losing Streak

Byron Buxton showcased his power on Thursday, hitting two home runs as the Minnesota Twins triumphed over the Cincinnati Reds 12-5, effectively ending their six-game losing streak. The victory marked a significant turnaround for the Twins, who had struggled in recent outings.

Buxton's first homer came on a 1-2 pitch from Nick Martinez, marking his second consecutive game with a leadoff home run. He followed this with his 15th home run of the season in the second inning, extending the Twins' lead to 4-2 after Kody Clemens had already hit a two-run shot.

Ryan Jeffers contributed significantly to the scoreline, driving in four runs and hitting a home run himself. His two-run double in the third inning chased Martinez from the mound, pushing Minnesota's lead to 7-2. Ty France also added an RBI double during this offensive surge.

In the eighth inning, Jeffers hit his fifth homer, further solidifying the Twins' advantage. Trevor Larnach added to the tally with a double against reliever Lyon Richardson, while Carlos Correa, who had three hits in the game, singled to increase the lead to 9-4.

Buxton's performance was complemented by Willi Castro, who crossed home plate three times. For Cincinnati, TJ Friedl stood out with a 3-for-4 performance, including a double and two runs scored. Friedl has now reached base 121 times from the leadoff position this season, ranking just behind Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.

Gavin Lux contributed a two-run homer for the Reds, while Tyler Stephenson and Spencer Steer each recorded an RBI double. On the mound, Chris Paddack (3-6) allowed four runs and six hits over five innings for Minnesota, while Martinez (4-8) struggled, giving up seven runs and seven hits in just 2 2/3 innings.

Brooks Lee extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a double for the Twins, who improved their record to 37-37. After Clemens and Buxton's back-to-back homers in the second inning, Minnesota never looked back.

Buxton now boasts 12 career leadoff homers and has recorded 14 multihomer games throughout his career. Looking ahead, Reds right-hander Brady Singer (7-4, 4.34 ERA) is set to start Friday's opener of a three-game series in St. Louis against RHP Andres Pallante (4-3, 4.83). Meanwhile, Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (7-2, 2.93 ERA) will take the mound against the Brewers, with rookie RHP Jacob Misiorowski making his second career start for Milwaukee after an impressive no-hit outing against the Cardinals last week.