Aug 29, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (2) forces out San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) at second base on a double play during the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Minneapolis, Minnesota – When the Padres decide to be bad, they don’t just stumble—they implode. Friday night in Minnesota was one of those games, the kind that leaves fans muttering on the couch long after the final out. San Diego pitchers combined to issue seven walks, Jake Cronenworth booted what should have been a rally-killing double play, and the Twins ran away with a 7-4 win in the opener of their weekend set.
It all unraveled in the fourth inning. Nestor Cortes, coming off his near-perfect game against the Dodgers, wasn’t sharp. He walked two batters, and after a mound visit home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez inserted himself into the action. A few exchanged words later, Cortes was ejected, his night over after just three-plus innings. Truth be told, manager Mike Shildt was likely pulling him anyway, but the way it ended left plenty of frustration about Gonzalez’s strike zone.
Wandy Peralta inherited the mess and seemed to have an escape hatch when Kody Clemens bounced a tailor-made double play ball to second. Instead, the ball went right through Cronenworth’s legs. Instead of two outs and one run, Minnesota got two runs and a spark. By the time the inning ended, four runs had crossed, and the Padres were down 5-1.
The damage kept piling on. David Morgan surrendered a solo shot to Royce Lewis, and Yuki Matsui put together another nightmare outing—walking three, giving up two hits, and watching the Twins’ lead balloon to 7-2. The lone bright spot was Alek Jacob, who entered and calmed things down, recording the final seven outs without allowing a run and saving the rest of the bullpen.
San Diego tried to punch back in the seventh. Fernando Tatis Jr. came through with a two-run single to cut the deficit to 7-4, bringing a flicker of life into the dugout. But that momentum died instantly when Luis Arraez lined out and Tatis was doubled off first base. The Padres didn’t mount another threat.
Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews was steady, tossing six innings with no walks and just three runs allowed. Kody Funderburk closed it out for his second career save. Byron Buxton added some history in the third inning, stealing third base for the first time in his career and becoming the seventh Twin to notch a 20-20 season.
For the Padres, it was their fourth loss in five games—a reminder that when things unravel, they unravel fast. They’ll try to even the series Saturday behind Nick Pivetta, facing Minnesota’s Taj Bradley.
