Twins sink against Braves when Griffin Jax gives up four runs in the eighth inning

Phil Miller, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Apr 18, 2025

Published in Baseball

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ATLANTA — It’s been nearly 41 years since Kirby Puckett’s four-hit debut as a big leaguer, and almost 44 since Kent Hrbek launched a game-winning 12th-inning home run in Yankee Stadium to announce his arrival in the majors.

So there wasn’t much chance Luke Keaschall could make the biggest splash ever as a Twins newbie.

Oh, he made a pretty good splatter — but it’s hard to celebrate a welcome-to-MLB moment after another ugly loss.

Keaschall singled home a run Friday on the second major league pitch he ever saw, then stole second base. Two innings later, the highly regarded prospect drove a pitch into the left-field corner, his first extra-base hit, setting up his eventual headfirst slide to score on a sacrifice fly.

But the Twins’ 2025 habit of playing shaky defense, combined with another unexpected collapse by its bullpen, marred the rookie’s — and the Twins’ — big night. Griffin Jax allowed four runs in the eighth inning, Cole Sands gave up one more, and the Twins blew a four-run lead to fall to the Braves, 6-4, at Truist Park.

It’s the second consecutive game that Jax has allowed a three-run Twins lead to slip away, and the second time in eight days that Sands has given up two hits without recording three outs. The breakdown snapped Minnesota’s two-game winning streak and dropped the Twins to 7-13 on the season.

It also spoiled a Chris Paddack’s continuing brilliance at Truist Park. The right-hander allowed only three hits and one run, a solo home run by Jarred Kelenic, over five innings. He’s now faced the Braves here three times, and has given up just three runs over 16 innings, a 1.68 ERA.

Of course, his other two starts here were wins.

That couldn’t happen this time, not after Jax walked Marcell Ozuna, then gave up a single to Matt Olson. Ozzie Albies hit a ground ball to first baseman Ty France, but Albies beat Jax to first base and was safe, driving Ozuna home with Atlanta’s second run.

Jax then walked Sean Murphy, causing manager Rocco Baldelli to summon Sands.

But Michael Harris II greeted him with a ground ball that deflected off second baseman Edouard Julien’s glove for a hit that scored both Olson and Albies, tying the game. Atlanta then went ahead for good on Drake Baldwin’s single up the middle, scoring two more.

It was such a disappointment for the Twins, who put at least one runner on base in each of the first five innings, and allowed Keaschall to help turn those baserunners into runs.

Carlos Correa led off the second inning with a double, and Ryan Jeffers followed with a double of his own, giving the Twins an early lead. With one out, Keaschall reached out for a slider and looped it into short right field, scoring Jeffers.

Larnach made it 3-0 Twins by crushing a middle-of-the-plate change-up 407 feet in the third inning. And in the fourth, Keaschall doubled into the corner as his parents, girlfriend and brother stood and cheered. He moved to third on a groundout, and when Julien drove a fly ball to shallow center, Keaschall showed his speed as he beat Harris’ throw home, sliding headfirst and rolling over as he crossed the plate.