By: Matt Rappa, managing editor 
Final: Twins 14, Phillies 10 ❖ Attendance: 25,714
MINNESOTA — The series opener between the Philadelphia Phillies (30-42) and Minnesota Twins (22-48) was the first game in Target Field history in which both opposing teams scored double digits in runs, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
The Twins' offense put together a season-high 14-run output.
And yet, the Phillies lost their eighth consecutive game despite putting together a 14-hit, 10-run performance with five extra-base hits — four being home runs that accounted for four-fifths of their runs.
Right-hander Aaron Nola lost his third consecutive decision as the Phillies fell to a season-high 12 games under the .500 mark. The team has lost 12 of their last 13 games and 25 of their last 31.
WP: Buddy Boshers (2-0, 0.90 ERA) ❖ LP: Aaron Nola (5-7, 4.11 ERA) ❖ SV: Brandon Kintzler (3)
Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| PHI | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 1 |
| MIN | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | X | 14 | 14 | 1 |
An early leadoff single by center fielder Odubel Herrera got the Phillies' nine-game road trip off to a fast start.
After stealing second for his 10th swipe of the season, Herrera advanced to third on a groundout by second baseman Andres Blanco and scored on a fielding error by second baseman Brian Dozier. On the same play, Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco was awarded his 34th RBI and his first since June 12 against the Nationals.
The Phillies' lead did not last long. Their scoring output was quadruped in the latter half, as the Twins scored four runs off Nola on three hits, a walk, and 24 pitches — 16 of which were strikes.
With runners on the corners and one out, Dozier singled to left to tie the game at one, which made up for his fourth error of the season in the top of the first. The next batter, third baseman Trevor Plouffe, tripled two runners home and scored the next play on a RBI groundout to second by right fielder Max Kepler, giving the Twins a 4-1 lead.
A two-out rally by the Phillies in the top of the second cut their deficit to just one. Shortstop Freddy Galvis' bunt single to left set up a two-run, second-deck home run by right fielder Peter Bourjos to left, his second home run of the season. Galvis had just one hit over his previous 22 plate appearances prior to his two-out base knock.
The Phillies retook the lead in the top of the third with back-to-back home runs by first baseman Tommy Joseph and catcher Cameron Rupp, their eighth and fifth of the season, respectively.
Minnesota put up another four-spot in the bottom of the third, thanks to a couple of fielding mistakes by Herrera and Galvis. With the bases loaded and one out, catcher Kurt Suzuki hit a two-run RBI-double just shy of Herrera's reach in center. Following a sacrifice fly RBI by center fielder Byron Buxton, shortstop Eduardo Nunez reached safely on a throwing error by the Phillies shortstop, allowing the Twins' eighth run of the series opener to score.
After three innings pitched, Twins starter Tyler Duffey and Nola allowed 14 combined runs on 14 hits and 124 pitches. With Minnesota up 8-6, Duffey was pulled despite throwing just 53 pitches on the night to start the fourth in favor of southpaw Buddy Boshers, his 12th appearance of the season.
The Phillies had a runner in scoring position with less than two outs against Bosher in the fourth, however Herrera was tagged out trying to score from third on a groundout to Plouffe at the hot corner. Franco was just short of tying the game at eight, with a deep flyout to the left field wall, caught by left fielder Robbie Grossman.
Similar to his counterpart Duffey, Nola was pulled in favor of left-hander Brett Oberholtzer in the fourth. Nola's final line included seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks spanning 71 pitches, 44 of which were thrown for strikes. Over his past three starts (9 2/3 innings), Nola has allowed 20 runs (17 earned) on 22 hits and seven walks for a 15.83 ERA.
Aaron Nola is first Phillies starter to pitch 4 or fewer innings and allow 4 or more runs in 3 straight starts since Gavin Floyd in 2005.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) June 22, 2016
The Twins extended their lead to four in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run blast by Suzuki off Oberholtzer to left, his fourth home run and RBI of the season and game, respectively. A Dozier RBI-triple in the sixth extended the Twins lead to five, 11-6.
The score would remain intact until the top of the eighth. Two batters after left fielder Cody Asche hit a double to left — his third hit of the game — Bourjos hit a RBI single to center, his third RBI of the night and 14th of the season. Two batters after Herrera walked, Franco hit a three-run jack to left field — the Phillies' fourth home run of the game — to shrink their deficit to one, 11-10.
Franco's 3-run homer is his first non-solo HR since April 23 (!!!) … Eight of his 12 home runs this year have been solo homers. #Phillies
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) June 22, 2016
Designated hitter Ryan Howard struck out swinging to end the rally in the eighth. He ended the night hitless in five at-bats with two strikeouts, lowering his season slash to .140/.198/.333.
Facing right-hander David Hernandez in the eighth, the Twins added a critical two-out insurance run to go up 12-10. It came on a RBI, pinch-hit single by Eduardo Escobar past the diving Blanco at second.
The Twins' offense did not stop there. The next batter, Suzuki, picked up his fifth and sixth RBIs of the game via a double to deep left field to give the Twins a 14-10 advantage.
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Nola | 3.0 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4.11 |
| Tyler Duffey | 3.0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6.18 |
Phillies
- Maikel Franco: 2-5, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, .239 AVG
- Tommy Joseph: 2-5, R, HR, 2 RBI, .238 AVG
- Peter Bourjos: 3-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, .229 AVG
Twins
- Brian Dozier: 3-5, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI, .244 AVG
- Trevor Plouffe: 2-5, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI, .244 AVG
- Kurt Suzuki: 4-5, 2 R, 2 2B, HR, 6 RBI, .265 AVG
Phillies
- Brett Oberholtzer (4th-6th): 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 5.50 ERA
- Severino Gonzalez (6th, 7th): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 1.69 ERA
- David Hernandez (8th): 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 4.28 ERA
Twins
- Buddy Boshers (4th, 5th): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 0.90 ERA
- Taylor Rogers (6th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 4.34 ERA
- Michael Tonkin (7th, 8th): 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 3.93 ERA
- Brandon Kintzler (8th, 9th): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 2.75 ERA
- Wednesday, June 22, 2016: at Minnesota Twins, 8:10 p.m.
- Target Field
- LHP Adam Morgan (1-6, 6.49 ERA) vs. RHP Kyle Gibson (0-5, 6.06 ERA)
- TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
