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Mariners-Twins Preview

Aug 1, 2010 - 3:43 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (39-66) at Minnesota (58-46), 2:10 p.m. EDT

Strong starting pitching has been a big reason for the Minnesota Twins' success the last 10 games. Francisco Liriano has more than held his own during that stretch.

The left-hander tries for a fourth straight victory while looking to help extend the Twins' season-high winning streak to eight games Sunday against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

While Minnesota (58-46) is averaging 7.5 runs in winning nine of 10, its starters are 9-0 with a 1.38 ERA during that span. After Kevin Slowey allowed three hits over eight innings in Saturday's 4-0 win over Seattle, Liriano (9-7, 3.35 ERA) looks to continue his recent success.

Liriano, who won four in a row from April 15-May 2, has allowed two runs and struck out 22 over 21 2-3 innings while winning three straight starts since the All-Star break. He has not allowed a run in 14 innings of his last two outings after scattering three hits in seven innings of a 19-1 rout of Kansas City on Monday.

"(I'm not) trying to be too fine at the plate, just throw it over," Liriano told the Twins' official website.

Liriano is 4-2 with a 3.19 ERA in eight starts against the Mariners. He allowed three runs and struck out seven in six innings of a 5-4 win at Seattle on May 31.

Minnesota, 12-4 since the All-Star break, is one-half game behind the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox. The Twins could be in for another big game against the Mariners (39-66), who have lost six straight and went 6-22 in July to match the franchise record for losses in a month that was set during August of the club's 1977 expansion season.

Mired in its longest losing streak since dropping eight in row April 30-May 8, Seattle has dropped 20 of 27 at Minnesota. The Mariners have been outscored 41-14 during their six-game skid.

"I'm not going to sit here and make excuses," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "We have to play better."

Joe Mauer had three hits and Delmon Young concluded a stellar July with two hits and two RBIs on Saturday for the Twins. Young hit .434 with six home runs and 30 RBIs in 26 games in July.

Mauer, the reigning AL MVP, will miss at least the next two games after receiving a cortisone shot for his ailing right shoulder following Saturday's victory.

Michael Cuddyer is batting .349 during his career-high 15-game hitting streak. He is 7 for 20 against the Mariners this season.

Seattle star Ichiro Suzuki hopes August goes better than July did. Suzuki went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts to finish the month batting .246, marking the first time since September 2008 he failed to hit at least .300 in a full calendar month.

He is a lifetime .350 hitter against Liriano.

Recalled from Triple-A Tacoma this week to replace the injured Ryan Rowland-Smith, Luke French (0-1, 6.39) makes his second start of the season Sunday for the Mariners.

The left-hander, who last pitched in relief against the New York Yankees on July 9, allowed four runs in four innings of a 9-3 loss at St. Louis in his only start June 14.

In his only appearance against the Twins while with Detroit on July 3, 2009, French allowed two runs in 4 2-3 innings of an 11-9, 16-inning win.