PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — In a poignant return to the city where his professional career began, Mick Abel delivered a masterful performance against his former team, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The loss, in front of a sold-out crowd of 40,506, had significant playoff implications beyond the two teams on the field. By shutting down the Phillies’ potent offense, the Twins inadvertently clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Abel, a first-round draft pick of the Phillies in 2020 who was traded to Minnesota in July as part of a package for closer Jhoan Duran, was dominant in his first start against his former club. The right-hander earned the win, improving to 3-4, after scattering just three hits and one walk across six scoreless innings. He struck out nine, consistently stifling a Philadelphia lineup that had averaged nearly five runs per game this season.

The Twins’ offense provided all the support Abel would need in the game’s first moments. Leadoff hitter Byron Buxton set the tone immediately, launching Ranger Suárez’s fifth pitch of the game for a solo home run, his 35th of the season, to left-center field. The early blast gave Minnesota a lead it would not relinquish.

Minnesota added to its lead in the fourth inning without the benefit of a long ball. Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee hit back-to-back singles, and Clemens later scored on a fielder’s choice groundout by Carson McCusker.

An inning later, James Outman extended the lead to 3-0 with a solo home run of his own, his sixth, hammering a Suárez offering deep to center field. The homer chased Suárez from the game after 4 1/3 innings. The Phillies’ left-hander, who fell to 12-8, was charged with three runs on nine hits while striking out four.

The Twins put the game out of reach in the seventh against reliever Max Lazar. Ryan Fitzgerald led off the inning with a solo shot to right field, his fourth of the year. Later in the frame, Austin Martin, who had walked, came around to score on a sharp RBI double by Ryan Jeffers, pushing the Minnesota advantage to 5-0.

While the Twins’ bats produced 11 hits, including three homers, the story of the game was the collective effort of the Minnesota pitching staff. Abel set the standard with his nine-strikeout effort, and the bullpen preserved the shutout.

Pierson Ohl followed Abel with two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Kody Funderburk closed out the game in the ninth, working around a single and a walk to seal the 5-0 victory. The trio of Twins pitchers combined to strand seven Philadelphia baserunners.

The Phillies, who fell to 96-66, managed seven hits but went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. Their best scoring chance came in the fourth inning when a walk to Bryce Harper and a single by Brandon Marsh, coupled with a fielding error, put runners on second and third with only one out. Abel escaped the jam by striking out Alec Bohm and getting J.T. Realmuto to fly out.

Philadelphia’s bullpen, after a rough start from Suárez, found its footing. Tim Mayza, Lou Trivino and Orion Kerkering combined for 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief, striking out four batters. Lazar was charged with the two seventh-inning runs over his 2 1/3 innings of work.

The loss was a missed opportunity for the Phillies, who had won the series opener 3-1 on Friday night. The Twins, who improved to 70-91, played the role of spoiler effectively, handing Philadelphia a defeat that carried weight for the National League playoff picture.

The game was played in a brisk 2 hours, 38 minutes. The result defied pregame projections, which heavily favored the Phillies. Statistical models gave Philadelphia a 70.6% probability to win, and the Phillies were installed as 1.5-run favorites. The total of five runs also fell well under the pregame over/under line of 8.5.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series and the regular season on Sunday.