MINNEAPOLIS — Eddie Rosario wasn’t a very happy camper after not starting four games in the past nine days.
He took his frustrations out on the Seattle Mariners pitching staff, and his teammates joined the hit party as well.
Rosario hit three home runs and drove in five runs and the Minnesota Twins set a franchise record with 28 hits while batting around in two different innings of a 20-7 victory over the Mariners on Tuesday night.
“He made a little bit of a statement out there tonight,” manager Paul Molitor said. “He’s been out a few days and he came back with a vengeance.”
Max Kepler and Brian Dozier also went deep, Eduardo Escobar had five hits and two RBIs and Jason Castro had four hits and four RBIs for the Twins, who are in first place in the AL Central despite an AL-worst 13-19 record at Target Field.
The 28 hits are the most in a game since the Rangers had 29 in a 30-3 win over the Orioles on Aug. 22, 2007.
“We just couldn’t stop them,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “They kept squaring it up.”
Christian Bergman (3-4) gave up nine runs and 10 hits in 2 1-3 innings for the Mariners. Jarrod Dyson had a homer, a double and an RBI. Ben Gamel had two doubles and an RBI.
With slugger Miguel Sano getting a night off, the Twins batted around in a seven-run third inning and a seven-run seventh to snap a five-game home skid.
The Twins strung together eight straight hits in the third inning, including back-to-back homers by Rosario and Dozier, to bust the game wide open.
“I just had a bad day as far as stuff and command goes,” Bergman said.
Rosario’s second two-run shot of the game came off of the first pitch from reliever Casey Lawrence, and Dozier followed with a solo shot for an 11-3 lead.
Rosario’s final blast of the night came in the eighth inning off backup catcher Carlos Ruiz.
“Sometimes you have frustrations,” Rosario said. “But I keep working hard. That’s it.”
A night after scoring 14 runs in a series-opening win over the Twins, the Mariners still pounded out 14 hits. Dyson’s homer was his third of the season to set a career high.
Unique visit
Kyle Gibson (4-4) wobbled through six innings, giving up six runs and 12 hits and striking out four.
After the Twins’ big third inning, Gibson promptly gave up three doubles and two runs. That compelled manager Paul Molitor to make a rare, one-on-one visit to the mound. Pitching coach Neil Allen remained in the dugout and catcher Jason Castro remained behind the plate. It was just Molitor and Gibson talking man-to-man.
Molitor finished the visit by patting Gibson on the behind and the right-hander was able to get the final two outs of the inning without surrendering another run.
“He just said, ‘This is your game and we need you to get to the seventh,”‘ Gibson said.
Trainer’s room
Mariners: RHP Hisahi Iwakuma is scheduled to make his first rehab start for Class A Modesto on Thursday. Iwakuma has been out since May 7 with right shoulder inflammation. Manager Scott Servais said the plan is for three innings or 45 pitches. … SS Jean Segura, out since June 2 with a right high ankle sprain, did some running on Wednesday at about 60 percent speed. He plans to take batting practice on Thursday.
Twins: LHP Glen Perkins, bothered by shoulder issues for the past two years, threw 21 pitches in a simulated game in Fort Myers, Florida. He will next throw on Friday in extended spring training. … RHP Hector Santiago played long toss on Wednesday and remains in the mix to start a game in the doubleheader against Cleveland on Saturday.
Up next
Mariners: RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-1, 2.79) takes the mound on Wednesday for Game 3 of the four-game series. He spent the first seven years of his career in the minor leagues before finally getting a chance this season.
Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (8-3, 2.20) will take the mound for the Twins, fresh off his majors-leading third shutout of the season, a 4-0 win over the Giants on June 9.
