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Padilla tosses shutout as Rangers romp

Apr 27, 2008 - 10:26 PM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Vicente Padilla tossed his first shutout in more than five years and got plenty of support as the Texas Rangers routed the Minnesota Twins, 10-0, on Sunday.

Padilla (3-2) threw a seven-hitter for his third career shutout and first since a 4-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on April 19, 2003 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The veteran righthander threw 121 pitches, working out of jams in the first and third innings, when the Twins got two runners on. He walked two and struck out.

"I'm a bit sore right now because I threw a lot today - and I haven't thrown that much in a while," Padilla said through an interpreter. "I wanted to finish the game."

Padilla provided a boost for a pitching staff which allowed 84 runs in the previous nine games, including 12 on Saturday. Sunday's victory was only the second in 10 games for the Rangers, who did take two of three against the Twins.

"He showed what he can do when he throws his fastball," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It's good just to win a series, to get some momentum going, especially after the stuff we've been through."

Washington gave Padilla a chance to work the ninth after getting assurance from the pitcher that he could finish the game.

"He had an easy eighth," Washington said. "I asked him if he wanted to stay out there and he said he did. He was smiling, which he normally doesn't do. Then, he went out in the ninth and shut them down."

"He said he felt good today," Rangers catcher Gerald Laird added. "He kept the ball down and threw strikes all day."

Padilla had reason to smile, as the Rangers pounded Twins starter Livan Hernandez (3-1) for seven runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings. Minnesota had a 9-0 lead after four innings.

Hernandez tossed at least six innings in each of his first five starts this season, but the Rangers made quick work of him on Sunday.

"Our starting pitcher had a rough time," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We went to the bullpen for another five, six innings, and that doesn't bode well for anyone. Our bullpen has thrown way too many innings and our starters not enough."

After Michael Young and Josh Hamilton singled with one out in the first, Milton Bradley staked Padilla to quick 3-0 lead with a three-run home run.

Jason Botts and Josh Hamilton also homered for the Rangers, who banged out 15 hits.

Texas tacked on three more runs in the second on RBI singles by Ian Kinsler and Young and Hamilton's sacrifice fly. Botts' homer made it 7-0 in the third.

"Our bullpen is overworked, to say the least," Gardenhire added. "Livan just didn't have it today. It was a bad day. The tone was set early and we couldn't do anything with their guy."