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Morneau leads Twins to series sweep of Padres

Jun 27, 2008 - 12:06 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- The San Diego Padres are plummeting and their recent botched opportunity sent them straight to the National League West Division's basement.

The Padres have dropped five straight and nine of the their last 10 games, but Thursday's 4-3 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Twins was the sixth by three runs or less during the putrid span.

"We're not playing well right now over the last couple of weeks," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "We have to right this ship, no doubt. We've got to play better. We've had a number of games at home, and we haven't played well."

Justin Morneau had three hits, including a two-run home run, and helped the surging Twins erase a 3-0 deficit and complete the three-game sweep.

"I was a nice series to come in here and win," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Baker pitched well. He got behind a little bit early, but he settled in after that. His last three or four innings were really good where the ball was coming out of his hand a lot better. He gave us a good opportunity."

Baker, who has a 2.62 ERA over his past four starts, tossed six sharp innings, allowing three runs and six hits.

Khalil Greene's eighth home run of the season handed San Diego an early lead in the second and Brian Giles' sacrifice fly preceded Adrian Gonzalez's fielder's choice groundout in the third, which built up the 3-0 advantage.

Morneau blasted the home run after Mark Redmond singled to lead off the fourth inning, cutting the Twins' deficit to 3-2 off starter Josh Banks (2-2).

"When Morneau hit that one out of the ballpark, it really gave us some life on the bench after we got down. That gets everybody fired up and back into the game and we just had to grind it out after that."

Banks is 0-2 in his last four starts after beginning his stint in the rotation with 15 scoreless innings and a unblemished 2-0 record.

"I just thought that in the last couple of innings, (Banks) didn't look the same as far as his stuff and location," Black said. "I thought we might be able to squeeze another inning out of him, but it didn't happen."

Twins starter Scott Baker (4-2) started the fifth with his first career hit and Redmond reached on a two-out single, setting up Morneau's game-tying RBI single off Banks.

Jason Kubel began the sixth with a double off Banks, who was lifted with one out. Reliever Bryan Corey coughed up a run-scoring single by Brian Buscher to give the Twins the lead for good.

Banks was charged with four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Four Minnesota middle relievers set up closer Joe Nathan's 21st save on the season.