Twins Extend Winning Streak After Paddack’s Stellar Performance

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Chris Paddack led the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night, marking their sixth consecutive win. Paddack dominated the mound, taking a three-hitter into the eighth inning and securing his first victory since June 10, 2024.

During the postgame interview with Apple TV+, Paddack received a surprise ice-water shower from his teammates. “I kind of got locked in, blacked out,” said Paddack, who allowed just one run while striking out six batters and not issuing any walks. “It’s a little chilly, but it’s an honor.”

Paddack’s performance was one of the best in his seven-year career, with his 7⅓ innings pitched being the fourth most he has achieved. He had initially retired the first 17 batters until a two-out single by rookie Christian Koss in the sixth inning ended his perfect game bid. Matt Chapman later homered in the seventh, spoiling Paddack’s shutout effort.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli praised Paddack’s outing, stating, “It’s as good of an outing as you could ever ask your starting pitcher to give you.” The Twins, now 19-20, have seen significant improvement from their starting pitchers, who collectively hold a 3.34 ERA, the fifth best in Major League Baseball.

The game also featured standout performances from Byron Buxton, who had a triple and reached base three times, and Trevor Larnach, who contributed a key single. The Twins’ recent performance brings optimism as they continue their pursuit of a successful season.

Looking ahead, Logan Webb will start for the Giants on Saturday night, while Joe Ryan is set to pitch for the Twins after his start was delayed due to illness.