Minnesota @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 1, 2010 ) Seattle 0, Minnesota 4
After salvaging a victory in the finale of a four-game series Thursday at Texas, the Minnesota Twins will try to increase their lead in the American League Central with a three-game series starting Friday night at lowly Seattle.
The Twins nearly were swept by the AL West-leading Rangers but earned a 6-4 victory against Cliff Lee on Thursday. Delmon Young hit a three-run homer and the Twins got five runs in five innings against the Rangers’ ace.
Jim Thome hit a solo homer in the sixth for his 582nd career homer. He is one behind Mark McGwire for ninth on the all-time home run list.
Francisco Liriano (12-7) allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings to win his sixth consecutive decision and end Texas’ four-game winning streak.
Minnesota leads the AL Central by 3½ games over the Chicago White Sox and hopes to have better luck in this trip to Seattle than the one it made earlier this season.
The Twins lost three of four games from May 31-June 3 at Safeco Field and managed a meager one run in each of the last three games. Seattle’s Jose Lopez went 7-for-16 with two homers and six RBIs in that series.
Minnesota will avoid Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, who became the third-youngest pitcher (24 years, 139 days) since 1952 to reach 1,000 career strikeouts in a 4-2 victory over Boston in the second game of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday. Bert Blyleven was the youngest at 23 years, 121 days.
The Mariners begin a 10-game homestand after going 6-6 on a 12-game road trip, their longest of the season.
The Twins will start right-hander Scott Baker (11-9, 4.63 ERA) against left-hander Jason Vargas (9-6, 3.43)
Baker has been on quite a run lately, going 4-0 with a 3.08 ERA. He threw seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits in a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
He has been most effective when he gets ahead in the count and uses his breaking ball. Baker beat the Mariners 5-3 on July 30, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Twins then posted back-to-back 4-0 shutouts against the Mariners on July 31 and Aug. 1.
Baker is 2-3 with a 4.66 ERA in eight career starts against the Mariners.
Vargas is 7-2 with a 2.23 ERA at home, including a 7-1 victory over Minnesota on June 1 when he allowed one run in seven innings.
Vargas gave up a season-high seven runs in 6 1/3 innings in a 9-5 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday.