Byron Buxton homers in return but Twins doubled up by Reds, 8-4

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton returned to the lineup Friday night and homered but the Cincinnati Reds exploded for six runs late to take the first game of the series, 8-4.

Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz hit his first career grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to give Cincinnati the lead for good off of Twins reliever Jorge Alcala.

De La Cruz hit it off the first pitch delivered by the right-hander, who came in for relief after starter Bailey Ober loaded the bases.

Ober was cruising until the seventh inning, giving up only one run in six innings of work. The Reds brought nine men to the plate with Ober responsible for four runs scored in the inning.

The loss keeps Minnesota 5.5 games back of the American League Central Division leading Cleveland Guardians and 2.5 games back of the Kansas City Royals for the second spot in the AL Wild Card.

The Twins hold a 2.5 game lead for the third and final AL Wild Card spot over the Detroit Tigers, who won on Friday night.

The Reds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning as center fielder TJ Friedl hit his 12th home run of the season to right off Ober.

It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth when Buxton — who was just activated from the injured list — belted a solo home run to left-center, his 17th of the season.

Related: Byron Buxton activated by Twins after monthlong absence

The game was tied entering the seventh inning, when Reds left fielder Spencer Steer tripled to right and Friedl bunted Steer in and reached first base on a single to make it 2-1.

First baseman Ty France then doubled Friedl home the next at-bat and third baseman Santiago Espinal walked to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Ober then fanned the next two batters before manager Rocco Baldelli decided to bring in Alcala to get the final out.

Instead, Alcala walked second baseman Jonathan India to load the bases and then the grand slam to De La Cruz, his 24th homer of the season.

Ober finished the night giving up 5 runs on 6 hits, 2 walks and striking out 6 in 6.2 innings of work in the losing effort, his seventh loss of the year.

The Twins did answer back in the bottom half of the inning, however, as Trevor Larnach walked and Carlos Santana singled to start the inning. Buxton grounded into a force out to put runners at first and third with one out and the Reds brought in Buck Farmer from the bullpen to replace Julian Aguiar.

Willi Castro then belted an RBI single to left to make it 7-2. After a Ryan Jeffers groundout to put runners at second and third, Brooks Lee lined a base hit to right to drive in Castro and Buxton to make it 7-4.

That was it for the Twins scoring for the night and the Reds added another run in the top of the eighth after a Steer double and Friedl single off of reliever Michael Tonkin.

The Twins and Reds will do it again Saturday night at Target Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:10 p.m. While the Reds have yet to announce a starter, the Twins will send rookie Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 3.96 ERA) to the mound.