MINNEAPOLIS — The Angels really had their openings. They just couldn't finish any of them.
Los Angeles left runners in scoring position in six different innings Saturday and watched a tie evaporate in the bottom of the seventh, falling 5-3 to the Twins at Target Field.
The frustration started early. Nolan Schanuel led off the first with a double and Jorge Soler walked, but Vaughn Grissom popped out to strand both. Wade Meckler would then single to left and steal second in the second inning, but then got left at second when Denzer Guzman and Logan O'Hoppe both struck out.
Royce Lewis made the Angels pay for these missed opportunities. His two-run homer off Ryan Johnson in the second put Minnesota up 2-0, and Victor Caratini added a run on a sacrifice fly later that inning to make it 3-0 despite the early chances Los Angeles had already let slip away. Johnson settled in after that, working five innings and finishing with three runs allowed on three hits, three walks and a strikeout.
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Jul 11, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins first baseman Royce Lewis (23) heads to third base after hitting a home run against Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Ryan Johnson (32) in the second inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
The Angels finally broke through in the third. Zach Neto and Mike Trout each scored on a two-out double from Soler, trimming the deficit to 3-2, but Soler walked again in the fifth and was left stranded there too.
Los Angeles kept chipping away and finally tied it in the seventh, when Neto singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single from Schanuel. It lasted about a half-inning. Mitch Farris opened the bottom of the seventh with a double to Lewis, then gave up a double to Caratini that brought Lewis home for the Twins. Alan Roden followed with a single to score Caratini, and the lead the Angels had just fought for was gone.
There was still time to make something happen in the late innings. The Angels managed to put two runners on in the eighth, but O'Hoppe lined out to end it. In the ninth, Trout singled and Schanuel walked with one out, only for Soler to pop out and Grissom to strike out on a foul tip to end the game. Mitch Farris took the loss, falling to 0-1.
Soler finished with a hit, two RBIs and two walks despite the missed opportunities. Neto went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, and Trout added two hits of his own.
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Jul 11, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler (12) reacts to a foul ball in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
The Angels are 38-58 and have split the first two games of the series with Minnesota. Jose Soriano gets the ball Sunday against Taj Bradley in the finale, with first pitch scheduled for 11:10 a.m. PT as Los Angeles looks to salvage the series after a game it had chance after chance to win.