On Tuesday, the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 in their first game of the American League Wild Card Series. This win broke the Twin’s 18-game postseason losing streak. During the post-game press conference, Twins Manager and longtime Phish fan Rocco Baldelli managed to work a pair of Phish song titles into his answers.

Baldelli is a known Phish enthusiast. He once told the Star Tribune that he’s attended “about 40 shows” since April of 2020, and even has a dog named “Bowie The Beauceron,” a play off the Phish song, “David Bowie.” Last year, Relix released a profile on Baldelli and his connection between the music world and the baseball world. The former-baseball player turned manager listed more of his favored musical artists including jambands like the Grateful Dead, Greensky Bluegrass and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.

Tuesday’s win marked a massive victory for the Twins, ending the losing streak that has gone on for 19 years. When asked what this win means for the city, Baldelli responded, “I thought the place was going to split open and melt.” Referencing the “Split Open and Melt,” a favored Phish tune, which was formally released on their 1990 studio album, Lawn Boy.  

Baldelli continued his answer, saying, “I couldn’t be more excited and thankful for what [the fans] did for us today to help us get over this hump, and now we’re back on the train.” Alluding to the Phish song “Back On the Train,” a cornerstone of their 2000 set, Farmhouse. The Rhode Island native has nodded to Phish a considerable amount of times in the past, making the latest comments another notch in the already carved-out history. 

Tonight, the Minnesota Twins will go for the series win at Target Field in Minneapolis, and this Friday, Phish will kick off their fall tour with a three-night run at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Watch Baldelli’s press conference answers below.