The Twins shook off their three-game losing streak in a big way on Wednesday, unloading on San Diego Padres pitching with 18 hits for an 11-4 win to salvage the final game of the series.
Padres knuckleballer Matt Waldron never knew what hit him, serving up 10 runs on 12 hits across four-plus innings. Rather than wait around to see the knuckler, it appeared that Twins batters were swinging early and making good contact. They cracked seven extra-base hits, including six doubles.
The big inning was a seven-run fourth that was capped by a towering, three-run blast from Matt Wallner, who knew it was leaving the ballpark as soon as he hit it. When Wally gets into one, they are as good as gone. Trevor Larnach and Eddie Julien had eight of the 18 hits.
Simeon Woods Richardson earned the win to improve to 5-3 with a 3.69 ERA. Again, SWR wasn’t flashy but he gets the job done. He allowed one run across five innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
David Festa gets the ball Friday at home versus the St. Louis Cardinals.
Extra innings…
-The Cleveland Guardians lost to the New York Yankees on Wednesday, so the Twins and Royals, both tied at 71-56, are now 2.5 games back of the division leaders.
-Relievers Cole Sands, Caleb Thielbar and Steven Okert, of all people, made scoreless appearances in Wednesday’s win. Okert pitched a scoreless ninth, which makes up for the disaster that unfolded in Tuesday’s 7-5 loss. Only reliever Ronny Henriquez got into trouble in a three-run eighth for the Padres.
-How about that Donovan Solano? The ex-Twin, who is hitting .309 this season, came into the game in the fifth and hit a pinch-hit home run. They don’t call him Donnie Barrels for nothing. The guy can hit.
-The Twins were 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position. The way it should be.