Buxton's three-run homer brings 5,000th win as Twins top Mariners

Buxton went 2 for 4 overall with four RBIs.

Minnesota Twins right fielder Max Kepler (26) scores and is greeted by Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (25) during the second inning at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on June 29, 2024. / John Froschauer-USA TODAY Sports

Byron Buxton hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to open up a tight game as the Twins won their 5,000th game in team history with a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners Saturday night in Seattle.

The Twins (46-37) have struggled in tightly-contested games this season, and they were clinging to a 2-1 lead when Buxton opened the game up with the three-run homer that he sent 409 feet into left-center field off of a fastball from Mariners reliever Trent Thornton in the top of the sixth inning.

Buxton’s homer scored Carlos Correa, who led off the inning with a single to center field, and Carlos Santana, who reached and advanced Correa to second on an infield single to short.  

Buxton also plated the go-ahead run during the fourth inning with an RBI double that scored Santana, who led off the inning with a double. Buxton went 2 for 4 with four RBIs. Santana went 3 for 4.

The Twins struck first Saturday night when Jose Miranda hit an RBI single that scored Max Kepler, who doubled the previous at-bat, during the second inning. The Mariners (47-38), however, knotted the game shortly after on Mitch Haniger’s solo homer during the third inning. 

Haniger’s home run was the lone run Twins starter Pablo Lopez allowed as he surrendered just four hits in all while fanning nine across six innings in the win that improved his record to 8-6.

Mariners starter Bryce Miller allowed two runs off five hits while fanning six across five innings in the loss that dropped his record to 6-6 on the season.

Jorge Alcala relieved Lopez for the seventh inning and pitched a scoreless frame, reaching a career-high 101 mph on a fastball during an at-bat in which he got Ty France to line out.

Steven Okert issued a leadoff walk to Dylan Moore in the eighth inning, but struck out J.P Crawford, got Julio Rodriguez to line out before Cal Raleigh got caught at second base trying to stretch a single into a double as Okert was able to preserve the Twins' four-run advantage.

Griffin Jax struck out former Twin Mitch Garver, Luke Raley and France in order in the ninth inning to close out the game for the Twins.

The Twins and Mariners meet for the finale of their three-game series at 3:10 p.m. on Sunday.