Alex Kirilloff’s sharply hit walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eleventh evened provided the Twins with a much needed 4-3 win Wednesday night.
Kirilloff, who was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, hit a line drive to right field off Domingo Tapia, scoring Max Kepler after Griffin Jax had prevented the Padres scoring in the top of inning.
Kepler had opened scoring in the bottom of the first with his third home run in his last four games.
Two innings later, Carlos Correa drove in Kepler on an RBI double to take the score to 2-0 and drew some cheers from fans a night after he was booed at Target Field.
Juan Soto’s seventh inning home run was the lone blemish on a Pablo Lopez gem as he allowed just the one run off two hits, recording eight strikeouts in six-and-a-third innings pitched.
Pablo Lopez loaded the bases in the top of the eight and got away with allowing just one run off a Manny Machado sac fly to right field.
The Twins and Padres traded runs in the tenth before Kirilloff’s walk-off winner.
Walk it off, Kirilloff! #TwinsWin in 11! pic.twitter.com/reJOIPbqFN
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 11, 2023
The Twins and Padres wrap up the series Thursday with first pitch set for 12:10pm at Target Field. Baily Ober and Yu Darvish are set to take the mound for the Twins and Padres.
