Jim Thome returned to the Twins line-up off the injury list Monday night and walloped a pair of homeruns, including a 2-run blast in the 7th that gave the Twins a 7-4 lead. But the Twins dynamic duo in the bullpen of Joe Nathan and Matt Capps could not hold that lead as the Twins dropped their 9th straight home game, losing 8-7 in ten innings to Seattle. The loss drops the Twins 15 1/2 games behind first place Cleveland. The Twins own baseball’s worst record at 15-and-31. The Twins run differential is now an astounding -87. The next worst in the American League belongs to Baltimore at -41, but the Orioles are just three games below .500.

Photos by Bryan Singer

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TWINS NOTES: ­

·    The Twins have now lost four straight games, including nine consecutive home games…the last time the Twins lost nine consecutive home games was April 25-May 11, 1997…this was their seventh extra-inning game of the season (3-4).

·    Carl Pavano is still stuck at 99 career wins, in his fifth try for 100…he is now 0-0, 2.33 (19.1 ip, 5 er) with 22 hits allowed, one home run, five walks and six strikeouts in his last three starts.

·    Pavano allowed two first inning runs tonight…he has allowed seven total first inning runs but had not given up a run in the first inning since April 8 vs. Oakland.

·    Denard Span hit his fourth career leadoff home run and first since June 25, 2010 at New York Mets…it was also his first career home run at Target Field…that home run off lefty Vargas, was Span’s seventh career homer off a left-hander and first since Sept. 10, 2009 at Toronto…this was his 14^th multi-hit game of the season and second 3-hit game.

·    With three home runs tonight, the Twins have now hit 12 home runs in their last five games.

·    Jim Thome hit the 592^nd and 593^rd home runs of his career in the fourth and seventh inning tonight…he remains in eighth position on baseball’s all-time list, 16 home runs behind Sammy Sosa (609) who has sole possession of seventh place…he now has 17 career homers vs. the Mariners…this was the 47^th multi-homer game of Thome’s career and first since Sept. 4, 2010 vs. Texas.

·    With two homers off lefties tonight, Thome now has 113 HR vs. left-handed pitchers, passing Reggie Jackson for sole possession of fifth place for most homers by a left-handed hitter vs. lefties. Barry Bonds holds record (227)…this was his second and third homers vs. a lefty this season.

·    Michael Cuddyer (2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored) now has 999 career hits, tying him with Bob Allison for 14^th place on the Twins all-time hits list.

·    Delmon Young left tonight’s game with a left leg contusion…Michael Cuddyer left tonight’s game with right hip tightness.

·    Matt Capps has converted seven of 11 save opps this season…this was the fifth time he’s thrown 1.2-or-more innings this season (8.2 ip, 4 er in those games).

MARINERS NOTES:

·    The Mariners have now won six straight games and seven of their last eight…they are now 2-1 vs. the Twins this season, They are now 1-3 at Target Field…23 of their 47 games in 2011 have been decided by two runs or less…this was their fourth extra-inning game of the season (1-3)…it was their 10^th come-from-behind win.

·    Jason Vargas had tossed 16.0 consecutive scoreless innings prior to Denard Span’s leadoff home run (since 8^th inning May 5 vs. Tex)…this was his fourth career appearance vs. the Twins and he is now 1-2, 4.74 (19.0 ip, 10 er) in those four starts.

·    This was the first time since May 11 (F. Hernandez) that a Mariner starter has not gone at least 7.0 innings in a start…May 11 was also the last time a Mariner starter has allowed more than two runs in a start.

·    Ichiro Suzuki (2-for-4) now has 2,301 career hits in 1,635 games and becomes the second-fastest player to 2,300 hits, behind only Al Simmons (1,627 games)…this was his 19^th multi hit game of the season.

·    Jack Cust hit his first home run of the season in the first inning…it was his first homer since October 2, 2010 at Seattle as a member of the A’s…it was his second career home run at Target Field (7 games)…Cust is hitting .625 (5-for-8) in his career vs. Carl Pavano.

·    Cust and Brendan Ryan each had their sixth multi-hit game of the season…Carlos Peguero had his second multi-rbi game of the season.

·    The Mariners are now 17-2 when out-hitting their opponent in 2011.