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Mariners look for fifth straight win vs. Twins

Aug 21, 2007 - 1:51 PM Seattle (70-52) at Minnesota (62-62) 8:10 pm EDT

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - The Seattle Mariners look to continue their offensive surge Tuesday when they face the Minnesota Twins.

The Mariners clubbed four homers in a 9-2 victory over the Twins on Monday. Raul Ibanez, who leads the American League with nine homers in August, had two of the blasts.

Ibanez's hot streak has kept them the Mariners at the top of the race for the AL wild card, 1 1/2 games ahead of the New York Yankees (70-55).

Seattle has scored 32 runs in winning its last four games. Jarrod Washburn (8-10, 4.16 ERA) will take the mound for the Mariners looking for his first win in more than a month. The veteran lefthander pitched seven strong innings against the Twins last Wednesday, allowing two runs - one earned - and seven hits, but came away with a loss as Seattle dropped a 6-1 decision.

Minnesota will send 25-year-old righthander Scott Baker (6-5, 4.53) to the hill. Baker matched Washburn for 6 2/3 frames last Wednesday, allowing one run and eight hits, but did not factor in the decision.

The Twins dropped nine back of Seattle in the wild card race with Monday's loss. A stagnant offense has been the problem, as Minnesota has scored just seven runs over its last four games.

Reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau has now gone a career-long 25 games and 96 at-bats without a home run.