MINNEAPOLIS — Maybe the Mariners should play all of their games in sub-freezing temperatures because their woes of hitting with runners in scoring position disappeared on Saturday like a warm drink.
With a first pitch temperature of 27 degrees — the coldest temperature recorded for a first pitch in both the Mariners and Twins franchise histories — and wind chill dropping the temps to the teens, Seattle banged out 12 hits, going 5 for 9 with runners in scoring position, and rolled to a decisive 11-4 win over the Twins.
Coming into Saturday’s tilt on the tundra of Target Field, the Mariners were just 3 for 29 with runners in scoring position in their previous two games.
Ryon Healy delivered the big hit turning a 5-3 game into a rout. Having been robbed of a sure double in the second inning, Healy made sure this line drive wouldn’t be snagged. With the bases loaded, Healy roped a shot into the gap in left-center that cleared the bases to make it 8-3. Guillermo Heredia, who had subbed in for Ichiro as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning, pulled a homer off the foul pole in left field to make it 10-3.
After failing to get a baserunner for the first three innings against Twins starter Jose Berrios, the Mariners broke through for five runs over two innings, knocking the Twins’ ace out of the game.
Jean Segura broke up the early no-hit bid with an infield single. He advanced to second on a throwing error by Miguel Sano and scored on a single to center from Robinson Cano. It was the first run that Berrios allowed this season. That number grew quickly to three when Kyle Seager yanked a two-run homer off the foul pole in right to make it 3-0.
Seattle pushed the lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning on a two-run single from Dee Gordon.
That lead seemed to be enough for Mariners starter Mike Leake, who worked the first five innings without allowing a run despite issuing four walks. He had allowed just one hit and seemed poised to give the Mariners six innings of work.
However, Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano started off the sixth with back-to-back “doubles” that forced Leake from the game with a slew of left-handed hitters coming to the plate.
The first double to Mauer should have been caught on the warning track, but Ichiro didn’t quite get to the ball to make a play. The second double, which was over Ichiro’s head, was also catchable.
Leake’s replacement, Marc Rzepczynski, gave up two hits and allowed two more runs to score, getting just one out. Right-hander Dan Altavilla cleaned up the mess of an inning, retiring the last two batters of the inning.
