Padres 6, Twins 2
Starting pitcher performanceSAN DIEGO — The fifth-inning rally that spelled the beginning of the Twins’ demise on Friday night started innocently, with Austin Hays sending a softly-hit ground ball to wardsBrooks Lee at third for an infield single.
After retiring a batter, Connor Prielipp walked Jake Cronenworth on six pitches, and from there, the Padres were off.
“I lost command for a little bit and then kind of got singled to death for a little bit,” Prelipp said. “They were able to capitalize.”
That they were.
Three singles followed, as well as a sacrifice fly, part of a four-run inning for San Diego (69-60). The Padres also put up a pair of runs on the rookie starter in the first inning when Ty France took a fastball over the plate that Prielipp intended to put up and away,out to left-center field for his 18th home run of the season.
All told, Prielipp gave up six runs, that coming after a start in which he allowed eight to the Phillies, including seven in one inning. Prielipp ended his outing with a clean sixth inning, which was an important one for the Twins, as they tried to preserve their heavily-worked bullpen.
“It hasn’t been fun on these last few outings, but it’s a long season, and we got a good month left, so hopefully we can string a couple good ones together,” the starter said.
Player of the GamePadres starter Randy Vásquez started off his night by retiring the first nine batters he faced. He finished it by retiring the last 10 batters he saw.
In between was a minor blip in the fourth inning when the Twins (63-66) were able to mount a two-run rally, which tied the game at the time. Both runs came around to score on a Kody Clemens triple that ricocheted off the wall in right field and away from Fernando Tatis Jr.
“He had three fastballs with the cutter, sinker and four (seamer),” Clemens said. “He executed pretty well, throwing 96-97 (miles per hour), keeping us off the barrel. We put the ball in play a bunch, but just early in counts. He did a good job.”
Aside from the big hit from Clemens, Vásquez was nearly untouchable. He gave up just two hits in his seven innings pitched, striking out three in his outing.
“Sometimes you get pitched to. (Friday) we got pitched to,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Sometimes you’ve got to tip your cap to the guy on the other side.
Tatis Jr. helped lead the team’s offense, collecting a team-high three hits, while former France drove in the Padres’ win.
Up nextDean Kremer (2-4, 5.40 ERA) will take the ball on Saturday for the second game of the series against the Padres. He will be opposed by former division foe Casey Mize (5-7, 3.18 ERA) in a game set to begin at 7:40 p.m. CDT.
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