Berrios fans 11, Twins hit 3 homers in 7-4 win over Marlins

Jose Berrios struck out a season-high 11 in seven innings and the Minnesota Twins hit three homers in a 7-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.

Max Kepler hit his 29th homer of the season, Mitch Garver added a three-run shot and Eddie Rosario had a two-run home run as the Twins won for the fifth time in six games. Minnesota leads the majors with 209 home runs, 16 shy of the club record set in 1963. It was the 32nd time this season the Twins hit at least three homers in a game.

Berrios (10-5) retired the first 12 batters he faced, including six on strikeouts, before Neil Walker led off the fifth inning with a dribbler down the third-base line. Starlin Castro followed with a base hit to center. The 25-year-old right-hander settled in and retired the next nine batters before being lifted with a big lead. He allowed just two hits and didn't walk a batter while lowering his ERA to 2.80.

Minnesota Twins' Eddie Rosario (20) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in Miami. (AP PhotoLynne Sladky)

Miami's Brian Anderson hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to cut the Marlins' deficit to 7-4.

Taylor Rogers came on to strike out the final two batters, earning his 17th save in 22 chances.

Garver's three-run homer, his 20th, gave the Twins a 3-0 lead in the third.

Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler (26) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in Miami. (AP PhotoLynne Sladky)

The Twins added four runs on five hits in the fifth inning. Kepler led off with a homer. After Garver singled, Rosario connected for a two-run homer to right field. Marwin Gonzalez doubled to give Minnesota a 7-0 lead.

Anderson's slam, his second of the season, came off Sean Poppen after the Marlins opened the inning with three straight singles.

Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara (4-10) allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara gestures after Minnesota Twins' Mitch Garver was safe at first with a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in Miami. (AP PhotoLynne Sladky)

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Michael Pineda (7-5, 4.30 ERA) will pitch Thursday's series finale, looking to stay hot with a 3-2 record and 2.87 ERA over his last eight starts.

Marlins: RHP Jordan Yamamoto (4-2, 3.64) allowed a career-high six runs on two hits over four innings in a loss against Arizona.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios walks to the dugout during the fourth inning of the team's baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in Miami. (AP PhotoLynne Sladky)

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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jose Berrios, left, talks with second baseman Luis Arraez (2) after being removed during the seventh inning of the team's baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in Miami. The Twins won 7-4. (AP PhotoLynne Sladky)

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara stands on the mound as Minnesota Twins' Eddie Rosario rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 31, 2019, in Miami. (AP PhotoLynne Sladky)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Detroit Lions can't win the NFC North after taking the last two titles. The Minnesota Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention before they took the field two weeks ago.

The 29 wins these division rivals combined for last season are a distant memory now, the latest example of how quickly trajectories can shift for teams in this league from year to year.

The Lions and Vikings were a natural pair for one of the league's three showcase matchups streaming on Christmas Day, with high-scoring offenses and plenty of star power, but the holiday movies might bump this game back a bit in the queue for some Netflix subscribers given the current state of the two teams. The earlier matchup on Thursday between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders looks like an even bigger letdown, with both NFC East rivals eliminated from contention for the playoffs.

The Lions, at least, have a chance to return to the postseason even if they need help.

The roadmap is simple: Beat Minnesota on Thursday and Chicago next week and have Green Bay lose its last two games, against Baltimore on Saturday and at Minnesota in Week 18.

After reaching the NFC championship game for the 2023 season and logging a franchise-record 15 wins last season, the Lions (8-7) are in trouble after losing at home to Pittsburgh last week for their first two-game losing streak in more than three years.

“We haven’t had that feeling. It’s creeping in on us now,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “We've got to find a way.”

Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer has been preparing in this shortened week for his second start at quarterback for the Vikings (7-8), yet another unexpected development in this rocky season.

Brosmer got a most difficult assignment in his first career start on Nov. 30 at Seattle against one of the NFL’s best defenses, with J.J. McCarthy sidelined by a concussion and Carson Wentz done for the year following shoulder surgery. Brosmer threw four interceptions in a 26-0 loss to the Seahawks that was the first shutout for the Vikings in 18 years.

This time, with McCarthy unavailable because of a hairline fracture in his throwing hand, Brosmer gets to play at home against a far more vulnerable defense — with the invaluable experience from Seattle ingrained in his mind.

“My dream for a long time has been to play in the NFL, and for me mentally to define myself by one game wouldn’t be fair to the younger me watching me play football in the NFL,” Brosmer said.

With three starters in its secondary on injured reserve, including star safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, the Lions defense has fallen apart. It allowed the Steelers three different 45-yard touchdowns last week, two rushing and one passing.

Brosmer, on the other hand, relieved McCarthy for the second half against the New York Giants and helped the Vikings win their third straight game, without any of the turnovers that crushed them against the Seahawks.

“It’s all about finding little ways to improve on your craft and improve with the guys you’re playing with,” said Brosmer, who successfully told himself to slow down his process after reading the routes and coverages too quickly in Seattle. “It’s a good feeling to be in the huddle with the guys and see the fruits of your labor.”

The rushing attack that fueled Detroit's success over the previous two seasons has lagged this year. The offensive line lost two starters from 2024 who weren't adequately replaced, and injuries have had members of this season's group in and out of the lineup.

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, as a result, haven't been nearly as productive, and the play-action passing game Goff is so good at hasn't been quite as effective, either.

Last week, the Lions netted just 15 rushing yards for their lowest total since 2016. They're 0-6 this season when failing to reach 100 rushing yards, including the Nov. 2 loss at home to Minnesota.

“It’s very difficult to control anything if you can’t control the run game,” coach Dan Campbell said.

The Lions had won 15 straight times after a loss to match the league’s longest such streak with Denver (1984 to 1988) and Baltimore (2009 to 2012), according to Sportradar data, until their late rally fell short in the wild finish last week against Pittsburgh.

This is the first time Detroit has dropped consecutive games since starting 1-6 in 2022 during Campbell’s second season.

The Vikings were one of only three teams that didn't have at least one Pro Bowl selection, just the third time in franchise history that has happened — following 1983 and 2014. Last season, the Vikings had seven players honored while winning 14 games.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer (12) looks to pass against the New York Giants during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Detroit Lions' Jared Goff passes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)