The San Diego Padres couldn't overcome the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, succumbing 7-2 at Target Field and dropping two of three in the series, prolonging a challenging run for the team. The loss came after a brief offensive outburst the previous day, when the Padres scored 12 runs on 14 hits against the Twins.
In the wake of the loss, Padres manager Mike Shildt offered a no-nonsense verdict, via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune
“It wasn’t good,” he said. “… I mean, I’m disappointed. I don’t know how else to say it. Got down and just couldn’t scratch back.”
His frustration played out like the team’s own misfires at the plate and in the bullpen.
Minnesota’s All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan (13-7) exploited those weaknesses, scattering five hits over seven innings while striking out eight and issuing a single walk. Ryan, pitching a season-high 104 pitches, limited San Diego to 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. The 28-year-old allowed just two runs in the ninth to prevent a shutout.
Byron Buxton led the Twins’ offense with a two-run homer in the third inning, marking his 29th home run of the season and a career high. He also added a double, finishing 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Royce Lewis contributed two hits and two RBIs, while Luke Keaschall added an RBI and scored twice. Minnesota extended its lead to 6-0 by the fifth inning, with Keaschall and Lewis delivering RBI singles and Ryan Jeffers hitting a sacrifice fly. Another RBI single by Lewis in the seventh made it 7-0.
San Diego handed the ball to David Morgan to kick things off, and he shut down the Twins for the first two innings. Kyle Hart, recalled from Triple-A El Paso for the game, followed with 1 1/3 innings but surrendered three runs, including Buxton’s homer. Jeremiah Estrada and Wandy Peralta were also used in relief, with Peralta allowing three more runs in the fifth inning. Yuki Matsui briefly stemmed the Twins’ momentum with a 1-2-3 sixth, but San Diego’s bullpen struggled to keep the game close.
The Padres' offense showed glimpses of life but failed to capitalize. Manny Machado and Ryan O’Hearn loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth, yet Ryan retired Ramon Laureano, Gavin Sheets, and Jake Cronenworth in order. The Padres finally scored two runs in the ninth, Freddy Fermin’s RBI double and Bryce Johnson’s single, but it was too little, too late. Fernando Tatis Jr. exited in the eighth after a hamstring tweak.
The defeat dropped the Padres to 2-5 over their past seven games, as they fell two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and now hold the second of three National League wild-card spots.
San Diego will return home to begin the final calendar month of the season against the Baltimore Orioles, who enter with the second-worst record in the American League (61-76). The Padres hope to rebound on Monday at Petco Park and regain the form they need for a late-season push.
