MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Eugenio Suárez delivered a decisive two-run double in the fourth inning, and a quartet of Cincinnati Reds pitchers made the slim lead stand up in a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at Target Field.

A crowd of 31,220 watched a brisk, 2-hour, 34-minute pitchers’ duel that defied pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had forecast a 7-6 Twins win, but the contest instead became a tense, low-scoring affair where one swing proved the difference.

The game’s pivotal sequence unfolded in the top of the fourth against Twins starter Joe Ryan. After Elly De La Cruz laced a one-out double to right field, Sal Stewart reached on a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Kreidler, allowing De La Cruz to take third. Suárez then stepped in and lined a double to deep center field, scoring both runners and providing all the offense the Reds would require.

Suárez finished 2 for 4, accounting for half of Cincinnati’s four hits. The Reds’ other two hits were a second-inning single by Stewart and a seventh-inning single by Suárez.

Minnesota’s lone response came in the fifth inning, capitalizing on control issues from Reds starter Brandon Williamson. Williamson walked the bases loaded with no outs, bringing Austin Martin to the plate. Martin lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Brooks Lee to cut the deficit to 2-1. Williamson then induced a crucial inning-ending 5-4-3 double play from Luke Keaschall to escape further damage.

Williamson (2-1) earned the win, navigating 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He allowed three hits, struck out two and walked four, consistently working around traffic. The bullpen took over from there. Connor Phillips recorded the final two outs of the sixth, Tony Santillan handled a scoreless seventh and Graham Ashcraft worked a hitless eighth.

Closer Emilio Pagán entered for the ninth and retired the Twins in order, striking out Tristan Gray before getting Byron Buxton to ground out to end the game. It was Pagán’s sixth save of the season.

Ryan (2-2) was the hard-luck loser for Minnesota, pitching six strong innings. He surrendered two runs, only one earned, on three hits while striking out six. The Twins’ bullpen was equally effective, as Justin Topa, Kody Funderburk and Cole Sands combined for three hitless innings of relief.

Minnesota managed five hits but went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. Josh Bell had two of the Twins’ hits, both singles.

The victory improved Cincinnati’s record to 12-8, while Minnesota fell to 11-9. The Reds have now won seven of their last ten games. The teams are scheduled to continue their three-game series Saturday at Target Field.

According to pregame betting lines, Minnesota was installed as a -1.5 favorite, and the total score of three runs went well under the over/under line of 7.5. Despite the betting odds, Interstat’s ELO system had given Cincinnati a slight 50.6% probability to win.