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Paxton dominant again as Mariners top Twins

SEATTLE - James Paxton continued his impressive month of May, allowing one run in seven innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins 2-1 Friday night, May 25, at Safeco Field.Paxton (4-1) allowed three hits, didn't walk a...

021920.S.STP.TWINSREPORT
Minnesota Twins first baseman Miguel Sano tosses to the pitcher after fielding a ground ball against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at Safeco Field on Friday, May 25. Sano returned to the Twins lineup Friday after missing almost a month with a strained left hamstring. Joe Nicholson / USA TODAY Sports

SEATTLE - James Paxton continued his impressive month of May, allowing one run in seven innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins 2-1 Friday night, May 25, at Safeco Field.

Paxton (4-1) allowed three hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out 11, the fourth time this season he has reached double-digits.

The left-hander improved to 3-0 this month, in which he's had a career-high 16-strikeout game (May 2 vs. Oakland), pitched a no-hitter (May 8 at Toronto) and a three-hitter (May 19 vs. Detroit).

Mitch Haniger broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with a run-scoring single. That helped give the Mariners their 14th one-run victory of the season, most in the major leagues.

Right-hander Nick Vincent pitched a scoreless eighth inning, setting the stage for Seattle closer Edwin Diaz in the ninth.

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Diaz, facing the Nos. 2-4 batters in the Twins lineup, got Eddie Rosario to fly out to the warning track in right field on a 3-0 count, struck out Miguel Sano and got Eduardo Escobar to fly out to center.

It was Diaz's 18th save of the season, tying Colorado's Wade Davis for the most in the majors.

The Mariners took the lead in the first inning on Nelson Cruz's run-scoring single. Jean Segura led off with an infield single, stole second and scored when Cruz grounded a two-out single into left field.

The Twins tied it in the fifth on Max Kepler's leadoff home run, his seventh of the season. Kepler hit a 1-0 pitch from Paxton into the right-field bleachers.

Seattle regained the lead in the sixth as, with two outs, Guillermo Heredia walked on a 3-2 pitch. Heredia advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when the right-handed hitting Haniger, going against a defensive shift, grounded a single into right field where the second baseman would usually be positioned.

Twins rookie right-hander Fernando Romero (2-1), making his fifth major league start, nearly matched Paxton but suffered his first defeat. Romero allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Sano returned to the Twins lineup after missing almost a month with a strained left hamstring. Sano played first base and batted third, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

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Minnesota Twins first baseman Miguel Sano tosses to the pitcher after fielding a ground ball against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at Safeco Field on Friday, May 25. Sano returned to the Twins lineup Friday after missing almost a month with a strained left hamstring. Joe Nicholson / USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura slides home to score a run before Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver receives the ball during the first inning at Safeco Field on Friday, May 25. Joe Nicholson / USA TODAY Sports

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