Twins fall behind early, lose 12-3 to Mariners

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SEATTLE -- Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager hit three-run homers and James Paxton was effective enough for five innings to pace Seattle to a 12-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

Cano staked the Mariners to a 3-0 lead in the first and Seager's shot capped a seven-run fourth inning that extended the lead to 12-2 as Seattle won for the eighth time in nine games.

Paxton (5-0), who missed most of May with a left forearm strain, allowed three runs and five hits with three walks in his second start since coming off the disabled list.



Hector Santiago (4-6) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, allowing five runs and three hits with four walks, all of which came around to score. Catcher Chris Gimenez, who was behind the plate the first seven innings, pitched the eighth, retiring all three batters he faced.

Guillermo Heredia and Danny Valencia opened the first with consecutive walks and Cano followed with his 11th homer, sending a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center

Santiago walked Cano and Nelson Cruz with one out in the third and Seager followed with an RBI double to right. Cruz, who has been nursing a tight hamstring, held at third, but came home on Taylor Motter's sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-0.

The Twins, who managed just one walk through the first three innings, cut it to 5-2 in the fourth. Brian Dozier opened with his ninth homer. Miguel Sano doubled with one out, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on Max Kepler's fielder's choice grounder.

Seattle answered with seven runs in the bottom half before the Twins got an out. Mike Zunino and Heredia singled around Jarrod Dyson being hit by a pitch to load the bases. Valencia narrowly missed a grand slam when his drive sailed just outside the left-field foul pole, but he cleared the bases with a double to center to make it 8-2.

Valencia came around on consecutive singles by Cano and Cruz and Seager followed with his sixth homer.

The Twins got to Paxton in the fifth on a single by Bryon Buxton, a walk to Dozier and Joe Mauer's RBI single.

https://youtu.be/SIM8NLGZ0-w

TRAINER'S ROOM:

Twins: SS Jorge Polanco originally was in the starting lineup Tuesday, but was scratched to return to the Dominican Republic following the death of his grandfather. Ehire Adrianza started at SS.

Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (right shoulder inflammation) started Tuesday night for Triple-A Tacoma, allowing five runs and four hits in two innings with three strikeouts and two walks in a 50-pitch outing. . OF Mitch Haniger (strained right oblique) was the DH at Tacoma on Tuesday, going 1 for 4. He is scheduled to play in the field at Tacoma on Wednesday. "They're both anxious to get in there and see where they're at on their rehab," Seattle manager Scott Servais said before Tuesday's game. "Again, just get through it healthy, not looking at the results so much." ... SS Jean Segura (right high ankle sprain) got rid of the protective boot, but has yet to resume baseball activities. "I'm optimistic. I don't think he's going be out as long as was initially said," Servais said "But, that's just going off what Jean's telling me and what he's feeling. Sometimes the last part of the rehab with the high ankle sprain can be the most difficult when you start doing the cutting and lateral movement."

UP NEXT:

Twins: LHP Adalberto Mejia (1-1, 3.95) makes his seventh start in the second game of the three-game series at Seattle. He was sent to Triple-A after three starts, but since being recalled on May 21, has allowed six earned runs in 18 innings.

Mariners: RHP Yovani Gallardo (2-6, 6.24) has lost his last three starts, allowing 17 earned runs in 12 innings, twice failing to get out of the fourth inning. Gallardo entered this season with a career 3.79 ERA, but was 6-8 with a 5.42 ERA in 2016 with Baltimore.