Raleigh drives in winning run and Mariners beat Twins 3-2

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh drove in the winning run with a walk-off fielder’s choice in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Friday night.

Raleigh hit a grounder to Twins reliever Cole Sands (2-1), who threw home to try to keep J.P. Crawford from scoring. The throw sailed high and Crawford was safe.

It was the fourth career walk-off for Raleigh, and his second this season.

“I kind of got rewarded for swinging at a bad pitch, but you know, it's kind of how baseball is sometimes," Raleigh said. “You've just got to put the ball in play. Definitely, probably not the right way to do it there, but we take what we can get.”

The rally capped off what started as a pitchers' duel, as Minnesota’s Bailey Ober and Mariners starter Logan Gilbert both pitched well early.

Ober faced the minimum before walking a pair in the fourth, and Gilbert allowed just three hits in the first five innings.

The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Josh Rojas hit an RBI double, but Carlos Correa put the Twins ahead with a two-run homer off Gilbert in the sixth.

Gilbert allowed four hits and two earned runs over six innings with three strikeouts, while Ober allowed one run on two hits, with three walks and nine strikeouts.

Correa's homer ended a 21-inning scoreless streak for Gilbert, the longest by a Mariners pitcher this season. It was also his major league-best 14th quality start in 17 appearances. In five June starts, Gilbert had one walk and 31 strikeouts.

“That's what you do when you're a top-end starter,” manager Scott Servais said. “He's been carrying us, every time out there I feel like we're going to win the game and he's going to throw a shutout. Close tonight, unfortunately Correa got him. But great win and great way to start the series."

Seattle tied the game on a wild play in the eighth, as Julio Rodríguez hit a groundball to third baseman Jose Miranda, who missed a tag on baserunner Luke Raley before throwing the ball past Carlos Santana at first base for an error.

Raley scored on the play, while Rojas and Rodríguez each advanced a base.

“I think there were some funky plays off the bat that we had to deal with today,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “But overall, I wouldn't say we played a poor ballgame. I would say we played a decent ballgame."

Ryne Stanek (5-1) pitched a scoreless top of the 10th inning, as the bullpen threw four shutout innings with just two hits allowed.

“That's a tough lineup over there," Gilbert said. “They're a really good team on both sides of the ball, but the bullpen doing what they do, I have full confidence in them.”

ROSTER MOVE

Seattle recalled LHP Jhonathan Díaz from Triple- A Tacoma, and optioned RHP Cody Bolton.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Gregory Santos (lat strain) threw a live batting practice session Friday, and will start a rehab assignment on July 2 in Triple-A Tacoma. Santos hasn’t pitched yet this season after getting injured in spring training … LHP Gabe Speier (rotator cuff) will throw a bullpen on Tuesday, and is expected to return around the All-Star break … RHP Bryan Woo had an MRI that showed mild inflammation in his hamstring, but GM Justin Hollander doesn’t expect a lengthy IL stint.

UP NEXT

Twins RHP Pablo López (7-6, 5.11 ERA) will pitch Saturday against Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (6-6, 3.90 ERA)

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh walks back to the dugout with his jersey open as pitcher Bryan Woo places a gum bucket on his head to match that on relief pitcher Ryne Stanek after Raleigh hit a ground ball to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh, left, is greeted by Luke Raley (20) after hitting a ground ball to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh, center, is greeted by Mitch Garver (18) and Josh Rojas, right, after hitting a ground ball to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh wears a gum bucket on his head as he celebrates with teammates after hitting a ground ball to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh watches his grounder to score J.P. Crawford for the winning run against the Minnesota Twins during the 10th inning of a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh is doused by teammates he hit a ground ball to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh is doused by teammates after hitting a ground ball to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, June 28, 2024, in Seattle. The Mariners won 3-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) — Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has been reelected for a second term, the country's electoral commission said on Monday, after positioning the country as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence.

Ghazouani, who campaigned on a pledge of providing security and economic growth, obtained 56.1% of votes, the country’s independent electoral commission said Monday. His main rival Biram Dah Abeid, an anti-slavery activist, received 22.1% of the votes. He rejected the partial results announced Sunday and called them a fraud.

The turnout was 55% of the two million eligible voters, the commission said.

The country's constitutional court will now review the vote numbers and announce the final results, though it remains unclear when that will happen.

Saturday’s vote unfolded peacefully, according to observers.

“Nothing has been detected so far and the CENI has not received any complaints,” said Taghioullah Ledhem, the spokesman for CENI, the country’s independent electoral commission.

But some opposition candidates held a different view. The commission is made up of representatives of political parties and its president is appointed by the government, and some accused it of colliding with Ghazouani’s regime.

Abeid claimed that he was the real winner. The provisional results were an “electoral coup d’état" to help Ghazouani, he told a news conference Sunday. He accused the electoral commission of fraudulently giving Ghazouni thousands of votes “out of nowhere.”

Speaking hours later from his home in Riadh — a poor suburb of the Mauritanian capital — he called for civil disobedience against the government and appealed to the military and security forces not to “accept being used by the government against the people.”

“The battle is not over, we are not defeated,” he said. “The people are not defeated and will not be defeated, we are there to defend the people until the last drop of blood.”

Although his opponents accused him of corruption and mismanagement, Ghazouani, a former army chief, remains popular among Mauritanians who see him as a beacon of stability. The vote took place in a tense regional climate, with Mauritania’s neighbors shaken by military coups and jihadi violence.

Mauritania is rich in natural resources including iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, gold, oil and natural gas. It is poised to become a gas producer by the end of the year, with the planned launch of the BP-operated Greater Tortue Ahmeyin offshore gas project on the border with Senegal.

Yet almost 60% of the population lives in poverty, according to the United Nations, working as farmers or employed informally. With few economic opportunities for young people at home, many are attempting to reach Europe, and some are even trying to get to the United States through Mexico.

The African Union sent an observation mission to Saturday’s vote but have yet to release their statement.

Presidential candidate Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, center, takes part in a rally among his supporters, ahead of the presidential election end of the month, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

A supporter of presidential candidate Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, holds his poster during his campaign rally ahead of the presidential election end of the month, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

Youth take part in an electoral rally ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Banner in Arabic reads "For the youth." (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

An electoral banner for Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, is seen ahead of the presidential elections in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Banner in Arabic reads "I will work on building a complete sewage network in Nouakchott." (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

Presidential candidate Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, left, takes part in a rally among his supporters, ahead of the presidential election end of the month, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

A woman sorts out ballot papers, during the presidential election, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, June 29, 2024. Mauritanians are voting for their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

A woman casts her ballot during the presidential election, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, June 29, 2024. Mauritanians are voting for their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

People wait outside a polling station to vote , during the presidential election, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, June 29, 2024. Mauritanians are voting for their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)

A man casts his ballot, during the presidential election, in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, June 29, 2024. Mauritanians are voting for their next president, with the incumbent Mohamed Ould Ghazouani widely expected to win the vote after positioning Mauritania as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. (AP Photo/Mamsy Elkeihel)