It was a night to remember at Target Field in Minneapolis as the Minnesota Twins, riding the momentum of a modest winning streak, hosted the Miami Marlins to kick off a three-game set on May 12, 2026. With both teams looking to build on recent successes, it was the Twins who delivered a performance for the ages, thanks to a masterful outing from their starter, Bailey Ober.
Coming into the matchup, the Marlins boasted a 19-22 record, having won three of their last four games, including back-to-back victories. Their latest triumph came against the Washington Nationals, a 5-2 win that saw them favored at home. The Twins, meanwhile, stood at 18-23, fifth in the AL Central, but had just eked out a 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians and were on a two-game win streak themselves, despite dropping three of their previous five contests.
The pitching duel was set: Eury Perez (2-4, 5.01 ERA) took the mound for Miami, hoping to reverse his rocky road performances in 2026, while Bailey Ober (3-2, 4.19 ERA) got the nod for Minnesota, looking to extend his unbeaten home record for the season. Ober entered the night with a 3-0 mark and a 3.21 ERA at Target Field, while Perez had struggled away from Miami, with a 7.43 ERA in three road starts this year.
From the first pitch, Ober looked locked in. Working mostly with his fastball and a devastating changeup, he methodically carved up the Marlins lineup. Ober's fastball may not have lit up the radar gun—topping out at just 88 MPH—but his command and pitch mix kept hitters guessing all night. He finished with seven strikeouts and, perhaps even more impressively, did not issue a single walk.
The only blemishes on Ober’s line were singles surrendered to Jakob Marsee in the second inning and Kyle Stowers in the fourth. After that, he was untouchable, retiring the final 16 Marlins he faced. Ober needed just 89 pitches to complete his shutout, achieving the rare "Maddux"—a complete game shutout with fewer than 100 pitches. According to local reports, the last Twin to accomplish such a feat was Ervin Santana in 2017, and it hadn’t been done with fewer than 90 pitches by a Minnesota pitcher since Bill Krueger back in 1992.
"He spun the ball real good and got a Maddux," wrote one observer, summing up the awe and delight felt in the stands and clubhouse alike. Ober’s changeup was especially effective, generating a 43% whiff rate and leaving Marlins hitters flailing. It was a performance that will stick in the memory of Twins fans for years to come.
On the other side, Eury Perez was putting on a show of his own in the early going. Perez held the Twins hitless through 5 and 2/3 innings, using his electric stuff to keep Minnesota off the board. But the game turned dramatically in the bottom of the sixth. After walking Byron Buxton, Perez faced Trevor Larnach, who singled to put runners at the corners. What happened next was a whirlwind: with Ryan Jeffers at the plate, Larnach broke for second. The Marlins catcher fired down, but Buxton seized the moment, swiping home in a daring bit of baserunning that electrified the crowd. Larnach was safe at second, and the Twins had their breakthrough.
With the tension still thick, Ryan Jeffers stepped up and delivered the knockout blow, launching a home run into the second deck in left field. That two-run shot capped a three-run inning for the Twins and put the game firmly in their control. The Marlins, who had been cruising behind Perez’s no-hit bid, suddenly found themselves in a 3-0 hole.
Jeffers finished the night 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs, continuing what has been an impressive season at the plate. Entering the game, he was slashing .298/.403/.519 with five home runs and 23 RBIs, and his steady presence behind the dish and in the batter’s box has been a bright spot for Minnesota.
Buxton, who went 0-for-3 but drew a walk and scored on the steal of home, remains a catalyst for the Twins’ offense. His season numbers—.259/.313/.556 with 13 home runs and 21 RBIs—underscore his importance to the lineup. Trevor Larnach, who contributed a single, two walks, and a stolen base, also played a key role in the decisive frame.
For the Marlins, the night was a frustrating one. Perez finished with a strong line through five innings but ultimately was tagged with the loss after the sixth-inning unraveling. Miami managed just two hits all night and never seriously threatened against Ober, whose efficiency and command were simply too much. The Marlins’ offense, which had been trending up in recent games, was stifled from start to finish.
Injury concerns remain for both clubs. The Twins are dealing with a lengthy injured list, including Garrett Acton, Cole Sands, Cody Laweryson, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, Pablo Lopez, and David Festa. The Marlins, too, are shorthanded, missing Griffin Conine, Pete Fairbanks, Adam Mazur, and Ronny Henriquez. Despite the roster challenges, both teams have managed to stay competitive in their respective divisions.
The win marked the Twins’ first three-game winning streak since mid-April, bumping their record to 19-23 and injecting new life into their campaign. For the Marlins, now 19-23, it was a missed opportunity to gain ground in the NL East, but with two games left in the series, there’s still plenty to play for.
Looking ahead, the series continues with Simeon Woods Richardson scheduled to start for the Twins, while Minnesota native and former Golden Gopher Max Meyer is set to take the hill for the Marlins. With both teams eager to keep their momentum going, fans can expect more fireworks as the week unfolds at Target Field.
As the dust settled on a chilly Minneapolis evening, the story belonged to Bailey Ober and his place in Twins history. The right-hander’s 89-pitch masterpiece not only secured a 3-0 win for Minnesota but also reminded everyone in attendance of the magic that can unfold on a baseball diamond—sometimes, all it takes is a little changeup and a whole lot of heart.