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Twins unable to slow Mariners’ Wild chase
- Updated: September 24, 2016
MINNEAPOLIS — Mariners lefty James Paxton took matters into his own hands on Friday with a powerful seven-inning outing, and he got plenty of help from his offense as Seattle topped the Twins, 10-1, to stay in pursuit of an American League Wild Card.
“This is what we need,” Paxton said. “We need to win right now. Guys are playing hard, and we’re just doing our best to stay right there and climb up in the Wild Card standings.”
The Mariners have now won 11 of their last 15 games and seven straight on the road to put their record at 81-72. With nine games to go, they remain two back of the Tigers for the second Wild Card spot after Detroit topped the Royals, 8-3.
Paxton improved to 5-7 with a 3.72 ERA as he allowed just one run on five hits with no walks and nine strikeouts in an efficient 85-pitch outing. Nelson Cruz capped a six-run seventh for Seattle with a two-run double and then unloaded a two-run homer in the eighth, while Robinson Cano had four hits and two RBIs.
Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson took the loss as he gave up two runs on five hits over five innings and is now 1-8 with a 5.21 ERA in 13 home starts. Minnesota has been outscored 40-10 in losing seven straight while falling to 55-99.
“I think it was a step in the right direction for me,” Gibson said. “I felt a little better. But it’s tough to be too satisfied with a game where you go five innings and throw 100 pitches and your team loses 10-1.”
The offensive breakout was a welcome sight for the Mariners, who had totaled just 16 runs in a 2-4 homestand before hitting the road for a final time this season.
MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDBuxton’s great grab: Twins center fielder Byron Buxton has made several impressive catches this year, but robbing Cruz of a potential three-run homer in the third might’ve been his best of the season. The center fielder raced back to the wall and made a leaping catch to rob Cruz to end the inning. Buxton had a first step of 0.47 seconds, covering 94 feet with a route …
