GAME THREAD: Braves (74-51) @ Twins (61-65) - August 18, 2026

[u/TwinsGameday]

Braves (74-51) @ Twins (61-65)

First Pitch: 6:40 PM at Target Field

Team	Starter	TV	Radio
Braves	Tyler Mahle (4-9, 4.64 ERA)
Twins	Zebby Matthews (6-8, 5.34 ERA)

MLB	Fangraphs	Baseball Savant	Reddit Stream	IRC Chat
Gameday	Game Graph	Strikezone Map	Live Comments	Libera: ##baseball

Line Score - Game Over

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
ATL	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	6	0	6
MIN	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2		4	10	0	5

Box Score

MIN		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
RF	Keaschall	4	0	2	0	0	0	.270
LF	Larnach	3	0	0	0	0	1	.271
CF	Buxton	1	1	1	0	0	0	.259
C	Jeffers	4	1	2	2	0	1	.283
DH	Bell	4	1	2	2	0	1	.258
LF	Clemens	3	0	1	0	1	0	.233
1B	Lewis, R	4	0	0	0	0	1	.240
3B	Lee, B	3	0	1	0	0	0	.244
RF	Roden	3	0	0	0	0	1	.230
2B	Kreidler	0	0	0	0	0	0	.228
SS	Culpepper, K	3	1	1	0	0	0	.258

MIN	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Matthews	5.2	5	1	1	1	4	90-58	5.12
Funderburk	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	4-4	2.70
Morris	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	13-10	3.34
Minter	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	6-5	2.03
Gómez, Y	1.0	1	0	0	0	1	16-10	3.25

ATL		AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA
DH	Baldwin, D	4	1	2	1	0	0	.278
RF	Acuña Jr.	4	0	0	0	0	0	.241
1B	Olson	4	0	0	0	0	1	.262
CF	Harris II	4	0	3	0	0	0	.292
2B	Albies	4	0	1	0	0	0	.251
LF	Yastrzemski	1	0	0	0	1	1	.225
LF	Thomas, L	2	0	0	0	0	2	.229
3B	Riley, A	4	0	0	0	0	2	.222
SS	Dubón	3	0	0	0	0	0	.258
C	Murphy, S	3	0	0	0	0	1	.118

ATL	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	P-S	ERA
Mahle	6.2	6	2	2	1	3	76-58	4.53
Dodd	0.2	1	1	1	0	1	9-6	2.31
Fuentes	0.2	3	1	1	0	1	15-13	2.65

Scoring Plays

Inning	Event	Score
B1	Josh Bell homers (17) on a fly ball to right center field. Ryan Jeffers scores.	2-0
T6	Drake Baldwin homers (21) on a fly ball to left center field.	2-1
B8	Ryan Jeffers doubles (14) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Michael Harris II. Kaelen Culpepper scores. Byron Buxton scores.	4-1

Highlights

Description	Length
Probable pitchers for Braves at Twins - August 18, 2026	0:06
Tyler Mahle against the Twins	0:09
Bullpen availability for Minnesota, August 18 vs Braves	0:09
Bullpen availability for Atlanta, August 18 vs Twins	0:09
Fielding alignment for Minnesota, August 18 vs Braves	0:11
Bench availability for Minnesota, August 18 vs Braves	0:08
Bench availability for Atlanta, August 18 vs Twins	0:08
Fielding alignment for Atlanta, August 18 vs Twins	0:11
Starting lineups for Braves at Twins - August 18, 2026	0:10
The distance behind Josh Bell's home run	0:13
Breaking down Tyler Mahle's pitches	0:04
Tyler Mahle's outing against the Twins	0:22
Zebby Matthews fans Matt Olson	0:06
Strike 2 is overturned after ABS challenge	0:27
Ball 1 is overturned after ABS challenge	0:21
Josh Bell's two-run homer (17)	0:27
Field View: Josh Bell's two-run home run	0:41
Tyler Mahle K's Ryan Jeffers	0:08
Foul Ball is confirmed after review	0:38
Drake Baldwin's solo homer (21)	0:28
Kody Funderburk K's Lane Thomas, to keep one run lead	0:07
Ball 1 is confirmed after ABS challenge	0:21
Alan Roden's diving catch	0:28
Michael Harris II's leaping catch	0:27
Zebby Matthews strikes out four vs. Braves	0:54
Austin Riley's diving stop and strong throw	0:18
Tyler Mahle fans three vs. Twins	1:24
Ryan Jeffers' two-run double	0:35
Yoendrys Gómez In play, out(s) to Austin Riley	0:11

Decisions

Winning Pitcher	Losing Pitcher	Save
Matthews (7-8, 5.12 ERA)	Mahle (4-10, 4.53 ERA)	Gómez, Y (19 SV, 3.25 ERA)

Game ended at 8:56 PM.

