The Associated Press
Tim Booth
SEATTLE–Robinson Cano regularly makes the difficult look routine.
So when Seattle’s star and one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball makes two errors on one play, it’s a shocking moment.
“I should’ve made that play, I’ve made that play before,” Cano noted.
“It’s part of the game.”
The Minnesota Twins took advantage of the two errors by Cano in a 2-1 win over the Mariners last night, although his mistakes weren’t the only reason Seattle’s five-game winning streak ended.
Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson had his finest outing of the season, pitching one-run ball into the seventh inning, while Jason Castro extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a solo home run off Seattle starter Christian Bergman (3-3).
But the difference proved to be Cano’s gaffe in the fifth inning that Seattle couldn’t overcome as the Twins avoided a three-game sweep.
With two out in the fifth inning and a runner on second, Cano misplayed Joe Mauer’s slow grounder.
He compounded the mistake by trying to catch Ehire Adrianza at third base–but Cano’s throw was low, skipped past Kyle Seager, and allowed Adrianza to score.
“No matter how great the players are, it does happen every once in a while,” noted Seattle manager Scott Servais.
“You typically don’t see it out of Robbie, he has great hands, one of the most sure-handed second baseman in the league,” he conceded.
“It got away from him, and the throw was off-line, obviously, short-hopped at third,” Servais added.
“Very uncharacteristic play but it happens once in a while.”
Gibson (3-4) managed to quiet Seattle’s hot bats, pitching into the seventh inning for the first time the season.
The Mariners were averaging 8.17 runs per game so far in June, but were limited to Ben Gamel’s sacrifice fly to score Jarrod Dyson.
Gibson lasted just one batter into the seventh, getting pulled after giving up a lead-off single to Taylor Motter.
He allowed five hits while striking out four. He also got one big defensive assist thanks to another highlight catch by Byron Buxton.
With two on and two out in the fifth, Cano lined a shot to deep centrefield. Buxton raced back and, at the last moment, reached above his head falling backward to make the catch and likely save two runs.
“That’s an easy misread because the ball really had a lot of carry,” said Twins’ manager Paul Molitor.
Seattle threatened late, getting the tying run to second base in the seventh and eighth innings.
But with one out in the eighth, Mike Zunino lined a shot back up the middle that reliever Taylor Rogers snared and then doubled Cano off second base to end the threat.
“How many times you see a pitcher make that catch? Maybe one out of 50 times,” Cano said.
A day after giving up a game-winning home run in the ninth, Minnesota closer Brandon Kintzler got the final three outs for his 16th save.
“You’re always happy to get your closer back out there if you can after a little bit of a hiccup,” Molitor said.
Elsewhere in the AL, New York dumped Boston 9-1, L.A. pounded Detroit 11-4, Tampa Bay topped Chicago 7-5, and Houston beat Kansas City 6-1.
Over in the NL, Cincinnati beat St. Louis 5-2, San Francisco upended Milwaukee 9-5 (10 innings), Arizona bombed San Diego 15-3, Miami dumped Pittsburgh 7-1, Atlanta shaded Philadelphia 3-1, and Colorado downed Chicago 4-1.
Washington beat Baltimore 6-1 in interleague play.
