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Twins' Liriano takes ball in Seattle

May 17, 2011 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins hope Francisco Liriano can get them back in the win column this evening when they try to put the brakes on a nine- game losing streak in the finale of a brief two-game set against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

Minnesota's struggles continued in the opener of this set on Monday, as Adam Kennedy had a solo home run and finished with two RBI, helping Seattle to a 5-2 win to snap a lengthy slide of its own. Carlos Peguero also had a solo shot while Justin Smoak and Jack Cust both drove in a run for the Mariners, who won for the first time in seven games and just the third time in their last nine.

Rookie starter Michael Pineda (5-2) pitched seven scoreless innings for Seattle, allowing just three hits and striking out seven.

"Pineda set the tone," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "We were more consistent offensively throughout the course of the game tonight and that was good to see. We created opportunities for ourselves and took advantage of those opportunities, but Michael set the tone out there."

Danny Valencia knocked in a run for the Twins, who at 12-27 are off their worst start since they began the 1995 campaign 11-27. They haven't lost 10 in a row since Sept. 9-19, 1998.

Scott Baker (2-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits while fanning eight.

"As well as (Pineda) was throwing the ball I didn't have a lot of room for error," Baker said, "but it was still a little frustrating because it was a couple of occasions I felt like I beat myself instead of them beating me. It's unfortunate, but I battled the best I could and I just came up short."

It won't get any easier for Minnesota tonight, as they face the American League's reigning Cy Young Award winner, Felix Hernandez, who is 4-3 on the year with a 3.36 ERA. Hernandez was charged with the loss on Wednesday in Baltimore, as he allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.

"My command was way off," Hernandez said. "My sinker wasn't doing nothing. I made a couple of mistakes. I was too quick to home plate. I fell behind a couple of times."

Hernandez is 4-4 in 11 starts versus the Twins and has pitched to a 2.69 ERA in those outings.

Liriano, meanwhile, will be making his second start since no-hitting the Chicago White Sox on May 3. His first one after the no-no, though, didn't go as planned, as Liriano received a loss, surrendering four runs and three hits and three walks before leaving after three innings with flu-like symptoms. He is just 2-5 on the year and has pitched to a 7.07 ERA.

Liriano is 5-2 lifetime against the Mariners with a 2.78 ERA in nine starts.

The Twins have won five of their last seven versus the Mariners overall, but have dropped six of their last seven in Seattle.