Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners mlb live streaming links with review online radio commentry authentic feed May 17, 2011. Justin Morneau's surprising appearance in the lineup did little to help the Minnesota Twins end their struggles at the plate.
That slump may not end Tuesday night if Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez can match his recent home starts against the Twins.
10:10 PM ET, May 17, 2011
Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
Even with Morneau as its DH, Minnesota produced just four hits, and the former AL MVP went 1 for 3 in a 5-2 defeat, his team's ninth in a row. Rookie Carlos Peguero followed Adam Kennedy's solo homer in the sixth inning with his second in as many games and helped Seattle (17-23) snap a six-game losing streak.
The Twins, meanwhile, scored their runs in the ninth inning on an error and a groundout. They've hit .210 and been outscored 61-23 during their longest skid since dropping 10 in a row Sept. 9-19, 1998.
Minnesota (12-27) is 15 games below .500 for the first time since finishing 69-93 in 2000.
Those struggles could continue in the finale of a two-game set as Hernandez (4-3, 3.36 ERA) is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA in six career home starts against Minnesota. He's allowed one run in each of his last three matchups at Safeco, including a 4-1 victory June 3.
Hernandez, though, had a three-game win streak snapped with a 4-2 loss in Baltimore on Wednesday. He allowed four runs, walked three and hit a batter while failing to pitch into the sixth inning for the second time this season.
Hernandez was 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in his previous four starts.
"Felix just didn't have the command he usually does. But he's still a great competitor and he gave us everything he had," manager Eric Wedge said. "It's almost unfair because even when he is a little bit off he's better than anyone else. He is human; sometimes people forget that. You're not going to be perfect every time you go out there."
Francisco Liriano was nearly perfect earlier this month and the last time he faced Seattle on Aug. 1, allowing two hits in seven innings of a 4-0 win. He's won three in a row over the Mariners and is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA in his last three starts at Safeco.
Liriano (2-5, 7.07) recorded the first no-hitter in the majors this season May 3 against Chicago but still hasn't seemed to find his groove, having alternated wins and losses in his last four starts after dropping his first three.
In his follow-up to that momentous outing versus the White Sox, the left-hander gave up four runs in a 10-2 loss to Detroit on Tuesday and walked three before exiting after three innings because of illness.
"He got sick and was having trouble catching his breath out there," manager Ron Gardenhire told the team's website. "He finished the inning, but once he got in the dugout he had a hard time breathing, so we got him out there."
If Ichiro Suzuki fails to homer Tuesday, it will mark his second-longest drought in his career (61 games). He's already on the longest to open a season (40 games) but has some time to avoid matching his career-worst, 80-game drought June 5-Sept. 2, 2007
That slump may not end Tuesday night if Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez can match his recent home starts against the Twins.
10:10 PM ET, May 17, 2011
Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
Preview: Twins at MarinersWhile his teammates traveled to Seattle, Morneau stayed behind to have his neck and left shoulder checked by doctors. After being cleared to play, he arrived at Safeco Field about 90 minutes before Monday's game.
Current Conditions - Seattle
L/RAIN 47 °F
Wind: S 10
5-Day Forecast
GAME: Minnesota Twins (12-27) at Seattle Mariners (17-23)
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, May 17 - 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Even with Morneau as its DH, Minnesota produced just four hits, and the former AL MVP went 1 for 3 in a 5-2 defeat, his team's ninth in a row. Rookie Carlos Peguero followed Adam Kennedy's solo homer in the sixth inning with his second in as many games and helped Seattle (17-23) snap a six-game losing streak.
The Twins, meanwhile, scored their runs in the ninth inning on an error and a groundout. They've hit .210 and been outscored 61-23 during their longest skid since dropping 10 in a row Sept. 9-19, 1998.
Minnesota (12-27) is 15 games below .500 for the first time since finishing 69-93 in 2000.
Those struggles could continue in the finale of a two-game set as Hernandez (4-3, 3.36 ERA) is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA in six career home starts against Minnesota. He's allowed one run in each of his last three matchups at Safeco, including a 4-1 victory June 3.
Hernandez, though, had a three-game win streak snapped with a 4-2 loss in Baltimore on Wednesday. He allowed four runs, walked three and hit a batter while failing to pitch into the sixth inning for the second time this season.
Hernandez was 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in his previous four starts.
"Felix just didn't have the command he usually does. But he's still a great competitor and he gave us everything he had," manager Eric Wedge said. "It's almost unfair because even when he is a little bit off he's better than anyone else. He is human; sometimes people forget that. You're not going to be perfect every time you go out there."
Francisco Liriano was nearly perfect earlier this month and the last time he faced Seattle on Aug. 1, allowing two hits in seven innings of a 4-0 win. He's won three in a row over the Mariners and is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA in his last three starts at Safeco.
Liriano (2-5, 7.07) recorded the first no-hitter in the majors this season May 3 against Chicago but still hasn't seemed to find his groove, having alternated wins and losses in his last four starts after dropping his first three.
In his follow-up to that momentous outing versus the White Sox, the left-hander gave up four runs in a 10-2 loss to Detroit on Tuesday and walked three before exiting after three innings because of illness.
"He got sick and was having trouble catching his breath out there," manager Ron Gardenhire told the team's website. "He finished the inning, but once he got in the dugout he had a hard time breathing, so we got him out there."
If Ichiro Suzuki fails to homer Tuesday, it will mark his second-longest drought in his career (61 games). He's already on the longest to open a season (40 games) but has some time to avoid matching his career-worst, 80-game drought June 5-Sept. 2, 2007
