Byron Buxton was asked if he had a death wish.

"No," he said with a chuckle.

The outfielder did it again on Thursday when he threw himself at a drive hit by Seattle's Kyle Seager in the seventh inning and slammed into the center field wall. Buxton fell to the ground as the ball rolled away for a double. But Buxton climbed back on his feet and remained in the game without the trainers even worried about him being injured.

"Get back to my spot," he said, "and get ready for the next one."

Buxton said he wasn't even shaken up on the play, which manager Paul Molitor described as, "violent."

"You go as hard as you can, while you can," Buxton said. "I know I can't play this game forever. I just go out there and play as hard as I can and give everything I can."

What stung, for him, was that he didn't come up with the catch.

"I should have had that ball," he said. "I missed it."

Eddie Rosario came over to check on him - and also gave him a shot.

"He was like, 'next time, you better catch it,' " Buxton said. "I knew it was coming. That's what made it funny.

BERRIOS SOLID: Jose Berrios fell behind a few batters but still pitched eight innings on Thursday. It came at a good time, as the Twins prepare to play host to Cleveland this weekend. The bullpen will head into the series in good shape, rest wise.

"Going out there and really giving us a solid outing, going through eight innings, really helps your bullpen a lot," Twins manager Paul Molitor said, "Especially heading into four (games) in three (days)."

Berrios struck out six batters while showing he has the ability to vary his attack. He has gotten ahead of hitters and finished them off with his curve ball. But on Thursday he elevated his fastball a few times to get swings and misses.

"That's the name of the game," catcher Chris Gimenez said. "You either play this game, east to west or north to south. He's got the stuff to be able to go both - all four directions, I guess."

Sounds like the game plan called for elevated fastballs in certain situations, and Berrios was able to execute. Another good sign.