SEATTLE — Kendrys Morales knocked in three runs and Kyle Gibson pitched six shutout innings to lead the Minnesota Twins to an 8-1 rout of the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.
Chris Colabello hit a two-run double, Brian Dozier scored twice and the Twins put up eight runs in the first four innings to chase an ineffective Roenis Elias (7-8). The rookie lasted a career-low 3 1-3 innings, yielding seven runs — six earned — and seven hits with three walks.
Gibson (8-7) allowed multiple baserunners in three innings and only retired the side in order once. But he worked around seven hits and a walk, rebounding from a rough outing against the Yankees.
It was the seventh time this season that Gibson did not permit a run.
Caleb Thielbar, Jared Burton and Matt Guerrier finished up for Gibson, who gave up six runs (five earned) and six hits in two innings of a 6-5 loss to New York last Friday.
After scoring once in the first, the Twins broke the game open with a four-run second. Minnesota added three more in the fourth to end Elias’ night.
Robinson Cano drove in Seattle’s run in the seventh with a double down the left-field line that scored Brad Miller.
The Mariners had 12 hits but stranded 12 and went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position. Seattle entered hitless in its last 22 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
With the Mariners planning to use a reliever to start Thursday’s game, manager Lloyd McClendon had little choice but to let Elias attempt to pitch out of his own mess in the second. The result was, the first five Twins reached base safely.
By the time Eduardo Nunez popped out, Colabello had already driven in a pair with a double, and Sam Fuld had an RBI single. Morales added another run with a sacrifice fly before Elias got out of the inning.
Thanks in part to a two-run error by first baseman Logan Morrison, Elias wasn’t able to escape the fourth, forcing the Mariners to rely on three relievers to close out the game.
NOTES: Minnesota RHP Kris Johnson will be recalled from Triple-A Rochester to start Friday in Colorado. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said the team will announce a corresponding move Thursday night or Friday morning. … Gardenhire said SS Danny Santana (bone bruise in his left knee) will not join the team before the All-Star break and will go on a rehab assignment before being activated from the disabled list. … The Mariners have reset their weekend rotation after RHP Taijuan Walker was sent to Triple-A Tacoma. RHP Felix Hernandez will start Friday against AL West-leading Oakland and will be followed by RHP Hisashi Iwakuma and RHP Chris Young. … RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, normally a reliever, will start Thursday’s series finale against Twins RHP Yohan Pino.
