Eddie Rosario's 3 HRs highlight Twins' franchise-record 28 hits in rout

MINNEAPOLIS -- Eddie Rosario wasn't a very happy camper after not starting four games in the past nine days.

He took his frustrations out on the Seattle Mariners' pitching staff, and his teammates joined the hit party, as well.

Rosario hit three home runs and drove in five runs, and the Minnesota Twins set a franchise record with 28 hits while batting around in two different innings of a 20-7 victory over the Mariners at Target Field on Tuesday night.

"He made a little bit of a statement out there tonight," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "He's been out a few days, and he came back with a vengeance."

Max Kepler and Brian Dozier also went deep, Eduardo Escobar had five hits and two RBIs and Jason Castro had four hits and four RBIs for the Twins, who are in first place in the American League Central, despite an AL-worst 13-19 record at home.

The 28 hits are the most in a game since the Rangers had 29 in a 30-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 22, 2007.

"We just couldn't stop them," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "They kept squaring it up."

Christian Bergman (3-4) gave up nine runs and 10 hits in 2⅓ innings for the Mariners. Jarrod Dyson had a homer, a double and an RBI, while Ben Gamel had two doubles and an RBI for Seattle.

With slugger Miguel Sano getting a night off, the Twins batted around in a seven-run third inning and a seven-run seventh to snap a five-game home skid.

The Twins strung together eight straight hits in the third inning, including back-to-back homers by Rosario and Dozier, to bust the game wide open.

"I just had a bad day as far as stuff and command goes," Bergman said.

Rosario's second two-run shot of the game came off the first pitch from reliever Casey Lawrence, and Dozier followed with a solo shot for an 11-3 lead.

Rosario's final blast of the night came in the eighth inning off backup catcher Carlos Ruiz.

"Sometimes you have frustrations," Rosario said. "But I keep working hard. That's it."

Rosario is the first player in the modern era (since 1900) to have three home runs and four hits in a game from the ninth spot in the lineup, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He is the fifth player to hit three homers while batting ninth.

A night after scoring 14 runs in a series-opening win over the Twins, the Mariners still pounded out 14 hits. Dyson's homer was his third of the season to set a career high.

UNIQUE VISIT

Kyle Gibson (4-4) picked up the win after wobbling through six innings, giving up six runs and 12 hits and striking out four.

After the Twins' big third inning, Gibson promptly gave up three doubles and two runs. That compelled Molitor to make a rare, one-on-one visit to the mound. Pitching coach Neil Allen remained in the dugout, and Castro remained behind the plate. It was just Molitor and Gibson talking man-to-man.

Molitor finished the visit by patting Gibson on the behind, and the right-hander was able to get the final two outs of the inning without surrendering another run.

"He just said, 'This is your game, and we need you to get to the seventh,'" Gibson said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma is scheduled to make his first rehab start for Class A Modesto on Thursday. Iwakuma has been out since May 7 with right shoulder inflammation. Servais said the plan is for three innings or 45 pitches. ... SS Jean Segura, out since June 2 with a right high ankle sprain, did some running on Wednesday at about 60 percent speed. He plans to take batting practice on Thursday.

Twins: LHP Glen Perkins, bothered by shoulder issues for the past two years, threw 21 pitches in a simulated game in Fort Myers, Florida. He will next throw on Friday in extended spring training. ... RHP Hector Santiago played long toss on Wednesday, and he remains in the mix to start a game in the doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Mariners: RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-1, 2.79) takes the mound on Wednesday for Game 3 of the four-game series. He spent the first seven years of his career in the minor leagues before finally getting a chance this season.

Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (8-3, 2.20) will take the mound for the Twins, fresh off his majors-leading third shutout of the season, a 4-0 win over the San Francisco Giants on June 9.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.