Rodríguez homers twice in Mariners’ 9-7 comeback win against Twins
By BRIAN HALL
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Julio Rodríguez homered twice, including a two-run shot in a four-run eighth to tie the game, as the Seattle Mariners rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 9-7 on Tuesday night.
After Rodríguez tied the game, Eugenio Suárez came through with a two-run double in the ninth off Oliver Ortega (0-1) to put Seattle ahead after the Mariners trailed 4-0 after the first inning.
Cade Marlowe added his first career homer in his fourth major league game for the Mariners, who have won four of six.
Matt Brash (5-3) pitched an inning of relief for the win. Paul Sewald gave up a solo homer to Michael A. Taylor in the ninth but notched his 20th save in 23 chances.
With both bullpens running short because of recent games, Ortega was asked to pitch the ninth for Minnesota in a tie game. He gave up three runs on two hits and a walk.
The Twins’ four-game winning streak was snapped. They started the day with an MLB-best nine wins since the All-Star break. Minnesota struck out a season-high 18 times.
Twins rookie Matt Wallner hit a two-run homer to cap the four-run first off Mariners starter George Kirby, who pitched seven scoreless innings in a win against Minnesota in Seattle. Max Kepler added an RBI single in the first among his two hits for the Twins.
BEAT THE DEADLINE
The Twins signed Walker Jenkins, the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft, on Friday. Jenkins, 18, was the last first-round pick to sign this year, coming in just before Tuesday’s deadline. The team announced Jenkins, a North Carolina high school product, signed for $7.14 million.
Jenkins, who will head to the team’s training complex in Florida, is a 6-foot-3, 212-pound outfielder who hits from the left side. He hit .417 with two homers in 24 games in his senior season at South Brunswick High School and was named the Gatorade baseball player of the year in North Carolina for the second straight year.
“I always tell people I hate losing more than I like winning, so that kind of sums up the way I play baseball on the baseball field,” Jenkins said after signing. “I’m going to give it my all. Go 100%, try to be the best player, teammate that I can be.”
UP NEXT
Bryce Miller (6-3, 3.50 ERA) will start the series finale on Wednesday afternoon for Seattle. Minnesota counters with Joe Ryan (9-6, 3.88). Miller allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings in his last start against Toronto. Ryan earned the win against the Chicago White Sox in his last start, giving up four runs in six innings.
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