Seattle @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( May 17, 2014 ) Seattle 3, Minnesota 4
The Minnesota Twins have moved over .500 for the first time in May thanks in part to their ability to win one-run games while the Seattle Mariners’ lack of success in such contests is a key reason why they have fallen below the break-even mark. After securing a pair of one-run wins in the first two games of the series, the Twins eye their second home sweep of the season on Sunday when they meet the Mariners. Minnesota defeated Seattle 4-3 on Saturday, improving to 8-4 in one-run contests.
Five of those eight one-run victories have come over the last eight games, which has allowed Minnesota (21-20) to climb over .500 this late in the season for the first time since the team went 94-68 en route to its last playoff appearance in 2010. The Mariners (20-22) have dropped four in a row – including three by one run – and fell to 5-7 in such affairs after Saturday’s loss. Seattle hopes it can turn its recent luck in tight games around in the finale when it turns to ace Felix Hernandez, whose career 2.07 ERA versus the Twins is his lowest against any American League opponent.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (4-1, 3.03 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ricky Nolasco (2-3, 5.51)
Despite getting ejected for the first time in his career after giving up all four of his runs in the seventh inning, Hernandez received enough offense to get his first win in six starts following Monday’s 12-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 2010 American League Cy Young award winner, who hasn’t allowed a homer in his last four turns, did not walk a batter over 6 2/3 innings and struck out seven. Hernandez last faced Minnesota on July 26, when he fanned 11 over nine innings but settled for a no-decision when the Twins won in extra innings.
Nolasco recorded his third straight quality start, but did not factor into the decision for the second straight outing in Tuesday’s 8-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The 31-year-old, who is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 21 strikeouts in three May starts after posting a 2-2 record, 6.68 ERA and 13 strikeouts over his first five turns of the season, yielded three runs on six hits over six frames against the Red Sox. Nolasco took the loss in his only career start versus Seattle as a member of the Miami Marlins in 2011 after allowing three runs over seven innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 2B Brian Dozier, who has homered in each of the first two games of this series, has four home runs in nine career games against Seattle.
2. Of the six AL teams with positive run differentials, only the Mariners (plus-three) have a losing record.
3. Nolasco has allowed at least one home run in five straight and seven of his eight outings.
PREDICTION: Mariners 4, Twins 3