Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Twins came up short in one of the most anticipated games on their calendar, falling 7-1 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night in Major League Baseball’s Field of Dreams game.
It took three pitches for the night to get away from them. Kyle Schwarber turned on Taj Bradley’s third offering of the game and drove it into the corn beyond the right field wall, and the Phillies kept the pressure on from there, running Bradley’s pitch count up in the first inning and tacking on a second run on a Bryson Stott RBI single. Luke Keaschall gave Minnesota its only run in the second inning, sending his seventh home run of the season to left field to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Twins never got closer.
Philadelphia put up three more in the fourth, two of them on Schwarber’s second homer of the night, a drive Keaschall nearly pulled back before it ticked off his glove and cleared the right field wall. Bryce Harper added an RBI single, and Brandon Marsh put the game out of reach with a two-run shot off reliever Travis Adams in the seventh.
Bradley took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks over four innings. Phillies starter Aaron Nola picked up the win, going five innings and giving up one run on five hits. All nine of his strikeouts came swinging, and he generated 14 swings and misses on the night.
Minnesota managed eight hits but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Its best chance came in the fifth, when Byron Buxton, activated off the injured list earlier in the day, hit a two-out double and back-to-back walks brought the tying run to the plate. Nothing came of it. Luis Arraez, the former Twin, finished with three hits for Philadelphia, and Marsh reached base four times. Jhoan Duran, Minnesota’s former closer, worked an inning for the Phillies.
The result did little to dampen a night built almost entirely around nostalgia. A crowd of 7,163 watched from the ballpark built next to the site where the 1989 film was shot, with 26 Baseball Hall of Famers in attendance and Commissioner Rob Manfred seated in the front row. The Hall of Famers walked out of the right field corn during a pregame ceremony, with Schwarber and Buxton handling the introductions. Kevin Costner, who starred in the movie, did not appear in person but narrated a pregame video, and fireworks were launched from the cornfield during the national anthem. Players from both teams spent the afternoon wandering the movie site and playing catch. Manager Derek Shelton had a catch with his father, and Buxton with his oldest son.
Left fielder Trevor Larnach told the Minnesota Star Tribune the walk through the corn gave him chills, calling it “such an experience.” Schwarber, who told ESPN the night was “just an unbelievable experience,” now leads the majors with 37 home runs. Both clubs wore vintage-inspired uniforms, with Minnesota’s honoring the franchise’s 1961 inaugural season.
It was the first specialty game in Twins history and the third major league game played in Dyersville, following the 2021 White Sox and Yankees matchup and the 2022 game between the Reds and Cubs. Netflix streamed the game exclusively. The Twins sit two games under .500 with 40 games left and remain in the American League wild card race.
The teams take Friday off before resuming the series at Target Field Saturday at 6:10 p.m. and Sunday at 1:10 p.m.
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