SEATTLE — Chris Colabello hit his first career home run, a two-run shot in the 13th inning, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Friday night.
Mariners starter Felix Hernandez was two outs from a shutout and his first complete game of the season, but Trevor Plouffe’s pinch-hit single in the top of the ninth tied it at 1-1.
Runs were hard to come by for both teams until the Mariners’ Yoervis Medina (3-3) entered in the 13th. Aaron Hicks led off with a single and Colabello — playing in his 14th major league game — followed with a two-run homer to right field.
Kendrys Morales led off the bottom of the 13th with his 16th homer, but Glen Perkins closed it out for his 25th save.
Brian Duensing (3-1) pitched two innings for the win.
The Twins ruined Hernandez’s shutout bid when Pedro Florimon led off the ninth with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Plouffe’s single.
Until the ninth, Hernandez was nearly flawless. He had at least one strikeout in every inning, finishing with 11, and didn’t walk a batter. He hasn’t lost in 11 starts, stretching back to May 25.
Plouffe’s hit ended Hernandez’s stretch of 24 1/3 scoreless innings, and 32 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Twins.
The only scoring chance Minnesota had in the first eight innings came early, as Brian Dozier led off the game with a single and advanced to third on two groundouts. Hernandez struck out Ryan Doumit looking and only one other Twins player would reach scoring position until the ninth inning.
Twins pitcher Scott Diamond had one of his best starts of the year as well. Diamond pitched into the seventh inning, giving up one run on five hits, with a walk and a strikeout.
The game was scoreless until the Mariners broke through in the fifth inning, although they were unhappy with a call which may have cost them more.
Dustin Ackley led off with a single and then Brendan Ryan hit a possible double-play ball to shortstop Florimon. The toss to second baseman Dozier popped out of his glove, but umpire Chris Guccione ruled the ball was caught and Ackley was out.
Henry Blanco sent Ryan to third with a bloop single, and Nick Franklin drove him home with a two-out single up the middle to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.
The Mariners were the first team to get a runner in scoring position in extra innings, as Endy Chavez and Franklin hit two-out singles in the 12th, but Raul Ibanez struck out to end the threat.
NOTES: Seattle placed C Mike Zunino on the 15-day DL because of a broken bone in his left hand. Zunino will undergo surgery next week and the expected recovery time is six weeks. To help replace Zunino, Seattle signed free agent catcher Humberto Quintero, who was designated for assignment by the Phillies on Wednesday. … Twins C Joe Mauer will remain with his family in Minnesota through the weekend and rejoin the team on Tuesday. Mauer has been on the paternity list since his wife gave birth to twin girls on Wednesday. He will be placed on the restricted list Saturday.
