SEATTLE -- Minnesota's Phil Hughes pitched into the eighth inning, Sam Fuld barely cleared the wall with his second home run of the season and the Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Hughes rebounded from being knocked around in his previous two starts to shut down the Mariners. Hughes (9-5) gave up eight hits in 7 1/3 innings, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in silencing Seattle's stagnant offense.

A night after Fuld could not pull back Michael Saunders' home run, the roles were reversed. Fuld hit a 3-2 pitch from Seattle starter Chris Young (8-5) beyond the wall in right and just out of the reach of Saunders for the solo shot in the fifth inning. It was the first homer for Fuld since April 10. He finished with three hits and two stolen bases.

Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Young was nearly equal to Hughes, yet unable to get a third straight victory because Seattle provided no offensive help. Young gave up six hits and struck out six, but lost for the first time since June 11. He was lifted after giving up a walk to Eduardo Escobar and single to Fuld leading off the eighth to put runners at the corners with no outs.

Brian Dozier's sacrifice fly off reliever Yoervis Medina scored Escobar to give Minnesota a 2-0 lead.

No matter what Young did on the mound, he couldn't help Seattle's bats that have gone cold. Seattle has scored six runs in the past five games and is 2 for 36 with runners in scoring position during that stretch. Three times Seattle got runners to second base but they advanced no farther.

Hughes went to a three-ball count just once and Logan Morrison's double in the fourth was the only extra base hit he allowed.

Hughes had given up a combined 19 hits and 12 earned runs in his past two starts, losses to Texas and the Yankees. But he had a strong history pitching in Seattle, and is 5-0 with a 0.61 ERA in seven career games at Safeco Field.

Seattle tried to rally in the eighth after one out singles by Saunders and James Jones, and Robinson Cano coming to the plate. Hughes was lifted for reliever Casey Fien, who got Cano to ground into a double play to end the threat.

 

Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
loading...

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More From KSOO-AM / ESPN Sioux Falls