SEATTLE — The ball really flies at T-Mobile Park, Max Kepler said approvingly after hitting a home run on Monday. He repeated the feat on Wednesday, but when it really mattered, Kepler practically flew, too.
The Twins' veteran outfielder, who has collected a hit in all six games since the All-Star break, hustled around second base when Willi Castro singled in the eighth inning and slid safely into third. That extra base proved critical when Mariners catcher Tom Murphy allowed a pitch to glance off his glove, the opening Kepler needed to score the go-ahead run that helped deliver the Twins' 6-3 victory.
Kenta Maeda matched Kepler's resurgence with one of his own, retiring 18 of the 21 hitters he faced over 6⅓ innings. And Edouard Julien? Somehow, his hitting streak is getting even hotter.
