The Minnesota Twins turned a morning of uncertainty into an afternoon of resilience, edging the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 in a game that tested the depth of their bullpen and the patience of their fans.

The trouble started early. Starter Joe Ryan took the mound for the Peacock MLB Sunday Wakeup special with hopes of a series split, but he lasted just two batters before exiting with an undisclosed injury. Manager Derek Shelton later revealed it was "right elbow soreness" — a phrase that sent a chill through the fan base. Suddenly, the Twins were facing a bullpen game with the worst relief corps in baseball. The immediate question: how many innings would Kody Clemens need to cover?

Fortunately, the Twins' bats arrived ready to play. In the first inning, a Trevor Larnach single and an Austin Martin walk set the table for Victor Caratini, who delivered an RBI knock to put Minnesota up 1-0.

The third inning brought more drama. The Twins loaded the bases with two outs — a Martin single, a Luke Keaschall double, and a Clemens walk — but Royce Lewis couldn't capitalize, striking out against Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage. It was a missed opportunity that felt all too familiar.

Then came the hero no one expected. Reliever Andrew Morris entered the game and delivered 3.2 innings of two-hit, shutout ball, keeping the Twins clinging to that razor-thin 1-0 lead. It was the kind of performance that turns a forgettable bullpen day into a story worth telling.

The Twins finally broke through in the fifth. After a Caratini walk, doubles from Keaschall, Clemens (who proved he could handle the bat as well as the mound), and Matt Wallner pushed the lead to 4-0. For a moment, it felt comfortable.

But baseball has a way of keeping you on edge. Toronto got on the board in the sixth when Taylor Rogers, trying to complete a second consecutive scoreless inning, allowed a Daulton Varsho drag-bunt single that brought Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home. Rogers escaped further damage by coaxing a flyout from Tyler Heineman — a ball that seemed destined for an elevator shaft — and the lead stood at 4-1.

The eighth inning brought another tense moment with two Blue Jays on base, but Kody Funderburk induced a groundout to keep the door closed.

Then came the ninth. Justin Topa entered to close it out, and Twins fans everywhere knew what that meant: clenched cheeks. Kazuma Okamoto launched a home run to cut the lead to one, and an error from Keaschall put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. But baseball can also be merciful. A grounder from Lenyn Sosa went cleanly from second to first, ending the game and giving the Twins a hard-fought series split.

It wasn't pretty. But on a morning that started with an injury and a bullpen in crisis, the Twins found a way to win. And sometimes, that's all that matters.