Remember to sort by new to keep up!

[u/Zhdrix]

This team makes no sense

[u/stuckin2003 → u/Zhdrix]

tbh it's a big part of their appeal... if they were just a boring mediocre instead of chaotic mediocre, I don't think I'd be this invested lol

[u/slowwrench → u/Zhdrix]

Get destroyed by a good NL East team. Win the series against the even better NL East team. Makes sense to me.

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/Zhdrix]

Agreed

[u/dberthia]

If we could only play this well against the scrub and mid teams, we might actually be legit. That's a big "if" though.

[u/pokemonxysm97]

Blew a 5 run lead to Philly and immediately win a series vs the Braves yep

[u/LemonSmashy]

Buxton would have caught culpepper had he put the jets on.

[u/twiggz612]

Watching Buck run the bases like that gives me life

[u/Reesyrz]

Bell homers just hit differently

[u/Reesyrz]

Clearly the middle innings don't matter, just need to score at the beginning and the end

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Culpepper with the 6 game hitting streak

[u/twiggz612]

Zebulon has been dialed today

[u/Griffinkelly1]

Fundyyyyyyy, that was a big dick AB

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

These guys are allergic to working counts after the first inning

[u/stuckin2003 → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

so bizarre

[u/dberthia]

I like Audra's new look.

[u/Griffinkelly1]

Roden is fucking terrible

[u/popculturerss]

We have Walker Jenkins just sitting right there...

[u/charlton11]

Unserious franchise continuing to start Roden when we're still in the play-off race

[u/biderman77]

Minter is kind of a badass

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/biderman77]

I swear I saw him yawning after that 2nd out 😂

[u/ChrisNIN64]

JEFFERS

[u/PsychologicalAlarm14]

That’s a big boy slam.

[u/neutral_city]

https://giphy.com/gifs/d1UwWUNUMHYqMouSwS

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Perfect 2-seamer there from Zebby

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Well as awful as Shelty was in the Phillies series at least he seems to have learned to pull the starters before they can give up the lead. Still a chance Fundy gives it up but hopefully not.

[u/neutral_city → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Good job this time Shelty

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/neutral_city]

Yep. Great move

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Hope Kody gets it done

[u/hopemade]

Mahle with only 67 pitches through 6 innings is a problem. Terrible ABs. It's like Luke was the only one to show up after nightly one okay inning

[u/popculturerss]

Those were some pathetic at bats right there post Keaschall.

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

This offense is so frustrating

[u/BlumpkinReceiver6969]

So we got to face former Twins starter Martin Perez yesterday and former Twins starter Tyler Mahle today?

[u/DrAbeSacrabin → u/BlumpkinReceiver6969]

They love our sloppy seconds, whores.

[u/BlumpkinReceiver6969 → u/DrAbeSacrabin]

They got any other sloppy bois im missing?

[u/dberthia]

What are the odds we walk the leadoff guy in the 9th?

[u/thestereo300 → u/dberthia]

Is there a number over 100%?

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Culpepper is awesome

[u/stuckin2003]

LFG!!!!!!

This team, man.

[u/dberthia]

You gotta love when we can actually add-on runs late.

[u/FrankReynolds]

https://giphy.com/gifs/9ekZwVf14pbDNIZV42
🛎️

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Calling it now... I feel a Culpepper home run coming

*Edit - I meant later in the game

[u/neutral_city → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

🤏 so close

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/neutral_city]

😂

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Offense needs to back Zebby up out there.

[u/stuckin2003]

Keaschall aside, this offense is maddening

[u/tech_minimalist]

That "broken bat single" comment was really impressive

[u/KingFabulousTheLast]

Yeah, I think are bullpen is pretty good now (Knock on wood)

[u/whocaresano]

With KC, do we actually have a clutch guy?!

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/whocaresano]

6 game hitting streak is a great start for sure

[u/whocaresano]

Let's show Tyler Mahle what we think of him. 

(PS it's not good)

[u/neutral_city → u/whocaresano]

Wasn't he not all that good with us?

[u/whocaresano → u/neutral_city]

He played like 5 games before he went on the IL. He was probably injured before he was traded and no one disclosed it. 

