The Seattle Mariners got things started with a first-inning home run by Robinson Cano, but the Minnesota Twins topped them with homers from Joe Mauer, Miguel Sano and Robbie Grossman en route to a 5-4 victory, the team’s fourth in a row.
“The bats came through again,” starter Ricky Nolasco, who went 6.0 innings and only gave up three hits and two earned runs, told the Star Tribune. “Homers are a crucial part of any offense, and to get those guys going like that is great. Sano, I’m sure that’s great for his confidence.”
Sano and Mauer hit a home run in each of the three games during the series, combining to hit .435 against Seattle and drive in 10 runs — one fewer than the Mariners managed all season.
Sano his hit home runs in four straight games, one away from the franchise record of five set three times by Harmon Killebrew and tied by Marty Cordova in 1995. Mauer hasn’t homered three straight times since 2009. Grossman has reached base in all nine games he’s played with the Twins.
It was only the second sweep of the season for Minnesota, which is 8-2 against the AL West and 4-19 against the Central.
“It’s a really nice series for us,” Twins manager Paul Molitor told the Star Tribune. “It’s just a mini-run, but it does feel good, no doubt about it. It’s four games; we know how deep our hole is.”
Closer Kevin Jepsen nearly blew the lead in the ninth, giving up two runs after entering with the team up 5-2. He allowed three hits and a Franklin Gutierrez homer before striking out Dae-Ho Lee to end the game.
“It’s [only] four games,” Mauer told the Star Tribune. “It was a nice series, and it’d be great if we can keep it going.”
[Star Tribune, Associated Press]
