Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Blake Beavan lasted 5 1/3 effective innings and
Michael Saunders launched a two-run home run as the Seattle Mariners completed
a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 5-1 victory on Sunday at
Safeco Field.
Beavan (8-7) allowed one run on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts to
bounce back from a loss his last time out. Josh Kinney tossed 2 1/3 scoreless
innings to secure his first save of the season.
Eric Thames ripped an RBI double among his three hits and John Jaso added an
RBI for the streaking Mariners, who have won five straight. Dustin Ackley had
a pair of hits in the victory.
Samuel Deduno (4-1) took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits with
six walks and two strikeouts. Trevor Plouffe knocked in the only run of the
game with a sacrifice fly for the Twins, who have dropped five in a row.
Minnesota opened the scoring with a run in the second inning. Josh Willingham
started the frame with a double and Justin Morneau walked. Morneau was erased
on a fielder's choice by Ryan Doumit, but Willingham was able to make it to
third on the play before scoring on a Plouffe sacrifice fly.
Seattle answered with a pair of runs in the third. Saunders laced a base
hit around walks to Ackley and Kyle Seager to load the bases with no outs.
Jaso then worked a free pass to bring home Ackley and Jesus Montero gave the
M's a 2-1 edge with a run-scoring double play groundout.
The Twins loaded the bases with one out in the sixth when Morneau beat out an
infield hit, Doumit singled and Plouffe walked. Seattle reliever Carter Capps
fanned Matt Carson and induced an inning-ending fly out from Pedro Florimon
Jr. to keep the lead intact.
Seattle finally broke the game open with a trio of runs in the seventh. Ackley
doubled off Twins reliever Jeff Gray to start the inning and Saunders smashed
his 11th long ball of the season to extend the lead to 4-1. Thames capped the
inning with a run-scoring double.
Kinney walked Florimon and Ben Revere with one out in the ninth, but retired
Alexi Casilla and Joe Mauer to finish off the sweep for the Mariners.
Game Notes
Seager (1-for-2) has recorded a hit in 10 of his last 12 games at Safeco Field
... Seattle improved to 22-13 since the All-Star break ... Minnesota fell to
26-33 on the road this season ... It was the third sweep for the Mariners
since the All-Star break and the 10th time this season that the Twins were
swept ... The Mariners are 16-9 and 13-3 at home since outfielder Ichiro
Suzuki was dealt to the New York Yankees.
The Sports Network