Matt Wallner’s 3-run homer highlights 7-run 4th inning as the Twins top Padres 11-4

SAN DIEGO, CA – On Wednesday, Matt Wallner’s three-run homer was the highlight of a seven-run fourth inning as the Minnesota Twins triumphed over the San Diego Padres 11-4. The victory ended Minnesota’s three-game losing streak and prevented a sweep by the Padres, capping off a seven-game road trip with a 4-3 record.

The Padres, despite the loss, have been strong overall, with this being just their seventh defeat in 29 games. Twins’ starter Simeon Woods Richardson (5-3) earned his second consecutive win, thanks to the team’s 18-hit offensive surge. The 23-year-old right-hander threw five innings, striking out seven and walking two, while allowing just one run on three hits. Despite a challenging 29-pitch first inning, Woods Richardson managed to stabilize and deliver a solid performance.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli praised Woods Richardson’s ability to bounce back from a tough start. Minnesota took an early lead in the third inning but truly broke the game open in the fourth. They sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs to extend their lead to 8-0. Key hits in this inning included two singles, two run-scoring doubles from Austin Martin and Willi Castro, an RBI single from Royce Lewis, and Wallner’s eighth home run of the season, which sailed deep into the right-field seats.

The Twins adapted effectively to adjustments by Padres pitcher Matt Waldron, who had been minimizing his knuckleball usage. Minnesota tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning with Martin’s second double of the game and an RBI single from Trevor Larnach. Larnach and Edouard Julien each had four hits, while Carlos Santana was the only starting player who didn’t contribute a hit.

Waldron (7-11) endured a rough outing, giving up a career-high 10 runs and 12 hits over 4 1/3 innings, along with a walk and a hit batter, while striking out three. The Padres saw home runs from Jackson Merrill and Donovan Solano in the losing effort.

Looking ahead, the Twins will have RHP David Festa (2-2, 4.96) on the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. The Padres will see RHP Dylan Cease (12-9, 3.46) start a four-game series against the New York Mets on Thursday.

(Photo courtesy of Twins/MLB)