MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — First baseman Logan Morrison’s throwing error in the eighth inning accounted for the game’s only run as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins 1-0 after a long rain delay Monday night.
Dee Gordon led off the eighth with a double against reliever Trevor Hildenberger (1-1). Jean Segura laid down a sacrifice bunt and Morrison threw the ball into right field, allowing Gordon to score.
James Pazos (1-0) got the win in relief of starter Wade LeBlanc, who tossed six scoreless innings. Nick Vincent worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his AL-leading 14th save in 15 chances.
LeBlanc made his third start since joining the Mariners’ rotation at the beginning of May and was sharp once again. He allowed just three runners, none of whom reached second base. He’s given up only one earned run in 15 innings as a starter this year.
Twins starter Jake Odorizzi wasn’t quite as sharp, but he also threw six shutout innings, giving up four hits and one walk while striking out seven. He worked out of jams in the fifth and sixth to keep the Mariners off the scoreboard.
Ryon Healy led off the fifth with a double and Ben Gamel drew a one-out walk. But then Odorizzi fanned Gordon Beckham for the second out, and shortstop Ehire Adrianza ran down Gordon’s broken-bat blooper in short center to end the inning.
Segura led off the sixth with another double, but Odorizzi stranded runners at the corners when he struck out Healy on a diving splitter, his 97th and final pitch of the night.
The game was originally scheduled for April 8 but got postponed because of inclement weather. The first pitch Monday was pushed back 1 hour, 42 minutes due to rain.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: 2B Robinson Cano was placed on the disabled list with a broken bone in his right hand. He was replaced on the roster and in the starting lineup by nine-year veteran Gordon Beckham.
Twins: 3B Miguel Sano (hamstring) is “not very close to 100 percent” while running, according to manager Paul Molitor. Sano has been on the DL since May 1. . The team announced C Jason Castro will undergo surgery to remove damaged cartilage in his right knee. He’s expected to miss at least four to six weeks. . RHP Ervin Santana (finger) threw to batters at the Twins’ minor league facility in Florida for the first time since undergoing surgery in February. The team hopes he’ll be ready to pitch in an extended spring training game next Monday.
UP NEXT
Mariners: RHP Mike Leake (4-3, 5.72 ERA) will be looking for his third win in four outings when he faces the Texas Rangers on Tuesday in Seattle.
Twins: RHP Jose Berrios (3-4, 4.50) tries to get back on track against the Cardinals on Tuesday night at Target Field. Over his last four starts he’s allowed 18 earned runs in 18 1/3 innings, going 1-3 in the process.
