Yusei Kikuchi delivered another quality start in his second start of the 2021 season, but did not figure in the decision in the Seattle Mariners' 4-3 extra-innings win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.
For the visiting Mariners, Kikuchi, who tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts in his season debut on April 2, went six innings, giving up two runs and five hits with two walks and six strikeouts at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The 29-year-old Japanese kept Minnesota off the board apart from a two-run homer by Nelson Cruz in the third inning.
"I was looking forward to seeing how I'd do against a lineup full of great right-handed batters," Kikuchi said.
"I pitched with confidence and stayed aggressive until the end," he said.
Mitch Haniger drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, handing the Twins their third loss of the season -- all of them in the 10th inning with an automatic runner on second base, MLB's new speed-up rule for extra innings.
