Seattle Mariners vs Minnesota Twins Match Player Stats On Jun 12, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 12, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the second time in a week, Yovani Gallardo of the Seattle Mariners won a game against Adalberto Mejia and the Minnesota Twins.

Seattle's bats roughed up Mejia early and tallied 19 total hits to rout Minnesota 14-3 in Monday's series opener at Target Field.

Nelson Cruz drove in four runs while Danny Valencia and Mike Zunino each homered for Seattle as the Mariners (32-33) snapped a brief two-game skid.

Gallardo (3-6) steadied himself after several rough outings prior to Monday. The Mariners right-hander allowed three runs in six innings to earn his first victory in nearly a month. He gave up five runs just one start earlier against the Twins in a no-decision. In Monday's win, Gallardo struck out five and walked just one batter.

Minnesota (32-28) continued its struggles in its home ballpark. Monday's loss dropped the Twins to 12-19 at Target Field this season despite an impressive 20-9 road record. It also marked Minnesota's second straight game in which it allowed at least 13 runs.

Mejia (1-2) gave up nine runs (eight earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

Every player in the Mariners' starting lineup had at least one hit Monday. It's the second lopsided win for Seattle over Minnesota in the span of a week. The Mariners beat the Twins by an identical 12-3 score in their series opener at Safeco Field in Seattle last Tuesday.

Things got so bad for Minnesota on Monday that backup catcher Chris Gimenez came in to pitch the ninth inning. It was Gimenez's fifth relief appearance this season for the Twins. He allowed a pair of runs in the ninth to cap off the tough night for Minnesota.

Seattle didn't waste any time jumping on the scoreboard and Mejia didn't help his own cause in the early going. Mejia's throwing error on a grounder by Mitch Haniger put two runners on base with nobody out in the first inning.

Ben Gamel and Haniger came around to score on a two-run single by Cruz. That put Mejia and Minnesota in an early 2-0 hole.

An hour after the Minnesota Twins made the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, a former No. 1 pick tied the game for the Twins. Joe Mauer's two-run double to left-center off Gallardo in the bottom of the first inning tied the game at 2.

Seattle answered with four more runs off Mejia in the second. Haniger drove in two of those with a ground-rule double to deep center field, and Cruz's sacrifice fly -- his third RBI in the first two innings -- made it a 6-2 lead.

The Mariners got to Mejia again in the fourth, tacking on a run after Mejia loaded the bases. That chased Mejia from the game.

NOTES: Twins IF Jorge Polanco was reinstated from the bereavement list prior to Monday's game. Polanco was placed on the bereavement list on Wednesday following the death of his grandfather. To make room on the 25-man roster, Minnesota optioned RHP Chris Heston to Triple-A Rochester. Heston pitched in just one game after he was claimed off waivers on Wednesday. ... Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez will make another rehab start with Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday as he works his way back from bursitis, manager Scott Servais said Monday. Hernandez hasn't pitched for Seattle since April 25. ... Seattle INF Jean Segura (ankle) fielded ground balls on Monday at Target Field as he works his way back from injury. Segura, who is batting .341 this year, last played on June 1 before suffering a high ankle sprain. Segura is expected to continue to test the ankle Tuesday by doing some running before the game.