Twins returning outfielders make immediate positive impacts against Mariners

Despite letting an eleven-inning nailbiter of a game slip away on Saturday night, returning outfielders Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner, who hit .320/.370/.960 with five home runs and a double during his recent rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints, immediately proved why they are widely considered the team’s best hitters against the Seattle Mariners this weekend at T-Mobile Park.

Twins returning outfielders Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner make immediate positive impacts against Seattle Mariners

Buxton was reinstated from the concussion list on Friday and was a key factor in the Twins’ miraculous 12-6 comeback victory against Seattle that day. He made a leaping catch at the wall in center field in the fourth inning, potentially denying Miles Mastrobuoni an extra-base hit.

Buxton’s impact on Friday’s game against the Mariners did not stop with his nice defensive play. After Willi Castro hit a two-run home run to cut the Mariners’ lead to 6-5 with two outs in the ninth inning, Buxton pulled an inside sinker to left field for a single, stole second base and scored on a Trevor Larnach single, tying the game 6-6. Without Buxton’s clutch single and stolen base, the Twins would have fallen short against the Mariners.

Buxton then contributed to a six-run tenth inning for the Twins with a sharp two-RBI single up the middle.

Although the Twins lost Game 2 of their series against the Mariners 5-4, Buxton and Wallner, who returned from the Injured List on Saturday, had noteworthy performances. Buxton went 2-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored, and Wallner, although he made a couple of base-running mistakes, launched a two-run home run in his first at-bat.

A win would have been ideal, but the Twins have to be content with what they saw from their two power-hitting outfielders on Saturday.

Rubber match between Twins and Mariners scheduled for Sunday

Game 3 of the series between the Twins and Mariners is slated to start at 3:10 p.m. CT on Sunday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Righties Chris Paddack and Luis Castillo are expected to make the starts on the mound.

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