Padres 6, Twins 2: Stuck in the Middle-Innings With You

Box Score
Connor Prielipp: 6 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Home Runs: None
Bottom 3 WPA: Connor Prielipp (-.400), Ryan Jeffers (-.090), Byron Buxton/Trevor Larnach (-.070)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

The thick of a playoff race—there’s nothing like it. When the marathon nature of the sport—the long-term philosophy that cauterizes losses and tamps wins to mild celebration—suddenly gives way to a more phrenetic, imminent reality. Each pitch matters. Every mistake, a drop in the standings. The slow season plod arches and groans day by day as the wheat is separated from the chaff in the only way baseball knows how: by testing the mettle and endurance of the men who play. 

A saunter into San Diego continues the Twins’ NL gauntlet and kick starts a curt West Coast trip. And what a poor time to fly into the fine city: the Padres offense that was once glacial and impotent has turned scintillating after the All-Star break. They’ve hit for a 116 wRC+ since play resumed, the second-best mark in the league.

That suddenly overwhelming hitting acumen struck early on Friday, as Ty France caught a Connor Prielipp fastball and launched the offering 421 feet out to left field to score two.

The Twins offense laid dormant for three frames, putting balls in play with authority against Randy Vásquez with nothing to show except a low pitch count for the Padres starter. Those three perfect innings gave way to a finally fruitful fourth, fantastically forthcoming and fulfilling after the previous futility. Luke Keaschall smacked a single. Josh Bell took a pitch that clipped his pants. Then, with two outs, Kody Clemens cracked a two-run game-tying triple to right.

The even game felt like a righting ship. The young Prielipp appeared settled after his initial gaffe, relying on a heavier dose of his slippery breaking offerings as he racked up strikeouts and double plays. Perhaps the Twins could build more. Perhaps they could continue the retaliation.

And perhaps they could blow up in fifth. San Diego might still be smacking singles. An infield hit and a walk put the lefty in trouble; a Fernando Tatis Jr. smoking worm burner into right field started to ring bells and set off air raid sirens. What continued was a flurry: Luis Rengifo and Manny Machado turned Minnesota’s infielders into flailing acrobats and a France sacrifice fly capped the melee at four runs. At 6-2, the concept of rallying seemed dead in the water.

And it was. The Twins fell in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings in order. The fifth too. In fact, Clemens' triple three paragraphs ago was the final hit of the game for the team. Vásquez, while hittable, settled in; Bradgley Rodriguez cruised; Mason Miller struck out the side to end the game.

Post-Game Interview:

What’s Next?
The Twins and Padres lop an hour off the start time wait on Saturday, starting with a more merciful 7:40 PM first pitch. Dean Kremer will take on Casey Mize in the battle of trade deadline acquisitions. 

Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet