Mariners 6, Twins 2: Robinson Cano had a season-high four hits and drove in a run while Felix Hernandez tossed eight strong innings as Seattle avoided a sweep at Minnesota.
Hernandez (5-1) allowed two runs on seven singles and struck out five while Fernando Rodney worked around a two-out single in a non-save situation in the ninth inning. Michael Saunders finished with two hits and two RBIs for the Mariners, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Trevor Plouffe singled twice and knocked in a pair to supply Minnesota with its only offense. Ricky Nolasco (2-4) remained winless over his last four starts after yielding three runs for the fourth straight outing on six hits and three walks over five frames.
Minnesota struck first in the third as each of the Twinsâ?? first two batters reached and moved up a base on Hernandezâ??s wild pitch ahead of Plouffe, who lifted a two-out single to shallow right-center to plate Aaron Hicks and Danny Santana. Cano led off the fourth with a single to extend his on-base streak to a major league-high 26 games and scored on Kyle Seagerâ??s RBI single before Nolasco escaped a bases-loaded jam by fanning Brad Miller.
The Twinsâ?? right-hander was less fortunate in the fifth, however, as Seattle tied it on Saundersâ?? second triple of the season and moved ahead for good on Canoâ??s double off the wall in center two pitches later. The Mariners added a run in the sixth on Saundersâ?? sacrifice fly, in the seventh when Smoak stroked an RBI double to left off reliever Caleb Thielbar and again in the ninth when Cano scored on Matt Guerrierâ??s wild pitch.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Seattle DH Corey Hart left the game after suffering an apparent hamstring injury while stealing second base in the top of the fourth. â? Minnesota fell to 9-4 in series finales and lost for the first time on Sunday in six tries. â? Hernandez improved to 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in three all-time starts at Target Field, but saw his ERA in 16 career outings against the Twins increase slightly to 2.08 â?? his lowest against any American League opponent.
