The Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners mustered little offensively in the finales of their respective series. The clubs look to rebound Thursday when they open a four-game set in the Pacific Northwest. Minnesota generated just two hits and fell for the second time in eight contests by dropping a 1-0 decision to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.
While the Twins can hang their hat on an impressive pitching performance, the Mariners can't say as much after a 10-1 trouncing by Cleveland on Wednesday. Then again, Seattle outscored its opposition by a 50-24 margin en route to winning eight straight prior to Wednesday's debacle. The Mariners dropped two of three to the Twins when the clubs met in Minnesota from May 31-June 2.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSNO (Minnesota), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kevin Correia (7-6, 4.17 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (9-4, 2.99)
Correia recorded his first victory in over a month after yielding two runs on three hits in six innings of a 3-2 win over Cleveland on Saturday. The 32-year-old struggled in his last outing versus Seattle, permitting four runs on eight hits in a no-decision June 1. Correia has sputtered on the road, posting a 2-5 mark with a 5.26 ERA.
Iwakuma pitched seven solid innings in each of his last two outings to position himself on the cusp of a 10-win season. The 32-year-old Japan native has been nothing short of brilliant in his career versus Minnesota, yielding just two unearned runs in 20 2/3 innings to win all three starts. Iwakuma has struggled with the long ball, allowing multiple homer-games in four straight contests prior to his last two outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle manager Eric Wedge was released from the hospital Wednesday, two days removed from what doctors believe was a mild stroke.
2. With Minnesota C Joe Mauer on paternity leave, C Chris Herrmann was unable to duplicate his heroics from the previous night. Herrmann, who belted a grand slam on Tuesday, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Wednesday.
3. Mariners 1B Justin Smoak, who had one of his team's two hits Wednesday, did not face the Twins earlier this season due to a right oblique injury.