Minnesota Twins ambush Gilbert, thump Seattle Mariners 11-1
May 9, 2024, 1:11 PM | Updated: 2:44 pm
(David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Manny Margot highlighted a five-run first inning for Minnesota with a three-run double off Seattle’s Logan Gilbert, and the Twins coasted to an 11-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners to win their fifth consecutive series on Thursday afternoon.
Minnesota Twins 11, Seattle Mariners 1: Box Score
Pablo López (4-2) pitched into the seventh with a season-high 10 strikeouts to win his third straight start. Ryan Jeffers and Max Kepler each homered and drove in two runs, Jose Miranda scored three runs on two hits and Margot matched his career high with five RBIs for the Twins (22-15), who won for the 15th time in their last 17 games.
“I don’t know what more I could ask for from our offense and the way they did their jobs,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I was sitting back for a period of time, just watching and being very impressed with the whole group.”
This matchup of premier American League starting pitchers didn’t materialize. Gilbert (3-1) ominously issued a four-pitch leadoff walk and hit his previous season high of five hits allowed in just eight batters.
The Twins got the bounces, like when Miranda checked his swing in the first inning and accidentally hit a slow-bouncing single up the third base line. But there were plenty of hard-hit balls, like the 104 mph drive Jeffers sent into the flower boxes above the wall in left-center field.
A bases clearing double?
That's a job Manuel done! pic.twitter.com/Vm2odAmejs
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 9, 2024
Gilbert failed to pitch into the sixth for the first time in eight starts this season. The 2018 first-round draft pick gave up eight runs, the most since he was a rookie in 2021, on nine hits and two walks while finishing five innings. The AL-leading ERA of 1.69 he took into the game rocketed up to 2.94.
“What I was doing today obviously wasn’t working,” Gilbert said.
López gave up one run on four hits without a walk in 6 1/3 innings, which included a slick catch by shortstop Willi Castro of a line drive that first glanced off the third baseman Miranda’s glove.
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