Buxton, Bundy lift Twins to 4-0 win, split with Mariners

Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez each had three hits and Dylan Bundy earned his first win in a Twins uniform as Minnesota won its series finale against the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Monday night.

The Twins, who hit six home runs Sunday, entered the day leading the majors with nine. Minnesota didn’t go deep for the first time all season but scored enough runs anyway as it split the four-game series.

“That was great because we know we have a really good team,” Arraez said. “We just go out there and hit the ball and play baseball.”

After Jorge Polanco doubled in Buxton for the first run in the first inning, the Twins scored on three straight singles in the fifth. Arraez, Polanco and Gio Urshela all picked up RBI singles as Minnesota built a 4-0 lead.

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That was enough run support for Bundy, who tossed five scoreless innings to win his Twins debut. The right-hander allowed just one hit, a two-out double in the second. He struck out two and walked one in 67 pitches.

Bundy (1-0) posted a career-worst 6.06 ERA in 23 games last year with the Angels, but the Twins signed the veteran this offseason with the hopes he could bounce back to bolster Minnesota’s rotation.

Including Bundy's scoreless outing, Minnesota's starting pitchers have a 4.00 ERA through the first four games.

“I think we have a bigger statement to make,” Bundy said. “I think every guy in the rotation can go deeper into games, and we will going forward.”

Chris Flexen (0-1) took the loss in his season debut. The righty allowed three runs on five hits and was lifted after 4 1/3 innings. Flexen is coming off a 14-win season in his first year with Seattle after spending the 2020 season pitching in Korea.

Two of Buxton's three hits were doubles. He scored two runs and also got his first stolen base of the season in the sixth inning.

Seattle had just two runners reach third base all game. Julio Rodríguez was stranded on third in the third, and the Mariners couldn’t drive in Cal Reigh from third in the eighth against reliever Joe Smith.

“We struggled to get much going offensively,” manager Scott Servais said. “Obviously we had seen Bundy a bunch in the past, but he kept us off balance.”

Triple digits

Twins reliever Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth inning and repeatedly hit 100 mph on the Target Field radar gun. His fastest pitch was clocked at 102 mph.

“I haven’t seen 102 too many times,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "I know guys throw hard these days, but that’s some next-level stuff.”

The 24-year-old Duran spent his minor league career as a starter but has made his first two big league appearances in relief with the Twins.

Showing some glove

New Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, signed in late March, was honored pregame with not one but two awards for his defense last season with the Houston Astros. He received his first Rawlings Gold Glove as the top defensive shortstop in the American League in 2021. In addition, he won the Platinum Glove as the top Gold Glove winner at any spot in the AL — as decided on by a combination of fan votes and sabermetrics. Correa received both trophies in an on-field presentation.

Comfort with PitchCom

Servais estimated about 50 percent of his pitchers have used MLB’s new PitchCom system so far this season. “I think it speeds up the game, which I think is important,” he said.

Up next

Mariners: RHP Matt Brash makes his MLB debut when the Mariners open a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.

Twins: RHP Chris Archer will start his first game with the Twins as Minnesota begins a two-game home series against the Dodgers.