Preview: Twins at Mariners
GAME: Minnesota Twins (14-34) at Seattle Mariners (28-20)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, May 29 - 4:10 PM EST
WHERE: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The Minnesota Twins look to complete their second series sweep of the season when they visit the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Minnesota, which took three tightly contested games from the Los Angeles Angels from April 15-17, routed Seattle in the opener before posting a 6-5 triumph Saturday in which Miguel Sano extended his home-run streak to three games in the first inning and delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh.
Joe Mauer has recorded four multi-hit performances during his five-game hitting streak and three straight two-hit efforts while going deep in each of the first two meetings with the Mariners. Seattle is hoping to avoid being swept for the third time this year after dropping three to Oakland in the first week of the season and the Angels in mid-May - both at home. The series with Los Angeles began the Mariners' current stretch during which they have lost six of eight at Safeco Field. Franklin Gutierrez continues to improve at the plate as he brings a five-game hitting streak into the series finale that has seen him go 7-for-17 and raise his average from .176 to .235.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ricky Nolasco (1-3, 5.54 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (2-4, 2.70)
Nolasco has been ineffective for much of the season, surrendering four or more runs in seven of his nine starts. The 33-year-old lasted only 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Kansas City on Monday as he was tagged for six runs on eight hits and two walks. Nolasco has yet to defeat Seattle, going 0-2 while yielding six runs over 12 frames in two career starts.
Walker lost his fourth consecutive decision Monday after giving up five runs - one earned - in 7 1/3 innings against Oakland. The 23-year-old native of Louisiana has surrendered a total of 19 runs in his last five outings, although eight of them were unearned, and has served up six homers in that span after allowing just one over his first four outings. Walker was outstanding in his lone career start against the Twins, striking out 11 while tossing a one-hitter at Minnesota on July 31, 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Sano leads the Twins with 10 home runs - seven of which he has hit in his last 15 games.
2. Seattle OF Nori Aoki is 3-for-8 with a homer and two RBIs in two contests while filling in for the injured Leonys Martin atop the batting order.
3. Minnesota C Kurt Suzuki is listed as day-to-day after exiting Saturday's game in the third inning with concussion-like symptoms.
PREDICTION: Mariners 9, Twins 3
GAME: Minnesota Twins (14-34) at Seattle Mariners (28-20)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, May 29 - 4:10 PM EST
WHERE: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The Minnesota Twins look to complete their second series sweep of the season when they visit the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. Minnesota, which took three tightly contested games from the Los Angeles Angels from April 15-17, routed Seattle in the opener before posting a 6-5 triumph Saturday in which Miguel Sano extended his home-run streak to three games in the first inning and delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh.
Joe Mauer has recorded four multi-hit performances during his five-game hitting streak and three straight two-hit efforts while going deep in each of the first two meetings with the Mariners. Seattle is hoping to avoid being swept for the third time this year after dropping three to Oakland in the first week of the season and the Angels in mid-May - both at home. The series with Los Angeles began the Mariners' current stretch during which they have lost six of eight at Safeco Field. Franklin Gutierrez continues to improve at the plate as he brings a five-game hitting streak into the series finale that has seen him go 7-for-17 and raise his average from .176 to .235.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ricky Nolasco (1-3, 5.54 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (2-4, 2.70)
Nolasco has been ineffective for much of the season, surrendering four or more runs in seven of his nine starts. The 33-year-old lasted only 2 2/3 innings in a loss to Kansas City on Monday as he was tagged for six runs on eight hits and two walks. Nolasco has yet to defeat Seattle, going 0-2 while yielding six runs over 12 frames in two career starts.
Walker lost his fourth consecutive decision Monday after giving up five runs - one earned - in 7 1/3 innings against Oakland. The 23-year-old native of Louisiana has surrendered a total of 19 runs in his last five outings, although eight of them were unearned, and has served up six homers in that span after allowing just one over his first four outings. Walker was outstanding in his lone career start against the Twins, striking out 11 while tossing a one-hitter at Minnesota on July 31, 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Sano leads the Twins with 10 home runs - seven of which he has hit in his last 15 games.
2. Seattle OF Nori Aoki is 3-for-8 with a homer and two RBIs in two contests while filling in for the injured Leonys Martin atop the batting order.
3. Minnesota C Kurt Suzuki is listed as day-to-day after exiting Saturday's game in the third inning with concussion-like symptoms.
