MARINERS: Beltre's blast lifts Seattle in 11 innings

For the Twins, it was a loss that hurt them in their run for the American League Central title.

For the Mariners, it was a start for Batista — who hadn’t pitched well in the rotation or the bullpen — yet on Monday looked liked the Batista who won 16 games for Seattle last year.

Yes, the Mariners needed a little help with their first two runs. And yes, it was just their 49th win of the season. Bottom line? They’re all precious to a team trying hard not to lose 100 games.

Take Beltre.

His manager, Jim Riggleman, keeps talking about how many hard outs he’s made all season, and this wasn’t a bad example. Beltre lined out in the first and sixth innings, then doubled to set up the Mariners run in the ninth inningr.

Then he hit his 21st home run of the season through the Twins bullpen beyond left field in the 11th inning. “It was a good feeling to see Beltre hit that ball,” Riggleman said. “He’s hit in bad luck all year, and hit two line drives tonight that were caught.

“I tell him around the batting cage all the tijme how much he means to us, the way he keeps getting after it. Adrian is banged up, but he’s physically one of the toughest players I’ve ever seen play the game. After six innings, the game went to the bullpens, and it stayed close.

The Twins got one run against Sean Green, none against J.J. Putz and R.A. Dickey.

The Mariners got none against Matt Guerrier or Eddie Guardado — picked up in trade Monday — but pushed home one against closer Nathan, another against Jesse Crain.

“All our guys pitched well,” Riggleman said, beaming. “When Batista pitches like that, he can help us whether he’s pitching in relief or starting.”

Oh, there were a couple of ‘Batista moments,’ where one could wonder where his head was, but he pitched around them for the most part.

With one out in the third inning, for instance, he fielded a come backer from Carlos Gomez, threw to first base for the out and trotted off the field.

There were only two outs.

Worse, Batista failed to back up the plate one Alexi Casilla’s RBI single, so when Ichiro Suzuki’s throw to the plate was kicked free, Casilla moved up a base. Batista got out of the inning allowing just the one run.

An inning later, Ichiro saved him – throwing Delmon Young out at the plate to keep the Twins from scoring again.

When the Mariners pulled even in the fifth inning, they needed help and got it. Catcher Jamie Burke singled, then broke for second base on the next pitch. Given his speed, when the pitch was a strike, he hustled back toward first as catcher Joe Mauer’s throw went to second.

Casilla took that throw and fired past first base — a two base error that pushed Burke to third base with no one out. Cairo doubled Burke home to tie, but Liriano got Ichiro, Yuniesky Betancourt and Raul Ibanez in order to end the threat.

In the end, Batista and Liriano each pitched six innings and threw 95 pitches. Both allowed five hits and a run. Each struck out three batters.

And neither got a decision.

Green pitched the seventh and eighth innings, and the Twins got to him in the eighth. A one-out walk set up two-out singles by Young and Brian Buscher, and Minnesota went up, 2-1.

Time for their new one-two late-inning tandem, Eddie Guardado and Joe Nathan. Guardado did his job, pitching a 1-2-3 inning against the top of the Seattle lineup. Given the save opportunity, Nathan couldn’t put it — or the Mariners — away.

Adrian Beltre led off with a double. After Lopez tried twice to bunt, and failed, he grounded to shortstop, where Nick Punto bobbled the ball for an error as Beltre went to third.

Riggleman sent up pinch-hitter Jeff Clement. Clement grounded into a routine double play, but Beltre scored.

Extra innings. Two of them, to be exact. Ibanez walked in the 11th and Beltre ended it a moment later.