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M's handle Twins

Aug 20, 2012 - 12:38 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Blake Beavan lasted 5 1/3 effective innings and Michael Saunders launched a two-run home run as the Seattle Mariners completed a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 5-1 victory on Sunday at Safeco Field.

Beavan (8-7) allowed one run on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts to bounce back from a loss his last time out. Josh Kinney tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings to secure his first save of the season.

"I thought Blake did a good job," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. "He gave us a good opportunity to win. Offensively, it was good that we separated when we did. I felt like we had some good swings today."

Eric Thames ripped an RBI double among his three hits and John Jaso added an RBI for the streaking Mariners, who have won five straight. Dustin Ackley had a pair of hits in the victory.

Samuel Deduno (4-1) took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits with six walks and two strikeouts. Trevor Plouffe knocked in the only run of the game with a sacrifice fly for the Twins, who have dropped five in a row.

Minnesota opened the scoring with a run in the second inning. Josh Willingham started the frame with a double and Justin Morneau walked. Morneau was erased on a fielder's choice by Ryan Doumit, but Willingham was able to make it to third on the play before scoring on a Plouffe sacrifice fly.

Seattle answered with a pair of runs in the third. Saunders laced a base hit around walks to Ackley and Kyle Seager to load the bases with no outs. Jaso then worked a free pass to bring home Ackley and Jesus Montero gave the M's a 2-1 edge with a run-scoring double play groundout.

The Twins loaded the bases with one out in the sixth when Morneau beat out an infield hit, Doumit singled and Plouffe walked. Seattle reliever Carter Capps fanned Matt Carson and induced an inning-ending fly out from Pedro Florimon Jr. to keep the lead intact.

Seattle finally broke the game open with a trio of runs in the seventh. Ackley doubled off Twins reliever Jeff Gray to start the inning and Saunders smashed his 11th long ball of the season to extend the lead to 4-1. Thames capped the inning with a run-scoring double.

Kinney walked Florimon and Ben Revere with one out in the ninth, but retired Alexi Casilla and Joe Mauer to finish off the sweep for the Mariners.

"A bad series here. We scored six runs in three days," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's not good enough. They pitched well, but we sure missed out on a lot of opportunities."

Game Notes

Seager (1-for-2) has recorded a hit in 10 of his last 12 games at Safeco Field ... Seattle improved to 22-13 since the All-Star break ... Minnesota fell to 26-33 on the road this season ... It was the third sweep for the Mariners since the All-Star break and the 10th time this season that the Twins were swept ... The Mariners are 16-9 and 13-3 at home since outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was dealt to the New York Yankees.