Morrison's RBI Double In 11th Pushes Mariners Past Twins 4-1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Logan Morrison hadn't taken batting practice in the cage for four days because of a sore thumb and had only recently started swinging again since leaving a game on Wednesday.
The lack of practice didn't matter Sunday when he stepped to the plate in extra innings.
Morrison's RBI double in the 11th inning broke a tie and Austin Jackson added a two-run double as the Seattle Mariners outlasted the Minnesota Twins 4-1.
"When you barrel it, you don't feel it no matter how bad your hand hurts," Morrison said.
Hitting for the first time in the game after pinch-running for Robinson Cano, Morrison drove a pitch from Brian Duensing to the wall in right-centerfield to score rookie Ketel Marte.
Duensing had relieved Kevin Jepsen (2-6), who lost in his Minnesota debut after being acquired before Friday's trading deadline. Morrison hasn't started since injuring his thumb but came off the bench for the second straight game.
"It doesn't really hurt unless I get jammed, so I'm glad I didn't get jammed," Morrison said. "I was looking for a pitch in the middle of the plate and it happened to be the first one."
Marte had three hits and a walk in his third major league game for Seattle, which split the four-game series and won for the second time in seven games.
Fernando Rodney (4-4) pitched around a walk in the 10th, and Tom Wilhelmsen allowed a leadoff double in the 11th before recording his second save in as many chances to finish what had been an early pitching duel.
Nelson Cruz broke a 0-0 tie in the top of the ninth with his 29th home run of the season. It was off Minnesota closer Glen Perkins, who has allowed runs in four of his six outings since the All-Star break after giving up just five runs in 38 games before it.
"I'm not going to give in to him," Perkins said of the 3-0 pitch to Cruz. "The least likely outcome for him there is a home run. He just happened to hit it. I take my chances, and it didn't work out."
Brian Dozier tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with his 23rd homer of the season off Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma, who had allowed just two baserunners until that inning.
Iwakuma hadn't allowed a run to Minnesota in his first five career starts and entered the ninth with a span of 42 straight scoreless innings. He finished with a season-high eight strikeouts while giving up three hits and a walk.
"Unbelievable, and I told him he was unbelievable," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He just left one pitch up. Other than that, I mean, just an amazing outing; one that we desperately needed."
Twins starter Mike Pelfrey threw eight scoreless innings, allowing four hits. He retired 15 of the final 17 hitters he faced and got 16 outs on groundballs.
Jepsen was acquired Friday to help a struggling bullpen, but he walked two batters and struck out Cruz with two runners on before departing.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Charlie Furbush (left biceps tendinitis) threw a bullpen session, which McClendon characterized as "OK." McClendon said Furbush's next session will be pushed back one day to Wednesday. If all goes well, the left-hander could start a rehab assignment. He's been out since July 8.
Twins: Reliever Ryan Pressly was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster for Tyler Duffey. Pressly is nearing a return to throwing but wasn't expected to be ready to return until the 60-day timeline anyway with a strained muscle near his shoulder.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (12-6, 3.02 ERA) will open the three-game series at Colorado. Hernandez allowed seven runs in 6 2-3 innings in his last outing. The Rockies counter with RHP Eddie Butler (3-7, 4.82). Butler has given up six runs over 11 innings in two starts since being recalled.
Twins: Minnesota begins an important four-game series at Toronto with RHP Ervin Santana (2-1, 3.78) facing new Blue Jays LHP David Price (9-4, 2.53). Santana allowed eight runs — six earned — in a loss to Pittsburgh. Price will be making his Toronto debut.
STARTERS SET
Minnesota and Seattle set the starters for their upcoming series.
With Tommy Milone going on the DL for the Twins, RHP Tyler Duffey will make his major league debut on Tuesday at Toronto. Minnesota considered top prospect Jose Berrios and LHP Taylor Rogers but wanted a right-hander against the Blue Jays and believed Duffey was better prepared than Berrios.
McClendon said LHP Vidal Nuno will come out of the bullpen to start Tuesday's game at Colorado, filling the open rotation spot after Seattle traded J.A. Happ to Pittsburgh on Friday. Nuno's start is considered a spot start for now, according to McClendon.
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