Twins Blast Cubs 8-1 as Woods Richardson Outduels Imanaga

Tuesday, July 8th, 2025

Simeon Woods Richardson outpitched Shota Imanaga with five scoreless innings, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago Cubs 8-1 on Tuesday night at Target Field.

Ryan Jeffers had three RBI and the first of three home runs for the Twins in a six-run eighth inning off Porter Hodge. Hodge was also taken deep by Willi Castro and Harrison Bader in the inning and recorded only one out.

Royce Lewis drove in two runs for the Twins. All-Star Byron Buxton and Ryan Jeffers greeted Cubs starter Shota Imanaga with back-to-back doubles to start a two-run first inning for Minnesota.

Imanaga, who was an All-Star as an MLB rookie last year, finished six innings for the first time since April 4 after missing nearly two months with a strained hamstring. He took the loss, falling to 5-3 on the season.

The Twins again shielded Woods Richardson from the toughest matchups in the Cubs' batting order, turning to the bullpen earlier in the game. This strategy was employed during the third time through the heart of the order, which included dangerous hitters like Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Michael Busch.

The decision paid off, despite Woods Richardson throwing only 61 pitches against the highest-scoring team in the major leagues. Brock Stewart entered and struck out Dansby Swanson with runners at the corners to end the sixth inning, preserving the Twins' lead. Woods Richardson earned the win, improving his record to 5-4.

Justin Turner's 200th career home run in the ninth inning ended the shutout bid for the Twins.

Key Moment

Griffin Jax gave up a single and a walk with a two-run lead to start the eighth inning, creating a potential threat for the Cubs. However, Jax responded by striking out Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong before retiring Michael Busch on a line drive to right field, escaping the jam and setting the stage for the Twins' offensive explosion in the bottom half.

Key Stat

Simeon Woods Richardson, who spent nearly a month in Triple-A earlier this season, has been impressive recently. He has allowed just 11 hits in 26 innings with a 1.38 ERA over his last five starts, demonstrating improved form on the mound.

Up Next

The Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins continue their series on Wednesday. Right-hander Cade Horton (3-2, 4.15 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cubs in the middle game. The Twins will counter with right-hander David Festa (2-3, 5.48 ERA).

In summary

The Minnesota Twins defeated the Chicago Cubs 8-1 in their MLB game on Tuesday night, July 8, 2025. Twins pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson delivered a strong performance with five scoreless innings to earn the win. The Twins offense was highlighted by Ryan Jeffers' three RBI and a decisive six-run eighth inning that included home runs from Jeffers, Willi Castro, and Harrison Bader off Cubs reliever Porter Hodge. Shota Imanaga took the loss for the Cubs. The series continues Wednesday night at Target Field.

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