Angels Rally Late, Walk Off Twins for Another Gut Punch Loss

MLB Angels Rally Late, Walk Off Twins for Another Gut Punch Loss

By Ben Gale

September 20, 2026 • 6:04 AM EDT

Updated 3 hours ago

Angels Rally Late, Walk Off Twins for Another Gut Punch Loss

If you’re a long-suffering Twins fan, this one hurt — again. Minnesota looked in control with a 5-2 lead late, but the bullpen let it slip and the Angels walked them off in the 11th. That’s two last-second, gut-wrenching losses to the Halos in three days. This game hit every nerve: wasted leads, blown saves, missed opportunities, and a bullpen that just couldn’t slam the door when it mattered most.

Walker Jenkins kept up his recent hot streak, helping set the tone early with a leadoff single in the third. He came around to score, and after a sharp-looking double steal, the Twins scraped together a 2-0 advantage. They even built it to 3-0 and stayed ahead as late as the eighth. It looked like they’d finally push back against the Angels’ comeback machine.

Then, of course, it all unraveled. Joe Ryan gave Minnesota five solid innings, and Victor Caratini gave the lineup some life with a pair of RBI singles. But the Angels did what the Angels do at home lately and chipped away, using a two-run blast from Jose Siri and a timely Adam Frazier double to make it close. Suddenly, a night that felt pretty secure for Minnesota turned into another horror show. According to Yahoo Sports, the Angels delivered yet another overtime heartbreaker, sending the Twins reeling.

The bullpen bookended a generally tough night for Minnesota. A.J. Minter gave up a game-tying home run to Vaughn Grissom in the ninth, erasing what could have been a rare stress-free win. Taylor Rogers, once the go-to closer, at least got the Twins into extra frames with a couple of big strikeouts. But eventually, even a five-man infield couldn’t hold back the flood, and a deflected single from Christian Moore put the knife in for good in the 11th. That felt almost inevitable the way things have been going for Minnesota’s bullpen lately.

Walker Jenkins kept the Twins’ offense alive early with a pair of hits and a run scored, setting up an early lead.
Joe Ryan handled five innings, but surrendered a key homer to Jose Siri to let the Angels back in it.
Victor Caratini added two crucial RBI singles, though the insurance ultimately wasn’t enough.
The Angels lit up Minnesota’s bullpen: Adam Frazier doubled in two off Yoendrys Gomez, and Vaughn Grissom homered off Minter to tie it in the ninth.
Taylor Rogers escaped a jam to send it to extras, but Christian Moore’s infield single scored the winning run in the 11th.
This was the Twins’ second walk-off loss to the Angels in just three days, a massive blow to their playoff heartbeat.

Why This Loss Stings for the Twins

When the bullpen can’t protect leads, it sucks the life out of a playoff chase. Minnesota had two chances to close out the Angels, and both slipped through their fingers. The Tigers and Twins are both now on the edge, hanging by a thread: just a single White Sox win tomorrow could officially knock both clubs out. Every mistake becomes magnified with the postseason on the line.

Key Takeaways for Bettors

The Twins’ bullpen is a liability in tight, late-game spots — be wary of Minnesota late-inning leads until they show signs of locking things down.
Walker Jenkins continues to be a bright spot, especially in prop markets for hits and runs — he’s seeing the ball well and impacting games.
Extra innings continue to haunt the Twins as they’ve now suffered consecutive walk-off defeats in Anaheim. That matters for live betting and unders in close games.
If the White Sox win tomorrow, Detroit and Minnesota’s playoff hopes are officially over, so approach futures markets with caution.
The Angels have shown grit in comeback wins, making them sneaky in second-half or live moneyline spots, especially at home.
Bettors should consider the emotional fatigue on the Twins after multiple extra-inning losses — it can impact both performance and clubhouse energy.
Late collapses keep punishing Minnesota. If you’re backing them, know that no lead is safe right now until this team rewrites the script.

Studs and Duds Recap

Studs: Taylor Rogers (4 Ks in relief, kept hope alive), Victor Caratini (2 RBI), and Walker Jenkins (2-for-4, scoring big runs).
Duds: Yoendrys Gomez and A.J. Minter combined to give away the late lead and let the Angels back in just when the Twins looked to have things sewn up.

What to Watch Moving Forward

Minnesota now faces must-win territory, with the White Sox holding all the playoff power. The bullpen’s inconsistency means you should factor late-inning volatility into every Twins wager right now. The Angels, meanwhile, are living for chaos and proving they’re never out of a game — especially at home. If you’re hunting for value, keep riding those Angels’ live lines; their resilience is real.

More coverage: latest MLB news, MLB analysis and odds and today’s MLB picks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Christian Moore delivered the game-winning infield single in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving the Angels a 6-5 walk-off win over the Twins.

Minnesota led 5-2 late before their bullpen allowed a two-run double by Adam Frazier and a game-tying ninth-inning homer by Vaughn Grissom, forcing extras.

Walker Jenkins (2-for-4, run scored), Victor Caratini (two RBI singles), and Taylor Rogers (four strikeouts in relief) were standouts for Minnesota.

This was Minnesota’s second walk-off loss to the Angels in three days, a tough stretch that’s damaged the Twins’ playoff hopes.

A single win by the Chicago White Sox can now officially eliminate both the Twins and Tigers, so Minnesota’s margin for error is effectively gone.

Joe Ryan started for the Twins, and Reid Detmers started for the Angels. Both went five innings, but the game was decided by the bullpens in extras.

Minnesota’s bullpen has struggled in late innings, making them risky in close games moving forward, and the Angels are a feisty comeback team at home.