MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Richie Sexson hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, and the Seattle Mariners snapped the Minnesota Twins’ six-game winning streak with an 8-3 victory Saturday night.

Seattle rookie Felix Hernandez allowed five hits and struck out nine in eight innings. He shook off a shaky first inning and dominated the final seven, mixing a 95-mph fastball with an 82-mph changeup and a devastating curveball.

Sexson added a solo homer in the seventh and had five RBIs.

Jamal Strong led off the 10th with a pinch-hit triple off Matt Guerrier (0-2) and scored on Yuniesky Betancourt’s single to give the Mariners the lead. Sexson removed all doubt with a bases-loaded blast – his second grand slam of the season and eighth of his career.

The Mariners’ six-run 10th snapped an 18 1-3 innings scoreless streak for Guerrier and a 23 2-3 innings scoreless streak for the Twins’ bullpen and gave Seattle its fourth win in six games.

Willie Bloomquist, who went 3-for-4, added an RBI double in the inning and George Sherrill (2-2) pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the win.

After being dominated by Hernandez in a 1-0 loss at Seattle on Aug. 9, manager Ron Gardenhire said before the game that he wanted the Twins to get to the youngster early to see if they could rattle him.

They did just that on Saturday night.

Shannon Stewart led off with a single up the middle and Joe Mauer walked, just the fourth walk Hernandez has issued in his four starts.

After Justin Morneau advanced the runners with a groundout to first, Matthew LeCroy ripped a base hit that zipped past Hernandez’s head and into center field, giving the Twins a 2-0 lead.

But the young right-hander settled down after that. He allowed just three hits – two of them infield singles – over the next seven innings and retired 17 of 18 hitters during one stretch.

His offense finally came through in the seventh, thanks to a jump-start from Sexson, who has bounced back from an injury-plagued season in Arizona with an impressive year in Seattle.

Sexson had only nine homers in 23 games for the Diamondbacks in 2004, but signed a four-year, $50 million contract with Seattle in December. Fully healthy, he has regained his power stroke this season. His 32 homers are tied for second in the AL and he also has 94 RBIs.

Kyle Lohse had a shutout through six innings. The Mariners finally got to him in the seventh, when Sexson and Adrian Beltre led off with consecutive homers. The homers traveled a combined 817 feet and landed in nearly the same spot above the baggie in right field.

Lohse gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings.

Lew Ford added a solo homer in the 10th off Eddie Guardado for the Twins.

Notes: Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-3 with a walk, ending his 13-game hitting streak. … The Mariners placed RHP Gil Meche on the disabled list with patellar tendinitis in his right knee. … Mauer extended his hitting streak to seven games. … Seattle DH Greg Dobbs was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma after the Mariners released Scott Spiezio. Dobbs didn’t get to Minneapolis until 5 a.m., grabbed a nap and went 0-for-3.

AP-ES-08-20-05 2230EDT

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