Twins pound 7 homers to beat Padres

San-Diego-Padres-catcher-Luis-Torrens,-right,-waits-as-Minnesota-Twins'-Kennys-Vargas,-left,-and-Ehire-Adrianza-celebrate-Vargas's-three-run-home-run-off-Padres-relief-pitcher-Cory-Mazzoni-during-the-seventh-inning-of-a-baseball-game-Tuesday,-Sept.-12,-2017,-in-Minneapolis.-The-Twins-won-16-0.-(Jim-Mone/AP)

San Diego Padres catcher Luis Torrens, right, waits as Minnesota Twins' Kennys Vargas, left, and Ehire Adrianza celebrate Vargas's three-run home run off Padres relief pitcher Cory Mazzoni during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 16-0. (Jim Mone/AP)

MINNEAPOLIS — Jason Castro homered twice, Brian Dozier was a double from the cycle and the Minnesota Twins pounded the San Diego Padres 16-0 on Tuesday night.

Minnesota hit a season-high seven home runs, setting a Target Field record for most homers in a game, to back another strong start from Kyle Gibson. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Twins set a major league record by homering in each of the first seven innings with Jorge Polanco, Eddie Rosario, Eduardo Escobar and Kennys Vargas adding to the total.

Gibson (10-10) pitched six innings with four hits and six strikeouts. He has allowed two runs or fewer in five straight starts for Minnesota, which maintained its hold on the second wild card spot in the American League.

Travis Wood (3-6) surrendered nine runs and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings for San Diego, which had won three of its past four games.

Gibson has been a part of a Twins’ rotation that has become more consistent with Bartolo Colon added to Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios. But Minnesota’s surge back into contention after slipping in July has been driven by one of the league’s best offences.

The Twins have averaged 6.15 runs per game since the start of August when they had slipped to 4 1/2 games out of the second wild card. Minnesota is third in the majors in runs scored since the All-Star break, despite slugger Miguel Sano and his 28 home runs out of the lineup since Aug. 20.

Dozier led off the bottom of the first with his 30th homer of the season to the opposite field. A year after hitting 42 homers, Dozier became the first second baseman since Dan Uggla from 2007-11 to reach 30 homers in consecutive seasons and just the fifth Twin to do so.

BLOOD CLOT ENDS CAPPS’ SEASON

San Diego announced Tuesday that right-handed reliever Carter Capps suffered a blood clot, which will end his season. Capps had been feeling pain in his right side and went to a hospital in Minnesota on Monday night.

Manager Andy Green said he hopes Capps, who had a 6.57 ERA in 12 1/3 innings this season for the Padres, will be able to return for the 2018 season. Capps is unable to fly and will stay in Minnesota until he’s cleared to head back to San Diego.

The team selected the contract of right-hander Cory Mazzoni from Triple-A El Paso.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: OF Jose Pirela was out of the lineup on Tuesday as he deals with a finger injury. Pirela was going to visit with a doctor locally for further testing with Green hoping he’ll be able to play Wednesday.

Twins: Sano (left shin stress reaction) participated in batting practice on the field on Tuesday. Manager Paul Molitor said Sano is “inching” closer to a return but there is still no timetable. Sano didn’t run on Tuesday after doing some running drills on Monday. Molitor said Sano could return before he’s able to play third base “if he’s able to swing the bat.”

UP NEXT

Santana (15-7, 3.45 ERA) starts Wednesday for Minnesota as the teams wrap up the two-game series. Santana pitched a shutout in San Diego on Aug. 2. The Padres start rookie right-hander Dinelson Lamet (7-7, 4.32), who has a 2.55 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 53 innings through his last nine starts.

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