Recap: Seattle vs. Minnesota
Sports Network | August 26, 2008
Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Adrian Beltre hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins, 4-2, in the opener of a three-game set at Safeco Field.
With Jesse Crain on the mound, Raul Ibanez worked a one-out walk and Beltre then slammed the first pitch he saw over the wall in left for the win.
"To be able to get the big hit, it's great," Beltre said. "I was looking for a pitch so I could hit it in the gap so Raul could score. The pitch came to the middle of the plate and I hit it good enough it went out of the ballpark."
Miguel Cairo drove in a run, while Beltre had two hits and two runs scored for the Mariners, who have won three of four. R.A. Dickey (4-8) got the win for pitching the 11th inning. Miguel Batista started on the mound and gave up just one run on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings of work.
Delmon Young went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Alexi Casilla drove in the other run for the Twins, who have dropped three straight.
Crain (5-4) got the loss while Francisco Liriano pitched a good game as he gave up one run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts in six innings of work for Minnesota, which is now one game back of Chicago for first place in the AL Central.
Before the game, the Twins strengthened their bullpen as the team acquired pitcher Eddie Guardado from the Texas Rangers in exchange for pitcher Mark Hamburger.
The Twins took the lead in the third inning. With two outs, Denard Span drew a walk and then stole second. Casilla punched a single to right that brought home Span for a 1-0 lead.
Seattle tied the game in the fifth. Jamie Burke led off with a single and Cairo followed Casilla's two-base throwing error with an RBI double to left.
Minnesota grabbed the lead in the eighth. With one out, Joe Mauer drew a walk and, after Justin Morneau flied out, moved to third on a single to right from Jason Kubel. Young then smacked a single to bring home Mauer for a 2-1 lead.
After the very recently acquired Guardado retired the Mariners in order in the eighth inning, Joe Nathan took the mound in the ninth to close the game but was unable to nail it down. Beltre led off with a double to the gap in right- center and made it to third on a grounder from Jose Lopez that Nick Punto was unable to field cleanly. Jeff Clement then hit into a double play as Beltre crossed the plate.
"Well played game by us, but it was just one bad pitch that cost us the game," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Usually, we get in the ninth with the lead the game is over. A bad defensive play and that's where we got in trouble, should've had the game finished in the ninth."
To create room on the roster for Guardado, Minnesota designated infielder Mike Lamb for assignment...It was the sixth-career walk-off hit for Beltre...Mauer, who finished 0-for-4, had a career-high 16-game hitting streak stopped while Punto, who went 0-for-5, had a 12-game streak end...It was the fourth blown save of the season for Nathan...Attendance was 23,277.