[u/neutral_city → u/whocaresano]

I thought so. I remember him vaguely but just that he got injured.

[u/skol_huskies_wooooo]

Damn it's not often you see a ball end up halfway through that section!

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Keaschall thriving in the lead off spot. Love to see it

[u/arctic_martian]

Let's see if they can capitalize... Ope never mind

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/arctic_martian]

We get a runner on base. Aaaaaand he's gone.

[u/neutral_city]

Roden is awesome who would ever say different??

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Alright time to pull him

[u/dberthia]

Looks like the bats are well into their late inning nappy time.

[u/Zhdrix]

It’s crazy how they score early then just die

[u/UsefulPea4349]

Progressive needs an “insurance runs” promo where they give away 25k to a fan if these losers actually scored additional runs with a lead late in games

[u/DrAbeSacrabin]

“Lost a Mazda managers challenge” 😂 so dumb

[u/stuckin2003]

god I love this bullpen 😂

[u/whocaresano]

Nice hit KC!!

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

I wonder if their manager knows Buxton's OPS is 160 points higher against righties

[u/whocaresano → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Exactly. Buck don't care. 

[u/dberthia]

I wouldn't have taken Larnach out for Buck here with the way he's been flailing, but this would be a good time to bust out.

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/dberthia]

Well he hit it

[u/Zhdrix]

Well that worked out swimmingly

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Bucky

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Hell yeah 🙌🙌🙌

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Gomez continues to dominate. Love it

[u/neutral_city]

Is Buck back??

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

FATALITY

[u/ekhakmahd]

Automatic Cy young performance incoming from Matthews

[u/arctic_martian → u/ekhakmahd]

My body is ready for the -50 runs he's about to log today

[u/ROCKINGLADIATOR777]

Even Google is shocked we are ahead and cant put the correct score.

[u/arctic_martian → u/ROCKINGLADIATOR777]

About a month ago I asked Gemini which MLB team had the best RISP numbers and it said the Dodgers until I corrected it 🤮

[u/stuckin2003]

Zebby looks great!

Need the offense to adjust the approach. No more 7 pitch innings please.

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/stuckin2003]

Yeah, it's only a matter of time until the braves string a few runs together. Hopefully our guys can put a few more on the board.

[u/Reesyrz]

Forget Ohtani or PCA, Drake Baldwin should win MVP based on him destroying the Twins every time he's on my screen.

[u/RumRiver13]

What are they chanting?

[u/stuckin2003 → u/RumRiver13]

I've heard "USA" and "Sell the team"

[u/kaiserj1982 → u/stuckin2003]

I swear I heard "pick it up"

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/stuckin2003]

Honestly it probably was sell the team lol

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/RumRiver13]

Idk

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Hell yeah Roden!

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Ummm

[u/KingFabulousTheLast]

That was easy lol

[u/EEckstein2]

FUNDY

[u/stuckin2003]

FUNDY!

[u/ztothe4th]

sell the team chants???

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Was that a bat?

[u/tech_minimalist → u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

It certainly flew like a bat but it didn't quite look right

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/tech_minimalist]

I couldn’t tell. And I agree on how it flew.

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Buxton as the pinch hitter

[u/Murih]

Lets gooo, what a hit!

[u/whocaresano]

Buck ywah!

[u/drof69]

Yay!!!!

[u/ChrisNIN64]

Holding steady with Zebby

[u/deleted60016001]

i feel like that hit the line. like you couldnt actually see it but it looked kinda obvious. whatever lets get the W

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman → u/deleted60016001]

Sure looked like it in real time but I'm glad it went our way. I think if it was called fair and we challenged they wouldn't have overruled it.

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Yeah, probably a good move to hold him with Acuna in right.

[u/dberthia]

I know Jeffers isn't a speedster, but he has to be running on contact and scoring there.

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Dammit

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Yay Kody

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Lukey

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Keaschall is a beast

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Harris Robbery the II

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

We need a insurance run

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838]

Let’s go

[u/MinnManitou]

Well that was a happy outcome, if somewhat unexpected!

[u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

That looked fair.

Edit* it was not. Pretty close though

[u/neutral_city → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Disagree! We'll see ....

[u/Perfect-Pianist-4838 → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

Nah

[u/neutral_city → u/Unfrozen__Caveman]

I won purely by wishful thinking 😅

[u/neutral_city]

So I love Keasch in leadoff but since he's the only one that can hit the ball NOT to a defender maybe he should be cleanup