Twins 5, Mariners 4: Mauer, Sano power Twins to a sweep

Ricky Nolasco had a nice start, something we hadn't seen in a while. He went 6 innings, striking out 7, and allowing just 2 runs. One of those came on a home run off the bat of Robinson Cano (he's really good), and the other came on a wild pitch.

The first run for the Twins came in the second in the form of a Robbie Grossman HR, the second HR for players named Robbie in this game. That tied the game at 1, but the Mariners got one back (the aforementioned wild pitch) in the bottom half, taking the lead 2-1.

Previously this is where the Twins of yore would roll over and die, but not this day, as the Twins struck back in the 4th inning. Joe Mauer and Miguel Sano hit back to back home runs to left field to take the lead. Juan Centeno knocked in Byung Ho Park later in the inning with a double for another run. In the top of the 5th they knocked out Taijuan Walker with one more run, this time on a ground-out by Grossman, pushing the lead up to 3 at 5-2.

Of course, you just knew that the Twins would try to find a way to lose this game. In the 9th inning Kevin Jepsen came in and immediately allowed a single to Nelson Cruz. Luckily for the Twins, Kyle Seager hit into a double play, erasing Cruz at second. With 2 outs, Adam Lind hit a single, and then Franklin Gutierrez hit a 2-run home run to make the score 5-4. The Mariners brought in pinch hitter Dae Ho Lee, but he struck out to end the game, and the series.

Your Minnesota Twins have just swept the Seattle Mariners, a legitimately good team.

Hang in there, Seattle.

Notes:

• Brian Dozier was hit by a pitch in the head, but stayed in the game and seems fine.
• Joe Mauer has homered in 3 straight games, Miguel Sano has homered in 4 straight.

Studs:

• Ricky Nolasco, Miguel Sano, Joe Mauer, Robbie Grossman
  

Duds:

• No one, the Twins swept the series.

Pick the stick results:

Congrats to Asthix!

Roll Call!