Twins Dominate Padres with Wallner's Homer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Minnesota Twins showcased their offensive prowess on Wednesday, defeating the San Diego Padres 11-4, highlighted by a seven-run fourth inning fueled by Matt Wallner’s three-run homer. This victory capped off a seven-game road trip for the Twins, finishing with a respectable 4-3 record. Starting pitcher Woods Richardson initially struggled, throwing 29 pitches in a challenging first inning. However, he managed to regain his composure, allowing just one run on three hits over five innings, while striking out seven batters and walking two. Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli praised Richardson's ability to recover, emphasizing the importance of his performance after a rocky start. The Twins adjusted their strategy after realizing that Padres pitcher Matt Waldron was limiting his knuckleball usage. Wallner noted that the team had been "too patient" during their first at-bat against Waldron. The Twins continued to build their lead, adding two more runs in the fifth inning, thanks to a double from Martin, who recorded his third RBI of the game, and an RBI single from Trevor Larnach. On the Padres' side, Jackson Merrill and Donovan Solano contributed with home runs, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Twins' offensive surge. In a notable roster move, the Padres placed right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. on the 60-day injured list to make room for shortstop Mason McCoy.