Seattle @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2016 ) Seattle 10, Minnesota 1

The Seattle Mariners needed to make sure this weekend's series didn't go like their previous matchup against the Minnesota Twins if they had any hopes of remaining a threat in the American League wild-card chase. The Mariners took the first step in that regard with a convincing win over the host Twins in Friday's opener and will try to repeat the feat Saturday, when the teams continue their three-game series.

Seattle was swept by the Twins in late May, beginning a slide during which it lost 19 of 27 contests, and briefly fell under .500 after entering the series with a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL West. The Mariners won for the 11th time in 15 contests following Friday's 10-1 thumping of Minnesota, however, as Robinson Cano recorded four hits and Nelson Cruz swatted his 38th homer as part of a four-RBI effort to keep Seattle within two games of streaking Detroit for the second wild-card spot. The Twins (55-99) have dropped seven straight to inch closer to their first 100-loss season since going 60-102 in 1982 and became the only team this year to score two runs or fewer in seven straight contests. Brian Dozier, who set an AL record for a second baseman with his 40th homer one day before watching his 24-game hitting streak halted in the second game of the Thursday's doubleheader with Detroit, went hitless in the opener to remain one RBI shy of becoming the 18th Twin with 100 in a season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Ariel Miranda (5-1, 3.88 ERA) vs. Twins RH Tyler Duffey (8-11, 6.39)

Miranda continued his surprising September run on Sunday versus Houston, allowing two runs on a pair of solo homers among the three hits he gave up in seven frames. The 27-year-old Cuban, who also struck out a career-high eight, is 4-0 with a 2.16 ERA in four outings this month after going 1-1, 4.98 in five appearances (four starts) in August. Miranda, who will face the Twins for the first time, has been particularly stingy against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .203 average.

Duffey returns to the mound for the first time since Sept. 14, giving him nine full days to work on the side after a four-start stretch during which he posted an 11.15 ERA. The last of those outings came in Detroit, which roughed him up for six runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings and became the fourth team in as many games to reach the Houston native for at least five runs. Duffey, who never has opposed the Mariners, will try to rediscover the form that allowed him to go 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA over his first three starts in August.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mariners have homered in 12 straight games versus the Twins - their longest such active streak against any opponent.

2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer (quadriceps) missed his third straight game and hasn't appeared in the lineup since last Saturday.

3. With a victory on Saturday or Sunday, Seattle will earn its first series win against the Twins since the start of the 2013 season (0-5-2).

PREDICTION: Mariners 8, Twins 2