Minnesota @ Seattle preview
Safeco Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2015 ) Seattle 4, Minnesota 1
Pitchers with a sizable difference in their number of career starts will take the mound on Friday when Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez faces Minnesota Twins left-hander Pat Dean in the opener of a three-game set at Safeco Field. The 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner has logged considerable mileage on the rubber as he will record his 344th major-league start against Dean, who made his first on Sunday.
Hernandez also has seen his team crank up the offense as AL West-leading Seattle has scored 55 runs en route to winning seven of its last nine games. Adam Lind highlighted the onslaught with two homers and a season-best six RBIs in the Mariners' 13-3 rout of Oakland on Wednesday and carries a .317 career batting average versus Minnesota into Friday's tilt. The tumbling Twins posted just their second win in 10 outings to salvage the finale of a three-game set with Kansas City on Wednesday. Joe Mauer crowned the Royals by going 6-for-13 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the series and is 14-for-41 (.341) with six extra-base hits in his career versus Hernandez.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Pat Dean (0-1, 3.86 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (4-3, 2.21)
Dean's lone blemish in his first major-league start came in the form of Jose Bautista's two-run homer as he exited with a no-decision after six strong innings versus Toronto . With the Twins struggling mightily, the 27-year-old may be in line for a longer leash as the club determines whether to keep in him in the back end of the rotation or opt for a stint in the bullpen. Dean permitted a combined four runs on 14 hits in eight innings in a pair of relief appearances before being shipped to Triple-A Rochester.
Hernandez enters this contest with momentum as he improved to 3-1 in his last five outings with a dominating performance versus Cincinnati on Saturday. The 30-year-old recorded his second scoreless stint in that stretch by scattering four hits - all singles - while working around three walks. Hernandez throttled the Twins in his last outing, improving to 8-5 with a slim 1.93 ERA in 17 career encounters after yielding just five hits in a shutout on April 24, 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle 2B Robinson Cano is 6-for-17 (.353) with two homers, six RBIs and three runs scored during his four-game hitting streak.
2. Minnesota SS Eduardo Nunez has made himself at home on the road, going 23-for-63 (.365) with 12 RBIs.
3. Veteran RF Nelson Cruz went 6-for-11 with one homer and three RBIs to help the Mariners take two of three from Oakland this week.
PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Twins 2