The star of the night was Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews, who turned in the best start of his young Major League career. Returning from a six-week stint on the injured list due to a shoulder strain, Matthews was nearly untouchable across six scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits, struck out six, and did not issue a walk. Impressively, Matthews didn’t allow a ball out of the infield until Luis García Jr. managed a two-out double in the fourth. He retired the first 11 Nationals in order and stayed in control even as the Nationals threatened in the middle innings. His fastball averaged 97.5 mph, and he mixed in a sharp changeup and breaking pitches to keep hitters off-balance.
Manager Rocco Baldelli showed confidence in Matthews by letting him face the top of the Nationals lineup for a third time in the sixth inning. Matthews responded by retiring CJ Abrams on a flyout and catching James Wood looking with a perfectly placed 97.8 mph fastball to end the frame. Matthews left after 80 pitches, and the bullpen, led by Danny Coulombe, Griffin Jax, and Jhoan Duran, completed the shutout. The Nationals managed just four baserunners, with their best chance coming in the eighth inning when Daylen Lile doubled, but Jax struck out Riley Adams and retired the next two hitters to preserve the lead.
On the other side, MacKenzie Gore pitched five innings of one-hit ball but was undone by command issues, walking six batters and throwing two wild pitches in the crucial fifth inning. Despite holding the Twins to just one hit, his wildness proved costly, and he took the loss, dropping his record to 4-10.
From a betting perspective, the Twins entered as favorites (-164 on the moneyline) and covered the run line in a low-scoring affair, with the total staying well under the projected 8.5 runs. The victory improved Minnesota’s record to 50-53, keeping them alive in the AL wild card race as they continue a pivotal homestand. The Nationals, meanwhile, were held scoreless for the 21st consecutive inning and dropped to 41-62 on the season.
Looking ahead, the series continues with the Nationals turning to Mitchell Parker (6-10, 5.00 ERA) against Twins All-Star Joe Ryan (10-4, 2.63 ERA). Betting models project the Twins with a 57% chance of victory in the next game, with a predicted scoreline of 5-3 in favor of Minnesota.
The performance by Zebby Matthews was a major boost for the injury-plagued Twins rotation. If he can replicate this form down the stretch, Minnesota’s postseason hopes could get a much-needed lift. For the Nationals, generating offense remains a pressing concern as they try to snap their scoreless streak and regain momentum.