The game was effectively over before the sixth inning began. Minnesota's Twins arrived at Chase Field on Saturday and dismantled the Arizona Diamondbacks 16-8, turning a manageable deficit into a rout with a 10-run fifth inning that left little doubt about the outcome.
Taj Bradley held Arizona to 3 hits over 5.0 innings, allowing 2 runs while striking out 4 and walking 2 on 91 pitches. He picked up his sixth win of the season against three losses, carrying a 4.11 ERA. Bradley is 6 strikeouts away from 500 career strikeouts. Ryan Kreidler went 3-for-4 with a triple and 4 RBI, while Victor Caratini was 3-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI. Brooks Lee reached base four times in six at-bats, finishing with 2 RBI.
Minnesota opened the scoring in the first when Lee singled to right, bringing home Bell and Larnach to make it 2-0. The Twins added four more in the fourth — Lee, Caratini, Keaschall, and Kreidler all crossed the plate on a sequence of singles — before the fifth inning broke the game open. Caratini and Kreidler scored on successive hits to push the lead to 8-0, then Byron Buxton homered to right center, a 402-foot shot that scored Keaschall, Kreidler, and Larnach for a 12-0 advantage. Caratini's single later in the inning brought home Bell and Lee, and Kreidler's triple capped the frame by scoring Caratini and Keaschall, pushing Minnesota to 16-0 before Arizona batted.
Zac Gallen absorbed the damage, lasting just 4.0 innings and allowing 9 runs on 12 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts on 81 pitches. He fell to 3-6 with a 6.44 ERA. Arizona managed some late consolation — Jorge Barrosa homered to right center in the fifth to score himself and Adrian Del Castillo, and Ildemaro Vargas doubled home three runs in the seventh — but the Diamondbacks never threatened the margin.
Arizona extended its winning streak to two games despite the loss column, finishing at 39-36 and second in the division. Minnesota dropped to 36-41. Taj Bradley needs 6 more strikeouts to reach 500 for his career.