Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners
When ? Wed, September 21, 2011 – 08:10 pm
Where ? Target Field
Pitchers: vs Pineda vs Slowey
, 1 for 8 with five strikeouts off Slowey, is 24 hits shy of reaching 200 for the 11th straight season. Suzuki is 3 for 21 in his last five games at Minnesota, though he had a triple Tuesday. Pineda, who will be shut down following this outing since he’s already pitched 167 innings — his most at any professional level — tossed seven shutout innings in a 5-2 home win over Minnesota (59-94) on May 16. The franchise’s last pitcher to lose seven consecutive starts in a single season was Chuck Stobbs, who dropped 10 straight for the Washington Senators in 1957. Seattle has totaled two runs and eight hits in the last three games Pineda has pitched, but had a season high-tying seven extra-base hits in Tuesday’s series opener. The right-hander has lost all six starts since being called up Aug. 11 after laboring through four innings of Friday’s 7-6 loss to Cleveland with 90 pitches, yielding five runs and seven hits. rookie pitcher got off to a quick start, but early-inning struggles and lack of run support have slowed him as the season has progressed. Seattle (65-89) defeated Minnesota (59-94) 5-4 in Tuesday’s series opener at Target Field, handing the Twins a 10th straight loss for the first time since September 1998. If the Twins lose again Wednesday, it will mark their longest skid since they dropped 14 in a row May 19-June 2, 1982. They have to win four of their final nine games to avoid the second 100-loss season in team history. Despite striking out eight — moving into second place all-time among Mariners rookies with 171 — in a season-best eight innings, the All-Star right-hander dropped his third consecutive start in a 4-2 loss to Kansas City on Sept. 10. All three runs off Pineda crossed in the first inning in what has been a disturbing trend for the 22-year-old. He has a 6.00 ERA in the opening frame. That kind of production could help Pineda become the franchise’s first rookie 10-game winner since (17) and (11) in 1999. “He threw as well as I’ve seen him in a while,” said Seattle first baseman , who went 5 for 5 on Tuesday and is 7 for 9 with a homer and six RBIs in his the two games. “It just sucks we didn’t have any hits for him.” Goal’s highlights, results and more will be on site, as soon as posible.. stay with us.