MINNEAPOLIS — Chris Paddack showcased an impressive performance, taking a three-hitter into the eighth inning, as the Minnesota Twins emerged victorious over the San Francisco Giants with a 3-1 win on Friday night. This marks the Twins’ sixth consecutive victory, further boosting their momentum.
The game witnessed a critical moment when Matt Chapman, with two outs in the seventh inning, hit a home run that dashed Paddack’s hopes of securing a shutout. Paddack, who achieved six strikeouts without issuing any walks, registered his first win since June 10 of the previous year. Despite the setback, Paddack, a tall right-hander with flowing hair, was removed after allowing a base runner with one out in the eighth inning. This performance stood as his second-longest outing over four seasons marred by injuries with the Twins. His perfect game was disrupted in the sixth inning by rookie Christian Koss’s sharp single.
Byron Buxton played a pivotal role for the Twins, reaching base three times. He set the stage early by launching the first pitch from Giants’ starter Jordan Hicks to right-center field for a triple, eventually scoring when Trevor Larnach delivered a single. Hicks, in his longest appearance since his season opener on March 31, pitched for six innings. Despite a solid start, Hicks surrendered a two-out RBI to Carlos Correa in the fourth and allowed an additional run in the fifth, after hitting a batter and throwing a wild pitch.
With this victory, the Twins (19-20) managed to match their longest winning streak since the six-game streak from June 12-18 last year. On the other hand, the Giants (24-15) entered the series riding high, being a season-best 10 games above .500.
A noteworthy highlight involved Buxton, whose one-out single failed to earn an RBI due to a miscue by Giants’ left fielder Heliot Ramos. Nevertheless, Buxton successfully brought in Harrison Bader, establishing a 3-0 lead for the Twins in the fifth. Over the past 23 games, Buxton has been a formidable force, with multiple hits in 13 games, going 31 for 92 while accumulating three doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 20 runs, and 19 RBIs.
Looking ahead, the Giants plan to start Logan Webb in Saturday night’s game, while Joe Ryan is set to pitch for the Twins. Ryan’s schedule was adjusted following a brief illness.