Gordon helps Mariners beat sloppy Twins 9-6 in 10 innings
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Seattle got another chance in the 10th inning, and Dee Gordon ran his way to the win for the Mariners.
Gordon scored on one of Minnesota's five errors, helping the Mariners beat the Twins 9-6 on Wednesday night.
Seattle went 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.
"We didn't take advantage of some scoring opportunities early in the game," manager Scott Servais said. "Often times that'll come back and bite you."
Not this time around. Not with Minnesota struggled defensively.
Gordon opened the 10th with a ground-rule double off Tyler Duffey (1-1). Shed Long then walked before the runners advanced on Dylan Moore's sacrifice.
Mallex Smith followed with a grounder to first baseman C.J. Cron, who tried to get the speedy Gordon at the plate. Mitch Garver picked up the error when he was unable to handle the throw.
"I knew who the runner was, so I knew I didn't have much time, and I just missed it," Garver said.
After Kyle Seager struck out, Long and Smith scored when third baseman Miguel Sanó flubbed Edwin Encarnacion's grounder. The AL Central-leading Twins committed three errors in the final inning.
"I think it's just one of those nights where a few things happen, a few funny hops, a few plays maybe breaking the wrong way off the bat," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Seattle carried a 6-4 lead into the ninth, but Byron Buxton hit a tying two-run shot off Anthony Bass (1-1) with no outs. Roenis Elías worked a perfect 10th for his sixth save.
It was a frantic finish after pitching controlled most of the action.
Gerson Bautista worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for Seattle in an opener role. Then Tommy Milone came in and pitched six innings of three-run ball against his former team.
Daniel Vogelback hit his 17th homer for the Mariners in the sixth inning, but Marwin González tied it at 1 with his eighth homer in the seventh.
Twins right-hander José Berríos allowed seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.
Seattle scored five times in the eighth to open a 6-1 lead. Long had the big blow, hitting a three-run shot to right for his first career homer.
"It was a blessing," said Long, who plans to give the ball from the drive to his dad for Father's Day on Sunday.
Minnesota responded with three in the bottom half. Max Kepler launched his 16th homer, and Mitch Garver and González had run-scoring singles.
STREAKING
Minnesota's Jorge Polanco extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the eighth inning. It also extended his on-base streak to 26 games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: Servais said infielder J.P. Crawford, who has missed the last two weeks with a sprained left ankle, should rejoin the team in Oakland on Friday. Crawford hit a three-run homer Tuesday during his rehab assignment with High-A Modesto, and Servais said Crawford "felt good."
UP NEXT
Mariners: Rookie LHP Yusei Kikuchi has lasted just 3 1/3 innings in each of his last three outings. He'll look to snap his three-game losing streak in the series finale.
Twins: RHP Michael Pineda has allowed three earned runs in each of his last six starts. He'll try to beat the Mariners for the second time this season, having previously earned a win on May 16 in Seattle.
