Cole Young hit a two-run single in the ninth inning for the Seattle Mariners, who rallied for a 5-3 victory Wednesday over the Minnesota Twins and took two of three in the series at Minneapolis.
The game-winning hit capped a 2-for-4, three RBI game for the Mariners second baseman. He has upped his batting average by 53 points (.233 to .286) by going 11-for-22 since last Friday.
Seattle had just seven hits in the game but also took advantage of five walks while winning for the sixth time in seven games.
Randy Arozarena started the ninth with a four-pitch walk from Eric Orze (0-1).
An out later, Dominic Canzone singled to put runners on the corners. Leo Rivas pinch-ran for the designated hitter and stole second during Young’s at-bat.
With the infield in, Young’s grounder got under a diving Luke Keaschall and rolled into the outfield to make it 4-3. Cal Raleigh’s deep sacrifice fly to center added an insurance run.
Before Young’s heroics, it looked like Twins catcher Victor Caratini would play that role, as his pinch-hit single in the bottom of the eighth off Gabe Speier gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead.
Instead, Minnesota lost for the seventh time in its last eight games.
Cole Criswell (1-0) pitched just a third of an inning, but it was enough for the victory. He got Bryan Buxton to fly out with the bases loaded to end the Twins’ eighth.
Andres Munoz struck out two in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.
J.P. Crawford hit his second home run of the season for the Mariners as part of a 2-for-3 game with two walks. Canzone went 2-for-4.
Minnesota racked up 12 hits. Ryan Jeffers went 2-for-4 with a run scored. He also started the eighth with a single that would lead to the Twins taking the lead. Brooks Lee also went 2-for- 4, with his two-run single in the fourth giving the Twins a 2-1 lead.
Trevor Larnach and Kody Clemens went 2-for-3.
Taj Bradley threw seven sharp innings for the Twins, allowing just two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out seven. Seattle starter George Kirby went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out five.
