Big inning helps Padres drop Twins

A four-run bottom of the fifth inning by the San Diego Padres gave Randy Vasquez all he needed to complete seven innings in a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in the opening game of their three-game series at Petco Park on Friday night.

Vasquez had cruised through the first three innings after being given a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ty France connected on a mammoth two-out, two-run home run that he knew was gone off the bat. Vasquez seemed to pitch freely and worked quickly with the lead, but found trouble in the top of the fourth inning.

The right-hander allowed a single and hit a batter, but was able to get two outs inning the inning. Kody Clemens was down 0-1 as Vasquez looked to get out of the jam, as he so often does, without allowing a run but Clemens lined a ball over Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field that resulted in a two-run triple to tie the game at 2-2.

The Padres did not immediately respond, but after Vasquez pitched a scoreless fifth inning San Diego erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Austin Hays beat out what was essentially a swinging bunt to start the inning. Jake Cronenworth worked a one-out walk to put two runners on and Tatis delivered a line drive single through the right side of the infield to put the Padres back in front, 3-2. Luis Rengifo followed with a single to left to make the score 4-2 and Manny Machado recorded the third consecutive hit with a single to right which pushed the lead to 5-2. France stepped to the plate with one out and runners on the corners and drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field to give San Diego a 6-2 advantage,

Vasquez who looked to be finished with his outing before the big inning, returned to the mound in the sixth and again in the seventh and retired a string of 10 batters stretching back to the final out of the fourth inning. He finished his night after seven innings having allowed two runs on two hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Bradgley Rodriguez pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Mason Miller came in for the ninth in a non-save situation. He struck out all three batters he faced to secure the opening game of the home stand.

Tatis led the Padres offense with three hits and was followed by Rengifo and Machado who each added two hits. France finished 1-for-1 with the first inning home run and had two walks, three RBI and a run scored.

San Diego will try to make it two in a row when they return to action tonight at 5:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• No one outside the Padres organization knows what they will do with top prospect Ethan Salas. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball makes the case for why he should be called up for the postseason run.

• Padres prospect Kruz Schoolcraft did not get out of the first inning in his latest outing with Lake Elsinore.

• Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta continued their rehab and the hope is we will see one or both pitchers sooner than later.

• If you have ever wondered what Padres players do on their off days, Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune has answers.

Baseball News:

• Willson Contreras hit a monster home run in a 6-4 win for the Boston Red Sox over the San Francisco Giants.

• Cam Schlittler pitched the New York Yankees to a win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

• Jake Rogers homered to help the Chicago White Sox walk off the New York Mets.

• Jacob Misiorowski guided the Milwaukee Brewers past Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers got a walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th.

• The Seattle Mariners got a walk-off win in extra innings over the Chicago Cubs.

• The Arizona Diamondbacks got a 9-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

• The Cleveland Guardians topped the Colorado Rockies, 9-1.