Padres 7, Twins 5: Twins Blow Four-Run Lead in Crushing Seventh-Inning Collapse

Box Score
SP: Dean Kremer - 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K (101 pitches, 59 strikes (58% strikes))
Home Runs: Luke Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Kaelen Culpepper
Bottom 3 WPA: Andrew Morris (-0.64), Byron Buxton (-0.07), Tommy Nance (-0.06)
Win Probability Chart

The Twins entered Saturday night's matchup in San Diego looking to even the series after dropping Friday night's opener. For the first six innings, it looked like Minnesota was going to do exactly that, jumping out to an early lead while Dean Kremer kept the Padres' lineup mostly in check. Unfortunately, everything unraveled in the seventh.

Luke Keaschall got the Twins on the board with a leadoff homer in the first before Brooks Lee and Kaelen Culpepper went back-to-back in the second. Kody Clemens added another RBI single in the third, and Keaschall drove in another run in the fourth to give Minnesota a 5-1 lead.

Kremer worked five-plus strong innings before San Diego finally began chipping away in the sixth. The Padres then erupted for five runs in the seventh, turning a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 lead before adding another insurance run in the eighth. The Twins couldn't mount a response against San Diego's bullpen, falling 7-5 and dropping to 63-67 on the season.

THE TWINS COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER START
Minnesota wasted no time putting pressure on Casey Mize. Keaschall opened the game by jumping on a 2-1 slider that caught too much of the plate, sending it over the wall in left for his first homer of the night. It was the second time this season Keaschall had taken Mize deep, giving the Twins an immediate 1-0 lead.

They would add to their advantage in the second. Lee took a fastball down and away and drove it out to left for his 19th homer of the season. Culpepper followed by jumping on the first pitch he saw from Mize, sending a heater over the wall for his second career major league homer and giving the Twins a 3-0 lead. It marked the sixth time this season Minnesota had hit back-to-back homers.

The Twins weren't finished there. After Jeffers doubled in the third and Mize was removed from the game following a noticeable dip in velocity, Clemens lined an RBI single into center to make it 4-1. Keaschall then struck again in the fourth, singling home Lee and giving Minnesota a four-run advantage.

For the first four innings, the Twins were doing just about everything right offensively. They were taking advantage of mistakes, getting runners on base and consistently putting pressure on San Diego's pitching staff. Unfortunately, they couldn't keep it going for the final five innings.

DEAN KREMER GAVE THE TWINS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED
Kremer's night was far from perfect, but the right-hander did a good job of limiting the damage and giving Minnesota a chance to win.

After allowing a solo homer to Jackson Merrill in the second, Kremer settled into a strong rhythm. He worked around a pair of walks in the fourth, needing 27 pitches to escape the inning, but managed to strand both runners and keep San Diego off the board. He then worked a clean fifth on just 13 pitches, bringing his pitch count to 88 entering the bottom of the sixth.

Kremer returned for the sixth and immediately ran into trouble. Cronenworth doubled to begin the inning before Machado worked a walk after Kremer had gotten him into an 0-2 count. After France lined out, Kremer's night came to an end at 101 pitches. Merrill followed with an RBI single to cut Minnesota's lead to 5-2, but Kremer had done his job.

He finished with five-plus innings, allowing two runs while striking out five. Considering the Twins had acquired him at the trade deadline to provide stability in the rotation, this was another encouraging outing from Kremer. Unfortunately, the bullpen couldn't preserve the lead he handed over.

THE SEVENTH INNING COMPLETELY CHANGED THE GAME
This game looked like it belonged to Minnesota through six innings. Then everything fell apart in the seventh.

Andrew Morris entered to begin the inning and quickly recorded the first out, but things spiraled from there. Freddy Fermin reached on catcher interference before Tatis singled to put two runners on, and Cronenworth followed with a double that scored both runners and cut the Twins' lead to 5-4. Suddenly, the Padres had all of the momentum.

Machado then grounded a ball to short, and when Cronenworth tried to advance to third, Culpepper attempted to get the lead runner. The throw missed its mark, allowing Cronenworth to score the tying run while Machado advanced to second. It was a costly defensive mistake in an inning that was already getting away from Minnesota.

France followed by dumping a ball into right field, scoring Machado and giving San Diego its first lead of the night at 6-5. Just like that, a game the Twins had controlled for six innings had completely flipped. Morris eventually escaped the inning, but the damage had been done. The Padres had scored four runs, taken the lead and forced Minnesota to play from behind for the first time all night.

THE TWINS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD ON
Minnesota did have a chance to change the game's trajectory before San Diego ultimately pulled away. Lee led off the sixth with a single through the right side, putting him just a triple shy of the cycle. After Culpepper lined out, Keaschall was hit by a fastball before Buxton drew a walk to load the bases with one out. That gave Bell a chance to deliver a huge blow.

Instead, he swung through a curveball for the second out, and Jeffers grounded out to short to end the inning. The Twins had put together a bases-loaded situation with a chance to extend their lead, but they walked away empty-handed. Given how the game eventually unfolded, that missed opportunity loomed even larger.

Lee later struck out to begin the eighth, ending his attempt at the cycle. Culpepper and Keaschall followed with outs, and suddenly Minnesota was down to its final three outs. But by that point, the Padres had all of the momentum.

SAN DIEGO ADDED THE INSURANCE RUN IT NEEDED
The Padres weren't done after taking the lead in the seventh. Tommy Nance entered for the Twins in the eighth and immediately ran into trouble when a ball hit back to him kicked off his glove and was ruled a single. After Bogaerts struck out, Fermin singled to put two runners on for Tatis. The Padres' star then delivered another blow.

Tatis grounded a ball up the middle, bringing home Fermin and extending San Diego's lead to 7-5. It was exactly the kind of insurance run the Padres needed with Mason Miller waiting in the bullpen. Cronenworth and Machado eventually struck out to end the inning, but the damage had been done.

Minnesota entered the ninth needing two runs against one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. Buxton couldn't catch up to a 101-mph fastball for the first out, and Tatis then made a tremendous running catch along the right-field line to take a hit away from Bell. Jeffers grounded out to short for the final out, and just like that, the Twins had let one slip away.

For six innings, Minnesota looked firmly in control. The offense jumped on Mize early, Kremer kept the Padres at arm's length, and the Twins carried a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the sixth. But the seventh inning changed everything. San Diego scored four runs, Minnesota couldn't answer, and the Padres eventually added another insurance run to secure the 7-5 victory. After controlling the game for most of the night, the Twins simply couldn't finish it. Minnesota now falls to 63-67 and will look to avoid the sweep Sunday in the series finale.

What’s Next?
The Twins and Padres will wrap up their weekend series in San Diego tomorrow.  Bailey Ober will take the mound for the good guys, and he’ll face off against veteran right-hander Walker Buehler. First pitch is set for 3:10 PM.

Postgame Interviews

Bullpen Availability Chart