Brooks Lee’s Walk-Off Bunt Single Lifts Twins to 6-5 Win Over Rays
Brooks Lee’s major league moment came in the most unexpected way: a walk-off bunt single.
In just his third MLB game, Lee delivered a perfectly placed bunt down the third-base line in the bottom of the ninth inning, scoring Willi Castro and lifting the Minnesota Twins to a thrilling 6-5 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night at Target Field.
With the game tied 5-5 and runners on the corners with one out, Lee, the Twins’ No. 2 prospect, dropped down a surprise bunt that caught the Rays’ infield off guard. Third baseman Isaac Paredes charged in but had no play as the ball rolled gently onto the grass. Castro crossed the plate without a throw, and the Twins mobbed Lee in celebration near first base.
“I wasn’t expecting to be the hero like that,” Lee said, grinning after the game. “We just wanted to find a way to win, and I saw the opportunity with the infield back. It felt right.”
The walk-off capped a wild game that saw Minnesota claw back from a 5-2 deficit. Ryan Jeffers ignited the comeback with a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and Carlos Santana tied it in the eighth with a clutch RBI single off Tampa Bay reliever Phil Maton.
Minnesota’s bullpen held firm, with Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran combining for two scoreless innings to keep the game level heading into the ninth.
In the final frame, Castro led off with a walk and moved to third on a single by Matt Wallner. That set the stage for Lee, who had already collected two hits earlier in the game. Instead of swinging away, the rookie infielder dropped down a game-winning bunt — a gutsy decision, whether it came from the dugout or on his own.
Manager Rocco Baldelli praised Lee’s baseball instincts. “It’s not often you see a young player take a situation like that into his own hands and execute so flawlessly,” Baldelli said. “That was a veteran move from a guy who’s just getting started.”
For Lee, the moment was especially sweet. Drafted eighth overall in 2022, he made his big-league debut earlier this week and recorded his first hit just two days ago. Now, he has a walk-off game-winner to add to his growing résumé.
The Twins (48-39) have now won four straight and continue to gain ground in the AL Central. The Rays (45-43), meanwhile, suffered a tough loss despite a solid performance from their bullpen.
The two teams will wrap up the series Sunday afternoon.
