Simeon Woods Richardson fanned a career-high eight in six scoreless innings, and Carlos Correa hit a run-scoring double and scored the go-ahead run as the Twins beat the Seattle Mariners, 3-1, Monday in front of an announced crowd of 14,384 at Target Field.
Woods Richardson fanned seven in his first three innings, tying his previous career high, and set a new mark when he got former Twins catcher Mitch Garver swinging in the fifth as the Twins beat the American League West-leading Mariners to start a four-game series.
Christian Vazquez and Manuel Margot each had RBIs in the seventh inning as the Twins broke open a 1-1 game to win for the 13th time in 14 games. The Twins had their 12-game winning streak ended with a 7-2 loss to Boston on Sunday.
Jhoan Duran pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Caleb Thielbar pitched the ninth for his third save.
Facing Mariners ace Luis Castillo, the Twins got a break to start the fifth and made the Mariners pay. Kepler started the inning with a grounder to second base, and Jorge Polanco fielded it cleanly. But first baseman Ty France whiffed on the catch, and Kepler wound up at second.
Correa followed with a double off the scoreboard in right-center to score Kepler and make it 1-0 Twins.
The Mariners got that run back in the seventh inning off reliever Griffin Jax. Polanco, playing his first game at Target Field since being traded to Seattle on Jan. 29, fisted a slow liner into right to start the inning, and moved to third when Mitch Hanigar singled up the middle.
Jax walked Cal Raleigh to load the bases but immediately struck out France. Garver followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center to tie the game 1-1 before Jax fanned Luke Raley to end the inning.
The Twins retook the lead off Castillo. Kepler drew a walk to start the inning before Correa, after falling behind 0-2, hammered a 3-2 fastball into left field for a double to put runners at second and third.
Willi Castro then grounded to first, and France immediately threw to third to cut off the go-ahead run. But Kepler got into a rundown, and Correa moved to third and Castro second before he was tagged out.
Castillo then intentionally walked lefty Carlos Santana to get to right-hander Christian Vazquez, who hit a long sacrifice fly to the warning track in right-center to score Correa and make it 2-1.
That was it for Castillo, who made way for right-hander Trent Thornton. He fell behind Manuel Margot 3-0 before giving up a singled that scored Castro to make it 3-1.
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