MINNEAPOLIS -- Nelson Cruz had a big homer in the fourth inning, but that was all the Seattle Mariners struggling offense could muster.Cruz tied Saturdays game against Minnesota at 2-all but the last-place Twins recovered for a 3-2 win Saturday night.Cruzs homer was estimated by MLBs Statcast as 493 feet, the second-longest home run in the majors this season behind a 504-foot strike by Miamis Giancarlo Stanton in Colorados Coors Field.Ive hit a few over there but they havent measured that far, Cruz said. You never know with Statcast, you never know how far its going to go until they say.Mariners manager Scott Servais was also impressed by Cruzs blast.Thats about as far as you can hit it in this park, Servais said. He absolutely killed it. Big hit at the time to give us a little momentum going forward, but then they quickly got it back with the Sano homer. I thought we had a chance there late, we just didnt get it done.Minnesotas Miguel Sano answered Cruz with a tiebreaking homer in the bottom of the fourth and Tyler Duffey pitched seven strong innings for his best start in more than a month to lead Minnesota.They hit a big homer there, Sano said. But I want the team win every day, and not a loss.Ariel Miranda (5-2) lost for the first time in five starts this month, lasting four innings and giving up three runs and three hits. Seattle fell 2 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card.Theyre all important, Servais said. Tonight was important, tomorrows important, the next ones important. Its just where we are in the season.The Mariners threatened in the ninth against Brandon Kintzler when Robinson Cano singled and Cruz reached on an error by Sano. But Kyle Seagers hard grounder was snared by Sano, who stepped on third and threw to first for a double play. Adam Lind flied out to end the game and give Kintzler his 15th save in 18 chances.Seattle has struggled offensively even while winning 11 of its previous 15 games. The Mariners have scored two runs or fewer in six of their past eight games.We certainly need to score more than two runs, Servais said. Not a sharp night all around; just not a lot going on offensively. Obviously we had some chances late and didnt get the big hit.NO UNDEFEATED MONTH FOR MIRANDAMiranda was vying to become just the 14th rookie in major league history to go 5-0 in September. Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles for Wade Miley at trade deadline, Miranda had allowed a total of six earned runs in four September starts.My secondary pitches were not very good, Miranda said through an interpreter. When I had a chance to throw my breaking ball, it was not working. So thats when I threw my fastball and got hit. The fastball was a little bit up.UP NEXTMariners RHP Taijuan Walker (6-11, 4.32 ERA) starts against Twins LHP Hector Santiago (12-9, 4.82). Walker gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Twins earlier this season. Santiago was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts against the Mariners this season with the Los Angeles Angels. But Santiago has a 6.20 ERA in nine starts for Minnesota after being acquired in a trade. Gordie Howe Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Steve Yzerman Jersey . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. http://www.cheapredwingsjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-bob-probert-jersey . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Darren Helm Jersey . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. Xavier Ouellet Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. FORT WORTH, Texas -- No. 13 TCUs opening opponent, South Dakota State, shouldnt be confused with five-time defending Football Championship Subdivision champion North Dakota State.Gary Patterson wouldnt mind if some of his players made that mistake, though. The Horned Frogs coach is always looking for an angle to pump up a game that could easily be overlooked, especially with Arkansas looming after Saturday nights opener against the Jackrabbits.Besides, Patterson can always tell his team about his first home game as head coach 15 years ago, when TCU lost to Northwestern State. The Horned Frogs havent lost a home opener since then, a 14-year streak thats the fifth-longest is FBS.I remember every one of them, especially those, Patterson said. Weve got to get ready. The goal is to win a ballgame so you can get to Game 2.Quarterback Kenny Hill, a former Texas A&M starter, will make his TCU debut. The junior transfer wouldnt mind an opening similar to the one with the Aggies, when he set a school record with 511 yards passing and three touchdowns in a prime-time win at South Carolina two years ago.Hills just looking for more staying power this time, after losing his starting job later in the 2014 season at A&M and ultimately leaving the program after he was suspended.You could tell he came in trying to prove himself through his work ethic to gain our trust and confidence, receiver Deante Gray said. Hes been very transparent with everybody, very open, talking with everybody and just becoming a Frog.Things to consider as the Horned Frogs look to extend a Big 12-best 13-game home winning streak:NO PUSHOVERSThe Jackrabbits have been to the Championship Subdivision playoffs the past four seasons and boast stability with coach John Stiegelmeier, who is entering his 20th season. He is the winningest coach in school history with a 128-90 record. South Dakkota State opened last season with a 41-38 win at Big 12 doormat Kansas.dddddddddddd So were not even thinking about the other games we have right now, Gray said.WHAT A RUSHTCU returns 2015 sacks leader Josh Carraway (nine sacks), and right defensive end James McFarland is back. McFarland missed last season because of a broken toe after leading the team with seven sacks in 2014. The Frogs return seven defensive starters and four others who were starters last year before missing all or most of the season with injuries. I think its been a great mix, Carraway said.BAD MEMORYHill will be playing for the first time since a 59-0 loss to Alabama that led to his benching and ultimately a suspension two years ago. The Crimson Tide had six sacks, and Hill finished with minus-11 yards rushing on 10 carries.HILLS TARGETSGray returns as a graduate student after missing last season with a knee injury. He was second on the team with eight touchdown catches in 2014. Shaun Nixon and KaVontae Turpin were the top two freshmen in the Big 12 in catches last season. Nixon had 47, and Turpin added 45. Turpin was second nationally among freshmen with eight TDs.THIS AND THATThe Frogs are set to play for the first time since coming back from 31 points down to beat Oregon 47-41 in triple overtime in the Alamo Bowl last January. ... South Dakota State had the biggest comeback in school history in its last visit to Texas, a 50-48 win over Stephen F. Austin in 2008. The Jackrabbits scored on a 1-yard run as time expired after trailing 34-6 early in the third quarter. ... TCU has three graduate transfers in WR John Diarse (LSU), RB Derrick Green (Michigan) and TE Cole Hunt (Rice).---Online: AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '