Santana homers again, drives in 4, as Twins rout Angels 16-5

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Carlos Santana hit a home run in his third consecutive game and drove in four as the Minnesota Twins scored 10 times over the first four innings to extend their winning streak to six with a 16-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

Max Kepler and Ryan Jeffers also hit home runs and Edouard Julien had three hits and three RBIs as the Twins improved to 7-1 following a five-game losing streak that included a three-game sweep by the Baltimore Orioles.

Twins starter Chris Paddack (2-1) wobbled a bit by giving up four runs on eight hits and a walk but went five innings.

The Twins have at least 10 hits in every game of the winning streak and had six different players drive in runs over the first three innings on Saturday.

“It just meant that we did a good job being relentless in the way we approached the at-bats,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “To have that kind of production (three runs) in four different innings, honestly, what more can you ask for? There were no breaks. We didn't make it easy on them.”

Joe Adell hit a home run and drove in three runs for the Angels, who lost for the eighth time in their past nine games. Los Angeles starter Jose Soriano (0-4) gave up four runs with three walks over a season-low 1 2/3 innings. He has walked 11 batters over his last three starts.

Outfielder Aaron Hicks pitched the ninth inning for the Angels, giving up Jeffers' two-run homer.

“You just go home and get yourself some rest but the first thing you do is look yourself in the mirror,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “If you feel like you did everything you can do, then you go home and get some rest. It happens. I’m just hoping for the time we can do that.”

The Twins loaded the bases three batters into the game but scored just once on Kepler's walk. Alex Kirilloff, Julien and Trevor Larnach each drove in runs in the second inning for a 4-0 lead.

Santana had an RBI double in a three-run third inning and hit a three-run homer in the fourth for a 10-4 lead.

“I've been preparing and I feel good, my body feels good,” said the 38-year-old Santana, who is in his 15th season. “I have to continue to help when the team needs me and I have to help with defense or hitting. We're in a great spot. We won six games straight but tomorrow is a new day.”

Adell’s third home run of the season, a two-run shot, came in the second inning. He added an RBI single in the third.

Kepler hit a home run in the sixth inning and Julien had a two-run double off the top of the wall in left-center during a three-run seventh.

A two-run double for the Twins' Kyle Farmer in the third inning snapped an 0-for-17 run. Farmer reached base four times on two hits and two walks.

“He's another guy that has been working hard and it's coming to him,” Baldelli said. “The times this year when he has had good at-bats and did exactly what he wanted to do, it hasn't worked out. But today it sure did."

The Twins won a road series over the Angels for the first time since a three-game sweep in 2019.

TRAINERS ROOM

Twins: RHP Jhoan Duran (oblique) had two strikeouts over two innings during a rehab appearance for Triple-A St. Paul, throwing five of his 15 pitches at 100 mph or more.

Angels: 3B Miguel Sanó was out of the lineup against his former team with left knee soreness.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Pablo Lopez (1-2, 4.39 ERA) will look to improve on a 5.49 ERA over his last four starts on Sunday.

Angels: LHP Reid Detmers (3-1, 2.12 ERA) is out to rebound from his worst start of the season when he gave up four runs Monday to the Orioles.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward can't catch the ball on a double by Minnesota Twins' Edouard Julien, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. Two runs scored. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Zach Neto loses his helmet while running to first after grounding out to Minnesota Twins shortstop Willi Castro during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins' Alex Kirilloff, right, slides home past Los Angeles Angels catcher Matt Thaiss to score on a double by Edouard Julien during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins' Max Kepler, right, celebrates his solo home run with third base coach Tommy Watkins during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins' Willi Castro is congratulated after scoring against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana is congratulated in the dugout after scoring against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jose Soriano throws to a Minnesota Twins batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana gestures while running the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

BERLIN (AP) — Swiss Eurovision fans were getting ready Sunday to give a hero's welcome to singer Nemo, who won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing a nongender identity.

The singer, who is Swiss but currently lives in Berlin, was to land in Zurich on Sunday night, national broadcaster SRF said.

Switzerland’s contestant beat Croatian rocker Baby Lasagna to the title by winning the most points from a combination of national juries and viewers around the world.

Nemo, 24, is the first nonbinary winner of the contest that has long been embraced as a safe haven by the LGBTQ community. Nemo is also the first Swiss winner since 1988, when Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion competed under the Swiss flag.

At a post-victory news conference, Nemo expressed pride in accepting the trophy for “people that are daring to be themselves and people that need to be heard and need to be understood. We need more compassion, we need more empathy.”

Nemo's hometown of Biel congratulated the newly-crowned star online and said the residents were ready to celebrate them.

“Congratulations! The city of Biel is extremely proud and says: Bravo and Merci Nemo for the fantastic song and performance and also for carrying the colors of Biel out into the world!,” the town said on its website. “Your city will celebrate and welcome you.”

Biel, with a population of around 60,000, is located around 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Basel on Lake Biel. The town is bilingual, German and French, and is considered the watchmaking capital of Switzerland.

"Nemo creates and moves freely between classical, alternative and popular culture," the town's culture official, Glenda Gonzalez Bassi, said. “A wonderful example of the dynamic and inclusive culture that we are proud of in Biel.”

Nemo — full name Nemo Mettler — bested finalists from 24 other countries, who all performed in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers around the world. Each contestant had three minutes to meld catchy tunes and eye-popping spectacle into performances capable of winning the hearts of viewers. Musical styles ranged across rock, disco, techno and rap — sometimes a mashup of more than one.

Across Switzerland, people were already starting to think ahead to next year, when the country will host the next Eurovision contest. Traditionally the county of the winner hosts the music competition the following year.

The cities of Geneva, Basel and St. Gallen have already positioned themselves to compete as hosts for the next contest, SRF reported.

“It is a great artistic and touristic opportunity to show the world what Switzerland is all about, and it is now up to us to take up this challenge together,” Gilles Marchand, Director General of the SRG media company, an association of many different Swiss media organizations.

As for Berlin — their adopted, second hometown — Nemo told German news agency dpa before the Eurovision contest that “I love Berlin so much because it’s such a creative city that is constantly changing. It's a fun city."

In the Croatian capital of Zagreb, thousands gathered at the main square to welcome second-placed Baby Lasagna on his return home. Chanting “We love you,” the crowd cheered as the singer performed his “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” rollicking rock number that tackles the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.

Croats had hoped for a victory and Baby Lasagna burst into tears when he came on stage, saying he didn't expect such a big reception. “We did our best, I hope you are happy," he said.

Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was also in the crowd, saying, “We are proud to have had such a result, which is the best since Croatia became independent” from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

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Associated Press writer Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia contributed to this report.

Supporters cheer during a live broadcast of a performance by Croatia's Baby Lasagna at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, in Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Supporters cheer during a live broadcast of a performance by Croatia's Baby Lasagna at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, in Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Baby Lasagna of Croatia poses during the flag parade, of the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Supporters cheer during a live broadcast of a performance by Croatia's Baby Lasagna at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, in Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Nemo of Switzerland performs the song The Code during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Nemo of Switzerland who performed the song The Code celebrates as the judges votes start to be announced during the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Nemo of Switzerland, who performed the song The Code, celebrates after winning the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Nemo of Switzerland, who performed the song The Code, celebrates with last year's winner Loreen of Sweden after winning the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Nemo, representing Switzerland, with the song "The Code," wins the final of the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmö Arena, in Malmö, Sweden, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Jessica Gow/TT News Agency via AP)

Nemo, representing Switzerland, wins the final of the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmö Arena, in Malmö, Sweden, Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Jessica Gow/TT News Agency via AP)

Nemo of Switzerland, who performed the song The Code, celebrates after winning the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Nemo of Switzerland, who performed the song The Code, celebrates after winning the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Supporters of singer Nemo, finalist of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest ESC, celebrate during a public viewing watching the broadcast of the ESC finals as Nemo is declared winner of the competition, in the early hours of Sunday, May 12, 2024, in Biel, Switzerland. Biel is Nemo's hometown. (Adrian Reusser/Keystone via AP)