Power and pitching got the job done Tuesday night as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Oakland Athletics 11-3 in the opener of Minnesota’s final home series of the regular season.
The power came from lefties Matt Wallner and Alex Kirilloff. Wallner hit a ball an estimated 463 feet for a grand slam in the first inning and Kirilloff later slugged a two-run shot.
Christian Vazquez helped the Twins pile on with four runs in the seventh, highlighted by the catcher’s three-run double.
The pitching came from starter Bailey Ober, who struck out eight and allowed just two hits in five innings.
Chris Paddack made his first appearance in 15 months and he was both electric and rusty. He gave a single to the first batter he faced in the sixth and then struck out the next three. But in the seventh inning he gave up a single, two-run homer, walk and a RBI double. His final line was three runs on four hits, one walk and four strikeouts in two innings.
Paddack figures to be a hard-throwing right-hander for the Twins in the playoffs.
Brock Stewart pitched the ninth inning in his first appearance since going on the 60-day injured list earlier in the summer. He also figures to be a hard-throwing reliever for the Twins in the playoffs.
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