Woods Richardson allows 1 hit in 6 shutout innings with 8 strikeouts as Twins beat Mariners 3-1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Simeon Woods Richardson pitched six shutout innings of one-hit ball and the Minnesota Twins scored twice in the seventh to beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 on Monday night in the opener of their four-game series.

Minnesota rebounded quickly after its 12-game winning streak was snapped Sunday with a 9-2 loss to Boston.

Woods Richardson struck out a career-high eight and walked just one in his fifth major league start. He whiffed five of his first six batters and had seven strikeouts through three innings, outpitching Mariners All-Star Luis Castillo. The only hit Woods Richardson permitted was a leadoff single by Mitch Garver in the third.

“He’s been pitching really well. Today, he was phenomenal,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It’s just a pretty incredible start, and he’s matching up against one of the best pitchers in the game. That can affect people sometimes, when you’re watching the other guy on the other side of the field who does it all a lot and is putting up zeros, too. It didn’t put him off one bit.”

Seattle loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh but pushed across only one run against reliever Griffin Jax (3-2). Garver’s sacrifice fly plated Jorge Polanco to tie it 1-all before Luke Raley struck out to end the inning.

Castillo (3-5) allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings and struck out seven. The right-hander, who won his previous three starts, didn't give up a hit until the fifth.

“He has a great name in this league. He’s a competitor, throws strikes, gives his team the best chance to win,” Woods Richardson said. "So, it’s always fun to go toe-to-toe with somebody like that.”

Minnesota's offense put together two runs in the seventh to reclaim the lead for good. Carlos Correa's second double of the game helped set up the go-ahead run, as he eventually came around to score on Christian Vázquez's sacrifice fly off Castillo for a 2-1 lead. Manuel Margot added an RBI single to make it 3-1.

“He’s a top-of-the-rotation starter and he had all his pitches working today,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said of Castillo. “They were just able to put a rally together against him late in the ballgame and it was one of those games where it was going to come down to that, who gets a big hit, who can put it together, and Correa had two big hits tonight, no question about that.”

Twins closer Jhoan Duran pitched the eighth, striking out Julio Rodríguez on three pitches to end the inning. Caleb Thielbar tossed a scoreless ninth for his third save.

POLANCO RETURNS

After spending 10 years with the Twins, Polanco made his first trip to Target Field as a visitor.

Polanco debuted with the Twins in 2014 and was traded to Seattle after the 2024 season. He was an All-Star in 2019 and helped Minnesota end its playoff drought last season.

“A lot of emotions,” Polanco said pregame. “I spent a lot of time here. It’s definitely great coming back here, so I feel pretty good.”

The Twins played Polanco's old walk-up music as he received a standing ovation before his first at-bat.

UP NEXT

RHP Emerson Hancock (3-3, 4.75 ERA) takes the mound for Seattle in the second game of the series Tuesday. He gave up five runs in a loss to Atlanta last time out. Minnesota counters with RHP Bailey Ober (3-1, 4.55), who has won his last three starts for the Twins.

This story has been corrected to indicate that all three runs Castillo allowed were earned.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo, center, leaves the mound during a pitching change in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo walks back to the dugout after a pitching change during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Seattle Mariners' Josh Rojas looks toward the home plate umpire after being called out on strikes to end the top of the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa hits an RBI-double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson delivers during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Monday, May 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé has been left out of the squad traveling to Metz on Sunday for the final league game of the season.

PSG has already been crowned champion for a record-extending 12th time.

The star striker, who is leaving PSG after seven seasons at the French league club, has not been included in a group of 20 players selected by coach Luis Enrique.

Asked to comment, PSG did not give a reason to justify Mbappé's absence.

The forward, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid, is not in the list of PSG players who are not available because of an injury.

Mbappé is the club's all-time top goalscorer with 256 goals, including 191 in the league.

He will have a final occasion to play with PSG in the French Cup final on May 25 against Lyon.

Mbappé won six league titles with PSG. He will finish as the league top scorer for the sixth time, and fifth outright after sharing the 2020 award with Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder.

Mbappé confirmed last week he will leave at the end of the season, having already told PSG in February.

Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, Marquinhos, Fabian Ruiz and Gianluigi Donnarumma will also sit out the trip to Metz.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Toulouse at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)