SEATTLE (AP) — It’s telling of Ron Gardenhire’s competitiveness — and the insecurity of a pennant race — that Minnesota’s usually pleasant, joking manager was just about seething.

And his team leads its division by 4 1/2 games.

A wild pitch, a misplayed fly ball and a fielder’s choice by Adam Moore that should have been an inning-ending double play in Seattle’s two-run seventh inning sent the last-place Mariners to a 2-1 victory over some tired Twins on Sunday, avoiding a three-game series sweep.

Minnesota gave away a chance to take a season-high lead of 5 1/2 games over the White Sox in the AL Central.

“This is the end of 13 days in a row (of playing) with a lot of travel, late-night travel,” Gardenhire said, sounding agitated before he took a plane back home to end this 3-4 road trip that began in Texas. “I think guys are worn down right now.”

They sure looked it in the bottom of the seventh.

Seattle, 28 games under .500, won for just the second time in seven games. Baseball’s worst offense scored two runs or fewer for the 58th time in 130 games, yet won this time thanks to Minnesota’s messy of the seventh.

Twins starter Carl Pavano (15-10) was cruising through six innings until then. He allowed five hits and the two runs in his seven innings for his third consecutive loss, and second on the road trip.

Luke French (3-4) allowed three hits, including a home run by Michael Cuddyer, in his seven innings. Cuddyer jumped on a 3-0 pitch that floated 84 mph about chest high — “one of the few pitches French kept up today,” Cuddyer said — and homered for the game’s first run in the seventh. His 12th home run of the season soared two rows into the upper deck far beyond left field.

Gutierrez then hit a fly ball to which left fielder Delmon Young, looking through sunglasses into a hazy glare, reacted slowly. Young’s late attempt to lunge at the ball failed as it short-hopped off the grass for an RBI single that scored Lopez.