MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Morneau homered and drove in three runs, Jason Kubel hit the go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning and the Minnesota Twins beat Seattle 6-5 on Wednesday night in an ominous first start for Mariners sinkerballer Carlos Silva.
Denard Span hit a two-run homer to help Kevin Slowey survive a couple of rough stretches and complete six innings for the victory. Craig Breslow and Jesse Crain held the lead for Joe Nathan, who notched his first save.
After 17 rather lifeless innings by their lineup, the Twins came back in the ninth Tuesday with three two-out runs and maintained their momentum at the plate with six extra-base hits in this one.
Russell Branyan and Jose Lopez hit long home runs and Yuniesky Betancourt went 3-for-4 for Seattle, but Slowey retired the last seven batters he faced and struck out five without a walk. Slowey gave up five runs and nine hits.
The Mariners started strong with a homer by Ken Griffey Jr. and a 6-1 victory on opening night that prompted a mini-celebration in the clubhouse, but problems from 2008 have already resurfaced in the past two games.
Minnesota’s three-run rally Tuesday against new closer Brandon Morrow served as a reminder of the team record of 31 blown saves set last year.
Then Silva, that $48 million, four-year contract still weighing heavily on his broad shoulders despite the 35 pounds he shed while doing yoga and changing his diet during the winter, fell behind 2-0 after the first inning and 4-2 after two when a couple of his sinkers didn’t sink.
Morneau hit one a half-dozen rows into the upper deck, and Span’s soared over the folded-up football seats above right field. After Slowey gave the lead back to Seattle with a three-run fourth inning, Morneau hustled into second base with a headfirst dive to finish a two-out RBI double that tied it at 5 in the fifth. Kubel followed with a double that scooted down the right-field line to drive in Morneau and put Minnesota back in front.
Manager Don Wakamatsu has implored the emotional, excitable Silva to use his head more than his heart, but even against his former team this was more about hittable pitches in the wrong places.
The right-hander, who spent four seasons and made 124 starts with the Twins, gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings.
Notes
The Mariners cleared OF Ichiro Suzuki to start playing in extended spring training games. He’s expected back next week from a bleeding ulcer and severe fatigue that sent him to the DL for the first time in his major league career. … Minnesota C Mike Redmond sat out for the second straight game due to a pulled groin muscle, but insisted he was ready. Manager Ron Gardenhire preferred caution: “To his satisfaction, he’s fine. To mine, he still hasn’t cleared yet.” … Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek was out of the hospital and with the team at the stadium, but he’s not ready to return to his duties. He might need a sub over the next week or so. … Silva’s wife is from the Twin Cities, and they kept an offseason home here. He had the Mariners over for a party the night before the opener. … Reliever Chris Jakubauskas, whose name barely fits on the back of his jersey, made his major league debut for Seattle with two scoreless innings. The 30-year-old picked Michael Cuddyer off second base to end the seventh and pumped his fist as he turned toward the dugout.
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