Twins Swept by Reds, Despite Big Day from Bailey Ober

Minnesota was not able to capitalize on Ober's best outing of the season.

Apr 19, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober (17) throws to Cincinnati Reds center fielder TJ Friedl (29) in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Twins have been handed their first four-game losing streak of the season after losing to the Reds 7-4 in extra innings on Sunday afternoon, which completed a series sweep at Target Field.

Bailey Ober made his fifth start of the season, and he delivered his best performance. In 6.1 innings of work, he struck out 10 batters, while allowing just three hits and four walks. It marks his first start of the season without an earned run and the first with fewer than two. You have to go all the way back to September 18, 2024, to find the last time Ober struck out at least 10 batters.

He got some early run support on Sunday from Victor Catarini, who drove in two runs, and an RBI single from Josh Bell gave the Twins an early 3-0 lead in the third inning. The Reds scored once in the fourth inning, but the Twins' pitching staff settled in.

Victor you did this!! pic.twitter.com/kNdqE4zgfA

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 19, 2026

Taylor Rogers relieved Ober for eight pitches before he was replaced by Andrew Morris. He struck out two batters in the eighth inning before things fell apart in the ninth. Cincinnati hit a pair of singles before a pop fly, and then a walk loaded the bases with just one out. TJ Friedel put the Reds ahead 4-3 with a three-run double. Morris threw 47 pitches in 1.1 innings of work before getting replaced by Garrett Acton.

Minnesota found some magic in the ninth inning with a game-tying RBI double from Austin Martin to force extra innings. Cincinnati continued to have its way with Minnesota's bullpen with three more runs in the 10th inning to take a commanding 7-4 lead. Minnesota got two runners on base in the bottom of the inning before Brooks Lee struck out to end the game.

We're only 22 games into the season, and it has already been a roller coaster for the Twins. Despite relatively low expectations from the outside public and a 1-4 start, they climbed all the way to the top of the American League standings heading into the weekend. They've now seemingly regressed back to the mean with their first four-game losing streak of the season.

At 11-11, Minnesota will now hit the road for a three-game series against the Mets, which starts on Tuesday at 6:10 p.m. CT. They will finish the week with a three-game series at Tampa Bay on the weekend.