Julio Rodriguez's Three Doubles Lift Mariners Past Twins in Dominant 7-1 Win

Julio Rodriguez was absolutely cooking Tuesday night in Minneapolis, slapping three doubles, scoring twice, and driving in two runs as the Mariners rolled past the Twins 7-1. Josh Naylor added serious punch to the lineup with a homer and four RBIs, and honestly, this is the kind of offensive explosion Seattle needed to get back on track.

Rodriguez and Naylor Take Over Late

The game was tight at 2-1 heading into the eighth, but that's when things got ugly for Minnesota. J.P. Crawford worked a leadoff walk, Rodriguez lined a one-out double, and then Naylor absolutely demolished a no-doubt shot to right field off Cole Sands. Just like that, the Mariners had breathing room. Rodriguez wasn't done either. He added a two-run double in the ninth to put this thing completely out of reach.

Cole Young contributed with a two-out RBI single in the seventh that pushed the lead to 2-1 at that point. The Mariners' bullpen was equally impressive. Four Seattle relievers combined to retire the last 12 Twins hitters, completely shutting the door in the late innings.

Gilbert Bounces Back After Injury Scare

Logan Gilbert made his first start since a line drive got caught in his jersey last Wednesday, and he looked solid. The bruised stomach and cut on his left hand didn't slow him down as he pitched five innings, giving up just one run. That's exactly what you want to see from a pitcher working his way back from an injury like that.

Minnesota's Joe Ryan (2-3) couldn't match that performance, surrendering two runs over six-plus innings. Byron Buxton did homer for the Twins, blasting his seventh of the season in the fifth inning, but that was basically all Minnesota could muster. The Twins have now lost 10 of their last 12 games and are clearly struggling.

What's Next

The Mariners send RHP George Kirby (4-2, 2.97 ERA) to the mound Wednesday in the series finale against Twins RHP Taj Bradley (3-1, 2.91). After a dominant performance like this, momentum is definitely Seattle's to lose heading into that matchup.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.