PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Mick Abel delivered a dominant performance in his first start against his former team, striking out nine over six scoreless innings to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The win, witnessed by a crowd of 40,506, clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason for the Milwaukee Brewers, who now cannot be caught by the Phillies in the National League standings.

Abel, a former first-round draft pick of the Phillies in 2020 who was traded to Minnesota in July, was in command from the outset. He allowed just three hits and one walk while earning his third win of the season against four losses. The right-hander set the tone early, striking out the side in the bottom of the first inning after his team had staked him to a lead.

The Twins provided that lead immediately against Phillies starter Ranger Suárez. Byron Buxton led off the game with his 35th home run of the season, sending a fly ball into the seats in left-center field. Minnesota added to its lead in the fourth inning. Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee hit consecutive singles, and Clemens later scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Carson McCusker.

James Outman extended the advantage to 3-0 in the fifth inning with a solo home run to center field, his sixth of the year. Suárez was chased from the game later in the inning after allowing nine hits and three runs over 4 1/3 innings. He fell to 12-8 on the season.

Minnesota put the game out of reach in the seventh against reliever Max Lazar. Ryan Fitzgerald led off the inning with a solo homer to right field, his fourth. Later in the frame, Austin Martin walked and scored on a double by Ryan Jeffers.

The Twins’ bullpen preserved the shutout behind Abel. Pierson Ohl followed with two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Kody Funderburk pitched the ninth, working around two hits to close out the game.

The Phillies’ offense struggled to capitalize on opportunities, going 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and leaving seven men on base. Their best chance came in the fourth inning when a walk to Bryce Harper and a single by Brandon Marsh, compounded by a fielding error, put runners on second and third with one out. Abel escaped the jam by striking out Alec Bohm and getting J.T. Realmuto to fly out.

The loss dropped the Phillies to 96-66, while the Twins improved to 70-91. The two teams conclude their three-game series on Sunday.