France's 421-Foot Blast Sets Tone in Padres' 6-2 Rout
Ty France needed exactly one at-bat to do maximum damage — a 421-foot homer to left center that plated two and set San Diego's tone for good. The Padres rolled Minnesota 6-2, with Randy Vasquez dealing seven sharp innings to seal it.
France's first-inning shot off Connor Prielipp was the kind of swing that changes a pitcher's evening before it really starts. Machado scored ahead of him, and just like that San Diego was up 2-0 before Minnesota had even settled in. Prielipp would grind through six innings, but the damage was done early — he allowed 8 hits and 6 earned runs on the night, walking two and striking out seven. The Twins' offense was largely a spectator for the first three frames.
Minnesota did manufacture a genuine threat in the fourth. Kody Clemens ripped a triple to right, scoring Buxton and Bell to tie it at 2-2, and the win probability swung from 81% to 62% in San Diego's favor on that single swing — the biggest momentum shift of the game. For a moment, it looked like the Twins had life. Then the fifth inning happened. Tatis Jr. singled to right to score Hays and make it 3-2. Rengifo followed with a single to left, scoring Cronenworth for 4-2. Machado singled to right, scoring Tatis Jr. for 5-2. And France — already the hero of the first — capped the four-run fifth with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Rengifo and pushing it to 6-2. Four runs, four singles, one sac fly, and Minnesota's brief window had slammed shut.
Vasquez was the story on the mound. Seven innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, zero walks, 3 strikeouts — a performance that looks like exactly what a rotation needs from its starter in August. Mason Miller came on for the eighth and was untouchable: 1.0 IP, no hits, no runs, 3 strikeouts. Tatis Jr. finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Machado and Rengifo each went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. San Diego's lineup appears to be clicking on multiple cylinders right now, and Vasquez gave them every opportunity to let it show. Minnesota's Taylor Rogers tossed a clean final inning — 1.0 IP, no hits, no runs, 2 strikeouts — but by then the game was long decided. Final: San Diego 6, Minnesota 2.