Tough Loss for the Twins in San Diego 
The Minnesota Twins fell short against the San Diego Padres with a final score of 5-7 in what turned out to be a rollercoaster of a game.Early Inning Hopes
We got our first look at the scoring sheet in the top of the 4th when Carlos Santana doubled to center and Ryan Jeffers hit a two-run bomb!! That took us to a 2-1 lead and filled my heart with hope. Our pitching and defense kept the Padres quiet for a while, making that lead taste even sweeter.Maintaining the Lead 
Fast-forward to the 5th and we saw Max Kepler and Austin Martin setting the stage. Kepler's single and Martin's walk loaded the bases, and Royce Lewis came through with a sac fly. Unfortunately, we saw an out at home, but that did move Kepler across the plate and extend our lead to 3-1.The Seventh Inning Curse 
Then the 7th inning happened. Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado tag-teamed to tie the game with a homer from Machado that traveled a daunting 433 feet. Things began to feel shaky, but we sure didn't lose hope!Resurgent 8th Inning 
The top of the 8th showcased some Twins grit as Royce Lewis and Carlos Santana lit up the bases. Christian Vazquez then delivered a clutch single to let two more runs cross the plate putting us momentarily back on top 5-3. I was on the edge of my seat, hoping to maintain this lead.Heartbreak in the 8th 
Unfortunately, the Padres fired back hard in the bottom of the 8th. Jurickson Profar’s three-run homer flipped the script entirely. Then Xander Bogaerts added insult to injury with an RBI double. Just like that, we found ourselves trailing 5-7.Final Push Comes Up Short 
Despite our hopes, the top of the 9th didn’t deliver the miracle we needed. Max Kepler and Austin Martin both lined out to center, and with Trevor Larnach striking out, we couldn’t muster the final rally.Overall, it was a heart-wrenching game, and while we gave it our all, we just couldn’t hold onto the lead. Hang tight, Twins fans—we'll get them next time!
Scoreboard for Twins @ Padres (August 21st, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0 |