The Cubs beat the Twins 6-2 as Nico Hoerner ties a career high with 4 hits

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, July 18, 2026. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
CHICAGO — Nico Hoerner had four hits to tie a career high, Matthew Boyd gave up three hits and one run in six sharp innings to win his fourth straight start, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Saturday.
Michael Busch homered, and Miguel Amaya and Pedro Ramirez had two RBIs each to help Chicago win for the third time in four games. Hoerner had an RBI and scored a run.
Kody Clemens hit a pair of solo homers for the Twins, whose three-game winning streak came to an end.
Boyd (6-1) struck out four and walked one in his fifth outing since returning from knee surgery.
Jacob Webb allowed three hits to start the ninth, but the Cubs got a quirky double play after Brooks Lee's liner to the gap glanced off Pete Crow-Armstrong's glove for a single. Relay throws cut down Josh Bell between third and home, and caught Lee off first. Webb fanned Clemens for the final out.
Busch’s first-inning solo shot put Chicago ahead 1-0. The ball was recovered in the right-field bleachers by Anthony Rizzo, who took part in a pregame ceremony to commemorate the Cubs 2016 World Series championship.
Twins starter Taj Bradley (9-4) allowed five runs on seven hits in five innings, striking out six and walking three. The right-hander had given up just eight runs over his previous five starts.

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Chicago, Saturday, July 18, 2026. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
Klemens went deep in the second to tie it. Amaya’s double to the left field corner in the bottom half of the second put Chicago back ahead 3-1.
The Cubs upped it to 5-1 in the third.
Clemens homered again in the seventh to make it 5-2. Ramirez added an RBI single in the bottom half.
Before the game, the Cubs dedicated an arching, 31-foot wide “Champions Gate” on the west side of Wrigley Field.

Minnesota Twins center fielder Luke Keaschall, left, can't make the play on a triple by Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson as Minnesota Twins right fielder Austin Martin looks on during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, July 18, 2026. Credit: AP/Nam Y. Huh
Up next
Twins RHP Zebby Matthews (4-6, 4.57 ERA) faces Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (5-8, 4.17) on Sunday.
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