Minneapolis, MN – Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run home run and drove in four as the Minnesota Twins pounded the Seattle Mariners, 10-0, in the third installment of a four-game set.
Josh Willingham hit a solo home run and drove in two while Joe Mauer went 3- for-5 with two RBI and a run scored for the Twins, who came into the game having lost seven of their last eight.
Samuel Deduno (5-2) benefited from the run support and pitched well, giving up just two hits while striking out nine over seven innings.
"It was huge having a night like this," said Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire. "I'm glad we were able to get the bats swinging tonight and now we can build on this and get some things going."
Jason Vargas (13-9) gave up six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings for the Mariners, who have lost four of their last six.
"You know, sometimes you run into a team that will swing the bats really well and that's what happened tonight," said Seattle manager Eric Wedge. "We just couldn't get anything going on the mound or at the plate."
Minnesota scored all the runs it needed in the third inning. Plouffe and Pedro Florimon Jr. walked to start the frame and Jamey Carroll later singled to load the bases. Mauer followed with a two-run single and Justin Morneau scored one more with a single for a 3-0 lead.
Plouffe hit a two-run homer in the fourth while Willingham led off the fifth with his 32nd blast of the season for a 6-0 advantage.
Willingham's sac fly and a two-run double from Plouffe in the seventh made it a 9-0 game and Morneau added a sac fly in the eighth to extend the lead to double-digits.
After giving up a one-out single to Trayvon Robinson in the first, Deduno retired the next 18 batters before Kyle Seager singled with one out in the seventh.
Tyler Robertson and Anthony Swarzak each pitched a perfect inning to cap the shutout.
Game Notes
Seattle had won seven straight against Minnesota. The season series stands at 7-2 in Seattle's favor ... Minnesota hit 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position, but did strand 10 ... Vargas fell to 2-2 in eight career games versus Minnesota...Minnesota pitcher Scott Diamond dropped the appeal of his six-game suspension and began serving it on Wednesday.
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