Twins Swept by Reds, Despite Big Day from Bailey Ober

Minnesota's four-game losing streak comes to an end after extra-inning defeat.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 9:35pm

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A cubist, geometric painting breaking down a baseball game into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, representing the ups and downs of the Twins' young season.A fractured, cubist depiction of the Twins' extra-inning defeat, capturing the highs and lows of their roller-coaster start to the 2026 season.Minneapolis Today

The Minnesota Twins were swept by the Cincinnati Reds after losing 7-4 in extra innings on Sunday, despite a strong outing from starting pitcher Bailey Ober who struck out 10 batters over 6.1 innings. The Twins had taken an early 3-0 lead, but the Reds rallied late to complete the series sweep at Target Field.

Why it matters

The Twins' four-game losing streak is their first of the young 2026 season, dropping them to 11-11 on the year. After climbing to the top of the American League standings, this series sweep represents a regression back to the mean for Minnesota, who now face a tough road trip against the Mets and Rays.

The details

Bailey Ober delivered his best start of the season, striking out 10 batters over 6.1 innings while allowing just 3 hits and 4 walks. The Twins built an early 3-0 lead thanks to RBIs from Victor Catarini and Josh Bell. But the Reds rallied late, scoring 4 runs in the 9th inning off reliever Andrew Morris to take a 4-3 lead. Minnesota forced extra innings on an RBI double from Austin Martin, but the Reds pulled away with 3 more runs in the 10th to complete the sweep.

  • On Sunday, April 19, 2026, the Twins lost to the Reds 7-4 in extra innings.
  • Bailey Ober's 10-strikeout performance was his first with 10+ Ks since September 18, 2024.

The players

Bailey Ober

The Twins' starting pitcher who struck out 10 batters over 6.1 innings in the loss.

Victor Catarini

The Twins' outfielder who drove in 2 runs to give Minnesota an early lead.

Josh Bell

The Twins' first baseman who had an RBI single to extend the team's early advantage.

Andrew Morris

The Twins' reliever who gave up 4 runs in the 9th inning to allow the Reds to take the lead.

Austin Martin

The Twins' outfielder who hit a game-tying RBI double in the 9th inning to force extra innings.

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What they’re saying

“We're only 22 games into the season, and it has already been a roller coaster for the Twins. Despite relatively low expectations from the outside public and a 1-4 start, they climbed all the way to the top of the American League standings heading into the weekend. They've now seemingly regressed back to the mean with their first four-game losing streak of the season.”

— Tony Liebert, Author

What’s next

The Twins will look to bounce back on the road, starting a three-game series against the Mets on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:10pm CT, followed by three games against the Rays over the weekend.

The takeaway

This series sweep highlights the ups and downs of the Twins' young 2026 season so far, as they've gone from a hot start to their first significant losing streak. The team will need to regroup quickly as they hit the road to face two tough opponents in the Mets and Rays.