Josh Bell sparks comeback as Twins rally to beat Brewers, 8-6

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Josh Bell went 4 for 5 with a homer and Kaelen Culpepper also went deep in his major league debut as the Minnesota Twins erased a four-run deficit and beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Friday night.

Minnesota trailed 4-0 after two innings before scoring two runs each in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. It was the biggest lead Milwaukee has blown in a loss all season.

The Twins scored twice with two outs in the sixth to break a 6-all tie. After Antonio Senzatela (9-3) retired the first two batters he faced, Ryan Jeffers and Royce Lewis hit consecutive doubles. Bell singled home Lewis for his third RBI of the night.

Milwaukee wasted a couple of chances to rally.

The Brewers left the bases loaded in the seventh when Jeff Hoffman struck out Luis Lara. Milwaukee had runners on first and second in the eighth before Jackson Chourio grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Yoendrys Gómez retired the side in the order in the ninth for his 16th save in 16 opportunities.

Twins starter Zebby Matthews (5-8) left with a blister in his right foot after coming out for the start of the sixth inning. He allowed six runs — three earned — and seven hits in five innings.

Chourio hit a solo shot in the first inning for his third homer in his last four games. An error by Lewis led to three unearned Brewers runs in the second.

Bell cut Milwaukee’s lead in half by hitting a two-run homer with two outs in the third. Culpepper added a solo shot on an 0-2 pitch in the fourth inning.

The Twins tied it later in the fourth on Austin Martin’s RBI double. Ryan Kreidler tried scoring all the way from first for the go-ahead run, but he was thrown out at the plate.

Minnesota took the lead anyway an inning later by scoring twice more, but Milwaukee tied it back up with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Milwaukee's Shane Drohan allowed nine hits and six runs in five innings.

Taj Bradley (9-4, 3.69 ERA) pitches for the Twins and Robert Gasser (3-4, 4.48) starts for the Brewers on Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Minnesota Twins' Kaelen Culpepper flips his bat after hitting a solo home run for his first career hit and home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Luis Lara (18) reacts after striking out during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Minnesota Twins' Josh Bell gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Minnesota Twins' Josh Bell gestures as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

CHICAGO (AP) — Angel Martínez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs and the Cleveland Guardians beat the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox 8-2 on Friday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Steven Kwan added a solo home run to help the Guardians trim Chicago’s division lead to two games after being swept by the New York Mets.

Martínez’s third career slam came in the fifth inning after David Sandlin (2-2) gave up Chase DeLauter’s single, walked José Ramírez and hit Jo Adell. Martínez drove the first pitch to center. Austin Hedges added an RBI single in the inning.

Munetaka Murakami and Braden Montgomery had solo homers for the White Sox, They've lost a season-worst four straight and five of six.

All-Star left-hander Parker Messick (9-6) allowed four hits and both Chicago home runs in the first seven innings to win for the first time since July 10. He struck out eight and walked just one.

Sandlin was pressed into a long relief stint after starter Noah Schultz had to leave the game in the first inning. The right-hander gave up six runs, seven hits and walked four while striking out four in 5 1/3 innings.

Schultz had to leave the game by rule in the first after mound visits by pitching coach Zach Bove and manager Will Venable. Martínez tagged him for a two-run single to open the scoring.

Kwan homered off Sandlin to lead off the sixth.

The hometown crowd saved its loudest boos for something that didn’t happen on the field. The White Sox announced halfway through the ninth that a planned postgame performance by rapper Ja Rule was canceled due to travel issues.

Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (8-7, 3.87 ERA) was set to face RHP Davis Martin (9-6, 4.13) on Saturday. The White Sox will retire former player and manager Ozzie Guillen’s No. 13 before the game.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago White Sox' Sam Antonacci flies out to Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martínez watches his two-run RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martínez, right, celebrates with teammates Chase DeLauter, left, after hitting a grand slam during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martínez watches his grand slam during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)

Cleveland Guardians' Angel Martínez celebrates in the dugout after his grand slam during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)