PREDICTION: Mariners 9, Twins 3
MLB
Short Sheet
Sunday, May 29
St Louis at Washington, 1:35 PM ET
St Louis: 52-31 SU after 2 or more consecutive road games
Washington: 11-16 SU after 6 or more consecutive home games
Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 2:10 PM ET
Cincinnati: 8-31 SU as an underdog of +100 or higher
Milwaukee: 13-4 SU in home games when playing on Sunday
Philadelphia at Chicago, 2:20 PM ET
Philadelphia: 10-4 SU after 4 or more consecutive road games
Chicago: 43-64 SU with a well rested bullpen who did not throw an inning last game
San Diego at Arizona, 4:10 PM ET
San Diego: 12-8 SU after 3 consecutive game versus a division rival
Arizona: 2-10 SU in home games against division opponents
San Francisco at Colorado, 4:10 PM ET
San Francisco: 23-7 SU as a favorite of -110 or higher
Colorado: 15-32 SU after allowing 8 runs or more
Miami at Atlanta, 5:05 PM ET
Miami: 11-5 SU in road games in night games
Atlanta: 1-14 SU in home games against right-handed starters
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, 8:00 PM ET
Los Angeles: 18-21 SU in night games
New York: 45-20 SU after 2 or more consecutive overs
Boston at Toronto, 1:05 PM ET
Boston: 71-88 SU when the money line is -100 to -150
Toronto: 27-11 SU after 4 or more consecutive wins
Baltimore at Cleveland, 1:10 PM ET
Baltimore: 17-6 SU as a favorite of -110 or higher
Cleveland: 16-24 SU after having won 3 of their last 4
NY Yankees at Tampa Bay, 1:10 PM ET
New York: 31-17 SU in road games in day games
Tampa Bay: 25-35 SU in home games in day games
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 2:15 PM ET
Chicago: 23-37 SU after a loss by 2 runs or less
Kansas City: 40-15 SU at home when the total is 7.5 or less
Houston at LA Angels, 3:35 PM ET
Houston: 8-16 SU in road games
Los Angeles: 39-17 SU as a favorite of -125 to -175
Detroit at Oakland, 4:05 PM ET
Detroit: 21-11 SU in road games in day games
Oakland: 7-19 SU after scoring 10 runs or more
Minnesota at Seattle, 4:10 PM ET
Minnesota: 25-19 SU after 3 straight games without a stolen base
Seattle: 2-7 SU as a home favorite of -150 or more
Pittsburgh at Texas, 3:05 PM ET
Pittsburgh: 1-5 SU on the road with a money line of -100 to -125
Texas: 27-18 SU in games played on a grass field
Short Sheet
Sunday, May 29
St Louis at Washington, 1:35 PM ET
St Louis: 52-31 SU after 2 or more consecutive road games
Washington: 11-16 SU after 6 or more consecutive home games
Cincinnati at Milwaukee, 2:10 PM ET
Cincinnati: 8-31 SU as an underdog of +100 or higher
Milwaukee: 13-4 SU in home games when playing on Sunday
Philadelphia at Chicago, 2:20 PM ET
Philadelphia: 10-4 SU after 4 or more consecutive road games
Chicago: 43-64 SU with a well rested bullpen who did not throw an inning last game
San Diego at Arizona, 4:10 PM ET
San Diego: 12-8 SU after 3 consecutive game versus a division rival
Arizona: 2-10 SU in home games against division opponents
San Francisco at Colorado, 4:10 PM ET
San Francisco: 23-7 SU as a favorite of -110 or higher
Colorado: 15-32 SU after allowing 8 runs or more
Miami at Atlanta, 5:05 PM ET
Miami: 11-5 SU in road games in night games
Atlanta: 1-14 SU in home games against right-handed starters
LA Dodgers at NY Mets, 8:00 PM ET
Los Angeles: 18-21 SU in night games
New York: 45-20 SU after 2 or more consecutive overs
Boston at Toronto, 1:05 PM ET
Boston: 71-88 SU when the money line is -100 to -150
Toronto: 27-11 SU after 4 or more consecutive wins
Baltimore at Cleveland, 1:10 PM ET
Baltimore: 17-6 SU as a favorite of -110 or higher
Cleveland: 16-24 SU after having won 3 of their last 4
NY Yankees at Tampa Bay, 1:10 PM ET
New York: 31-17 SU in road games in day games
Tampa Bay: 25-35 SU in home games in day games
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City, 2:15 PM ET
Chicago: 23-37 SU after a loss by 2 runs or less
Kansas City: 40-15 SU at home when the total is 7.5 or less
Houston at LA Angels, 3:35 PM ET
Houston: 8-16 SU in road games
Los Angeles: 39-17 SU as a favorite of -125 to -175
Detroit at Oakland, 4:05 PM ET
Detroit: 21-11 SU in road games in day games
Oakland: 7-19 SU after scoring 10 runs or more
Minnesota at Seattle, 4:10 PM ET
Minnesota: 25-19 SU after 3 straight games without a stolen base
Seattle: 2-7 SU as a home favorite of -150 or more
Pittsburgh at Texas, 3:05 PM ET
Pittsburgh: 1-5 SU on the road with a money line of -100 to -125
Texas: 27-18 SU in games played on a grass field
