Final
  for this game

Mariners-Twins Preview

Jul 30, 2015 - 12:20 AM Phil Hughes has regained the form that made his first season with the Minnesota Twins such a success, and the approach he takes is one J.A. Happ could employ to work through recent struggles.

Two pitchers displaying very different command in recent starts face off Thursday night with the Twins hoping to halt a four-game losing streak with the Seattle Mariners in town.

Hughes (9-6, 3.93 ERA) has issued 12 walks all season and 28 in 52 starts in his time with the Twins. Happ (4-5, 4.27), who has greatly improved on his free passes since the start of 2014, has matched that mark in 15 starts and a relief effort since the beginning of May.

Happ pitched a perfect relief inning Monday, but prior to that the left-hander had issued nine walks in 12 2-3 innings over three starts. He didn't pick up a decision in any, though the club lost all three after he gave up 10 runs and 12 hits.

His 2.65 walks per nine innings remains his lowest mark, bettering last season's 2.91 rate, but the recent slip is reminiscent of the 3.99 mark he put up from 2007-13.

The first-year Mariner gave up three runs with one hit, four walks and hit a batter in 1 2-3 innings of Saturday's 8-6 home loss to Toronto, but he's not yet ready to call his recent form a regression.

"That's not me. It hasn't been me all year. I'll keep working to get better," Happ told MLB's official website. "This was kind of an anomaly, I felt like. It's certainly frustrating."

Hughes' frustrating times are more than a month in his wake. The right-hander had a 4.79 ERA entering his start June 19, but he's 5-0 with a 2.44 ERA and three walks in 48 innings of seven outings since. In Friday's 10-1 home win over the New York Yankees, Hughes gave up seven hits in seven innings.

It was his first scoreless performance of the season, and all the hits were singles after surrendering 11 home runs in his previous eight starts.

"Anytime you're giving up homers, you're obviously giving up runs and that's not the object of this game, so it was nice to go out there and stay away from that," Hughes said. "I made some adjustments early, tried to mix in some more offspeed pitches."

He's 2-1 with a 0.81 ERA in his last three starts against the Mariners, while Happ is 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in two against the Twins.

Mike Zunino has struck out in all six of his at-bats against Hughes, and Brian Dozier is 2 for 4 with a home run against Happ.

Minnesota (52-48) needs another strong start from Hughes after Wednesday's 10-4 home loss to Pittsburgh sent it to its second four-game losing streak in the last 10, and another would match a season-worst five-game skid from June 8-13.

Since Hughes last pitched, the staff has a 7.50 ERA with nine home runs allowed and 13 walks, and that's helped waste Aaron Hicks' 9-for-16 run at the plate.

"It's just that time of the year, I guess, where teams start to go into slumps and things just aren't going our way," Hicks said.

Seattle (46-56) has dropped three in a row after Wednesday's 8-2 home loss to Arizona completed the sweep. Over a 5-9 span, the Mariners have a 5.82 ERA from the rotation.

The lineup was without second baseman Robinson Cano, who is day to day with an abdominal strain.

The Twins won two of three in Seattle from April 24-26, giving them five wins in the last six meetings.








  • SEATTLE: 5
    MINNESOTA: 9
    Final

    Jul 30 11:18 PM


  • Mauer singled to center, J.Polanco scored, Hicks to third.

    Mariners 5, Twins 9  Bot 7, 2 OutsJul 30 10:48 PM
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    Mariners 5, Twins 9  Bot 7, 2 OutsJul 30 10:48 PM


  • Joe Mauer singles to center field. Aaron Hicks to third. Jorge Polanco scores.

    Mariners 5, Twins 9  Bot 7, 2 OutsJul 30 10:48 PM


  • E.Escobar safe on failed fielder's choice, E.Rosario scored, E.Escobar to first.

    Mariners 5, Twins 8  Bot 5, 0 OutsJul 30 10:00 PM


  • Eduardo Escobar reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Eddie Rosario scores.

    Mariners 5, Twins 8  Bot 5, 0 OutsJul 30 10:00 PM


  • A.Jackson homered to center on a 1-2 count, C.Taylor scored.

    Mariners 5, Twins 7  Top 4, 1 OutJul 30 9:26 PM
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    Mariners 5, Twins 7  Top 4, 1 OutJul 30 9:26 PM


  • Austin Jackson homers to center field. Chris Taylor scores.

    Mariners 5, Twins 7  Top 4, 1 OutJul 30 9:26 PM


  • J.Polanco singled to right, E.Rosario scored.

    Mariners 3, Twins 7  Bot 3, 2 OutsJul 30 9:18 PM
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    Mariners 3, Twins 7  Bot 3, 2 OutsJul 30 9:18 PM


  • Jorge Polanco singles to right field. Eddie Rosario scores.

    Mariners 3, Twins 7  Bot 3, 2 OutsJul 30 9:17 PM


  • Trumbo infield single to short, Seager scored, Gutierrez to second.

    Mariners 3, Twins 6  Top 3, 2 OutsJul 30 9:08 PM


  • Mark Trumbo singles to shortstop. Franklin Gutierrez to second. Kyle Seager scores.

    Mariners 3, Twins 6  Top 3, 2 OutsJul 30 9:08 PM


  • Hicks homered to left on a 2-0 count.

    Mariners 2, Twins 6  Bot 2, 1 OutJul 30 8:50 PM


  • Aaron Hicks homers to center field.

    Mariners 2, Twins 6  Bot 2, 1 OutJul 30 8:50 PM


  • E.Rosario homered to right on a 0-1 count, Sano scored, Tor.Hunter scored.

    Mariners 2, Twins 5  Bot 1, 1 OutJul 30 8:33 PM
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    Mariners 2, Twins 5  Bot 1, 1 OutJul 30 8:33 PM


  • Eddie Rosario homers to right field. Torii Hunter scores. Miguel Sano scores.

    Mariners 2, Twins 5  Bot 1, 1 OutJul 30 8:33 PM


  • Tor.Hunter singled to left, Hicks scored, Sano to second.

    Mariners 2, Twins 2  Bot 1, 1 OutJul 30 8:31 PM


  • Torii Hunter singles to left field. Miguel Sano to second. Aaron Hicks scores.

    Mariners 2, Twins 2  Bot 1, 1 OutJul 30 8:31 PM


  • Dozier homered to left on a 0-1 count.

    Mariners 2, Twins 1  Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 30 8:23 PM


  • Brian Dozier homers to left field.

    Mariners 2, Twins 1  Bot 1, 0 OutsJul 30 8:23 PM


  • S.Smith homered to right on a 0-0 count, A.Jackson scored.

    Mariners 2, Twins 0  Top 1, 2 OutsJul 30 8:17 PM


  • Seth Smith homers to right field. Austin Jackson scores.

    Mariners 2, Twins 0  Top 1, 2 OutsJul 30 8:16 PM


  • Austin Jackson doubles to deep center field.

    Jul 30 8:11 PM


  • SEATTLE: 0
    MINNESOTA: 0
    Top 1, 0 Outs

    Jul 30 8:10 PM
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    Mariners vs. TwinsApr 27 8:31 AM
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    Mariners vs. TwinsDec 28 8:32 AM