SAN DIEGO (AP) - San Diego’s Ian Kennedy got wild and the Padres got the loss.
It was Kennedy’s two wild pitches which played a big part in the Twins defeating San Diego 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Kennedy (2-6) worked into the seventh for San Diego, giving up four runs as he lost for the seventh time in eight starts against American League teams.
It was the second of Kennedy’s two wild pitches that helped the Twins score the go-ahead run in the seventh. His first wild pitch in the sixth let the Twins tie the game.
“When you are trying to throw curveballs down in the dirt, it’s going to happen,” Kennedy said. “I’m trying to bury it when I am ahead, I’m trying to make good pitches. It’s kind of disappointing in those situations.”
Kevin Correia (2-5) scattered three runs and four hits over six innings, Kurt Suzuki hit an inside-the-park home run
Correia (2-5), a San Diego native, struck out six and walked a batter in winning for only the second time in his last six starts. Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances.
“I kept the ball down today when I got behind and got some ground balls,” Correia said.
The Padres had chances to extend their winning streak over the Twins to eight. But Kennedy’s wild pitches stood out in a game in which San Diego managed but five hits.
“I made some pitches in the dirt that cost me some runs,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff.”
Manager Bud Black said Kennedy was trying to do too much with his off-speed pitch.
“When you are trying to throw breaking balls down, at times if you get through them too much and get too aggressive, you have a chance to bounce them,” Black said. “That’s the frustrating part.”
Suzuki’s inside-the-park home run, the first by a Twin since Joe Mauer’s on July 21, 2007 against the Angels, made it 5-3 in the eighth inning.
Eduardo Escobar walked to begin the Twins’ seventh, took second on Aaron Hicks’ sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Josmil Pinto’s fly to right scored Escobar for the 4-3 lead.
Correia, who pitched for the Padres from 2009-10, retired the first 12 batters before Chase Headley doubled to right in the fifth. During that stretch Correia struck out four, with only four balls hit out of the infield.
Will Venable followed Headley’s double with a single and Headley scored on Jedd Gyorko’s grounder through the left side. After the runners advanced on Yonder Alonso’s fly to right, Yasmani Grandal’s sacrifice fly scored Venable to tie the score at 2-2.
Kennedy’s single gave the Padres the advantage as Gyorko scored the inning’s third run.
NOTES: Padres P Andrew Cashner, who is on the DL with right elbow soreness, isn’t too concerned. An MRI on Monday didn’t reveal significant damage. “I don’t think it is anything serious,” Cashner said. “I’m going to rest for a week and we’ll see where we are.” RHP Donn Roach will make his second start in place of Cashner on Saturday against the Cubs. … OF Carlos Quentin is day-to-day with a groin injury he suffered on Sunday at Colorado. “We’re trying to keep him off the DL,” manager Bud Black said. Quentin was activated May 13 after hurting his left knee in camp. … With the first of five interleague games on Tuesday, the Twins recalled C/OF Chris Herrmann after Sunday’s game. “It’s nice because he’s able to catch a little for us and I can use him or Pinto in a pinch-hitting role,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “You have that extra guy and you need that in this league.”… Mauer extended his interleague hitting streak to 14 games, the second-longest active streak to the Angels’ Mike Trout (15). … Twins RHP Phil Hughes (4-1, 3.61) faces Padres RHP Tyson Ross (5-3, 2.81) in Wednesday’s series finale.
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