SEATTLE – A constant stream of games decided in the final moments can wear down any player or manager. For a first-year skipper, it can be even more nauseating.

“They didn’t warn me when I took the job there would be this many games this close,” Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu joked.

Ken Griffey Jr. drove in Ichiro Suzuki with a two-out double in the eighth inning and the Mariners edged the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday.

It was the major league-leading 27th one-run game for Seattle in just its 56th game overall. The Mariners have played six one-run games in the last week alone, going 3-3 to move to 15-12 in those contests.

“(It’s) because we pitch so well. That’s it,” Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn said. “We’re in every ballgame and the guy who takes the mound to start gives us a chance to win and the bullpen does it’s job after that.”

A day after his club-record 27-game hitting streak ended, Suzuki went 3 for 4 against the Twins, including a two-out RBI double in the fifth that tied it at 1.

Suzuki also sparked Seattle’s winning rally in the eighth, chopping a leadoff single over the head of left-hander Sean Henn (0-1). Russell Branyan struck out and Adrian Beltre popped up before Griffey came up with his tiebreaking hit.

Wakamatsu opted to send the lefty-hitting Griffey to the plate against Henn and the Mariners star – hitting just .172 entering the day against southpaws – rewarded his faith with his 511th career double.

“You make a mistake they hit you. That’s why he will be in the Hall of Fame,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.