MINNESOTA 5
SEATTLE 4
SEATTLE 鈥� Felix Hernandez and Wade Miley both turned in lacklustre outings for the Mariners this weekend, and Seattle was hopeful Taijuan Walker could provide a lift against the lowly Minnesota Twins.
No such luck. Walker allowed three homers and five runs over 4 1/3 innings and the Mariners lost to the Twins 5-4 on Sunday to cap a three-game sweep against the American League鈥檚 worst team.
Seattle starters allowed 16 earned runs to the Twins, who have the AL鈥檚 worst record at 15-34.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 pitch well this series,鈥� manager Scott Servais said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 key for any team to keep the game going, momentum-wise or whatnot. It鈥檚 the starting pitching that drives it and our guys have struggled a little bit. It鈥檚 going to happen. Unfortunately it all happened at the same time this series.鈥�
Ricky Nolasco (2-3) allowed two runs on three hits over six innings for Minnesota. Kevin Jepsen got his sixth save despite allowing two runs.
A solo home run by Robinson Cano gave the Mariners an early 1-0 advantage and tied Cano for the league lead in home runs with his 15th.
鈥淲asn鈥檛 really expecting a swing,鈥� Nolasco said. 鈥淪ix pitches to the first two guys and he jumped me. It worked. That鈥檚 what he does. He doesn鈥檛 need too many pitches until he does some damage.鈥�
Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano hit back-to-back home runs off Walker into the bullpens behind left field for a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Sano has homered in four consecutive games, all Minnesota victories.
鈥淭hrough the first (at-bats) I beat them with the fastball,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淪econd time through, I tried to sneak a couple offspeed pitches by them and they got them.
The changeup wasn鈥檛 a bad pitch, but Mauer is a really good hitter. The last couple home runs off us have been (offspeed) and he just took it that way.鈥�
Walker鈥檚 five earned runs marked a season high.
鈥淚 thought Taijuan鈥檚 stuff was just OK,鈥� Servais said. 鈥淗e was trying to compete and trying to find it but he did make mistakes and they got him.鈥�
With two outs in the ninth, Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run home run to centre off Jepsen to trim the gap to 5-4, but Jepsen got pinch-hitter Dae-Ho Lee to strike out to end the rally.
BEAN BALL
Twins 2B Brian Dozier was hit in the head by Walker鈥檚 pitch in the fifth inning. After briefly gathering himself, he remained in the game and ran to first base with a smile on his face. The pitch glanced off Dozier鈥檚 helmet but didn鈥檛 cause any significant damage. 鈥淚t kind of grazed the side of my neck and my head. That鈥檚 what hit my helmet off, but I鈥檓 fine,鈥� Dozier said.
REUNITED
The Mariners reacquired slugging prospect Patrick Kivlehan from the Texas Rangers in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. RHP Evan Scribner was moved to the 60-day disabled list to clear room on the 40-man roster. Kivlehan, RHP Tom Wilhemsen and OF James Jones were traded to the Rangers in exchange for OF Leonys Martin and RHP Anthony Bass in November. The Rangers had designated Kivlehan for assignment last week.
TRAINER鈥橲 ROOM
Twins: C Kurt Suzuki was not in the starting lineup but was available to play Sunday after experiencing concussion-like symptoms in Friday鈥檚 game. He鈥檚 still day-to-day. ... 3B Trevor Plouffe will be re-evaluated tomorrow in Oakland. He is also day-to-day after suffering a bone bruise.
Mariners: SS Ketel Marte took batting practice in the cage on Sunday. He said he feels back to normal after suffering a sprained left thumb last weekend in Cincinnati.
Marte is expected to play four games with Triple-A Tacoma beginning Tuesday and be activated from the disabled list on June 6.
UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (1-3, 4.17 ERA) will make his ninth start of the season against Oakland on Monday. Santana allowed a season-high six earned runs in his last start against the Kansas City Royals.
Mariners: RHP Nathan Karns (4-1, 3.53 ERA) has gone at least five innings with three runs or fewer allowed in six consecutive starts. Karns will get the ball against the San Diego Padres on Monday.
