BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by missed opportunities and a decisive swing, the Minnesota Twins overcame an early deficit to defeat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 on Monday night at Target Field, leveling both teams’ records at 4-6.

A crowd of 12,569 watched as the Twins’ offense, which had been held scoreless through two innings despite loading the bases, erupted for three runs in the third and never looked back, adding insurance late to secure the series-opening victory.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the fourth inning, immediately after Detroit had clawed back to tie the game. The Tigers, held hitless by Twins starter Joe Ryan through the first three frames, had just posted a three-run top of the fourth, capitalizing on a key error by shortstop Brooks Lee. Colt Keith’s two-run double and Zach McKinstry’s two-run single erased Minnesota’s 3-0 lead and momentarily shifted momentum.

That shift was abruptly and powerfully reversed in the home half of the inning. With two outs and a runner on first following a Trevor Larnach single, Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall stepped in against Detroit reliever Brant Hurter. On a 1-1 pitch, Keaschall launched his first home run of the season, a fly ball that cleared the left-field wall. The two-run blast instantly reclaimed the lead for Minnesota at 5-3 and silenced the Tigers’ budding rally. The homer not only restored the Twins’ advantage but also underscored a recurring theme for Detroit: an inability to sustain offensive pressure, as they would manage just one more hit the rest of the way.

The game began as a pitcher’s duel, with Ryan and Detroit starter Casey Mize trading zeroes. Ryan was dominant early, striking out five over the first three perfect innings. Mize navigated traffic, escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second by striking out James Outman and getting Lee to fly out.

Minnesota broke through in the third against Mize. Byron Buxton led off with a double, and after a walk loaded the bases, Victor Caratini drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly. Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis followed with RBI singles to complete the three-run inning, chasing Mize from the game.

Detroit’s response in the top of the fourth was fueled by Lee’s error on a Kevin McGonigle grounder. Keith’s double and McKinstry’s single brought all three runs home, but the Tigers left the bases loaded when Parker Meadows struck out. That missed chance loomed larger after Keaschall’s go-ahead homer.

From there, the Twins’ bullpen took over. After Ryan departed with one out in the fifth, having allowed three unearned runs on two hits with six strikeouts and three walks, a parade of relievers stifled the Tigers. Anthony Banda, Eric Orze, and Kody Funderburk combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out three.

Detroit’s best late chance came in the eighth, when they loaded the bases with one out against Funderburk on three consecutive walks. Manager Rocco Baldelli summoned Cody Laweryson, who promptly struck out Matt Vierling and got pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones to pop out, extinguishing the threat.

Minnesota then put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth. After three walks loaded the bases with two outs, Caratini delivered the final blow, lacing a two-run single to center off Drew Anderson to extend the lead to 7-3.

Laweryson returned to work a perfect ninth, sealing the win and earning his first save of the season.

Ryan (1-1) was credited with the win, while Mize (0-1) took the loss. The Tigers mustered only four hits total, with McKinstry’s two-run single accounting for their only hit with runners in scoring position. The Twins collected 10 hits, with Caratini and Keaschall each driving in two runs.

The victory snapped a two-game skid for the Twins, who had dropped close games to Tampa Bay over the weekend. The Tigers, coming off a series loss to St. Louis, have now lost four of their last five.

The loss defied pregame projections, as Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 5-4 Detroit victory, and its ELO system gave the Tigers a 56% probability to win. The combined 10 runs went under the posted over/under line of 7.5.

The two teams will continue their three-game series Tuesday night at Target Field.