Josh Bell, Kody Clemens power Twins to 8-3 win against Astros

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jul 2, 2026

Published in Baseball

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The Twins are a team with some obvious weaknesses, particularly their bullpen and infield defense, but their offense is keeping them on the fringes of the playoff race as they enter the season’s fourth month.

Josh Bell, who homered twice against Houston Astros starter Tatsuya Imai in May, crushed a two-run, 452-foot homer over the batter’s eye in center field during the first inning Wednesday, and Kody Clemens belted a three-run homer in the second inning.

The Twins knocked Imai out of the game after he recorded only four outs, and they rolled to an 8-3 win at Daikin Park, taking two of three games in their series against Houston with Byron Buxton sidelined (right hip impingement). The Twins have won five of their last six series.

Taj Bradley struck out 11 batters, matching a career high, across five innings, while giving up four hits and one run.

It’s easier to pitch, of course, when the offense keeps providing early run support. Trevor Larnach hit a leadoff double, and Bell blasted his third homer in three at-bats against Imai when he drilled a hanging slider with two outs. It was the longest homer by a Twins batter this year.

Imai stranded the bases loaded in the first inning, surviving a pair of two-out walks. But he walked two of the first three batters in the second inning before Clemens deposited an elevated fastball into the right-field seats for a three-run homer with his parents watching in the stands.

It was Clemens’ 14th homer of the season, and he’s totaled eight in his last 24 games.

The Twins, who rank sixth in the majors in runs (429) and first in the American League, added two more runs in the fifth inning when Larnach hit a ground ball up the middle with two runners in scoring position and two outs. Larnach’s grounder bounced off the second base bag, and the ball deflected over Astros shortstop Raynel Delgado.

Larnach broke into a smile at first base after his fortunate two-run single.

Bradley, who had to sit through some long innings on the bench, threw a first-pitch strike to 16 of his 21 batters, and constantly looked like he was on the attack. He recorded 10 of his first 12 outs via strikeout, almost giving Twins defense a few innings off.

The Astros had at least two runners on base in each of the first three innings, but Bradley kept coming up with strikeouts. The only ball in play that turned into an out in the first four innings was a double play when the Twins traded two outs for a run.

Houston scored two runs in the sixth inning against Twins reliever Cody Laweryson, benefitting from an error that was charged to Clemens when his throw took Royce Lewis’ foot off first base. Laweryson gave up RBI singles to Joey Loperfido and Nick Allen with two outs before Andrew Morris entered to retire Jose Altuve with two runners on base.

Luke Keaschall, who made a diving catch on the warning track in the fifth inning that impressed Bradley, hit a solo homer in the eighth inning.

Injury updates

Mick Abel underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in North Texas on Wednesday, completed by Dr. Keith Meister. The Twins did not immediately announce a timetable for Abel’s return.

Bailey Ober is expected to make a rehab start for the Class AAA St. Paul Saints on Saturday, perhaps his final rehab start before rejoining the Twins rotation. Ober made a rehab start with high-A Cedar Rapids last Sunday.

Ryan Jeffers, recovering from hamate surgery, continues to take batting practice at CHS Field in St. Paul. The Twins have yet to clear him to begin a rehab assignment, but he continues to build up his volume of swings.

Shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper, who left Tuesday’s game in St. Paul after he was hit by a pitch on his left hand, is considered day-to-day after an X-ray came back clean. He was out of the Saints lineup Wednesday, but he participated in pregame fielding drills with other infielders.