Hard to be more consistent than the Mariners at the moment - they're 8-8 on the road, 7-7 at home.

Felix Hernandez is the man behind whom Seattle hopes to snap its five-game losing streak. He has a 2.35 ERA in three career starts in the Metrodome, and that's earned him a 1-1 record here.

What the Mariners could use is a lead, and they're 7-1 against left-handers this season.
None of that, however, matters much unless they get to Liriano.

Over their last five games, they have five - count them, FIVE - hits with men in scoring position. That's in 39 opportunities.

Yikes.

Here we go.

You're kidding

Liriano dispatches the Mariners on nine pitches in the first inning.

Felix takes the mound, and on his first pitch, Denard Span pops out to left field - but Wladimir Balentien lost it in the roof and it fell in front of him for a double.

Matt Tolbert walked, and Hernandez wild-pitched the runners to second and third base with no one out.

Joe Mauer doubled them both home, and the Marinrers are behind, 13 pitches into the game.

Justin Morneau walked - 18 pitches thrown, no outs. Hernandez got a double play ground ball to third base, then a spectacular defensive play from Adrian Beltre for the third out.

After one: Twins 2, Mariners 0.

That's how big boys do it

Get a lead, pitch well, add on more. That's winning baseball.

The Twins added an insurance run on the power of Joe Mauer, who hit his third home run - and opposite field shot.

For the second night in a row, Justin Morneau followed it with a home run of his own (No. 8), and Minnesota is pulling away for the second night in a row.

After three: Twins 4, Mariners 0

Big boy ball II

Why on earth would Liriano hit Ichiro leading off an inning? It made no sense, and obviously irritated Seattle.

One out later, veteran Mike Sweeney hit his second home run of he season, a bolt over the wall in left center field that cut the Twins lead in half.

It also equalled, with one swing, the total number of runs the Mariners had scored in their last THREE games.
Adrian Beltre singled and stole second base (his fifth steal), and Russell Branyan drew a two-out walk. Johjima singled Beltre home, and Franklin Gutierrez worked Liriano for a walk to load the bases.

On the first pitch to him, Yuniesky Bettancourt popped out.

They may not come all the way back. They may not beat Liriano - but for the first time in four games, the Mariners worked a starting pitcher over.

In the fourth: Twins 4, Mariners 3
Oops

Back-to-backs singles had Twins at first and third with one out, and Brendan Harris grounded to third.

Beltre fielded and tried to tag Michael Cuddyer at third - he was safe - and then threw wildly to first base for an error. One run scored, everyone else moved up.

A sacrifice fly got a second run home.

After four: Twins 6, Mariners 3

Those scrappy little Mariners

Ichiro grounded to shortstop but beat the throw to first for another infield single, and Jose Lopez doubled into the left field corner to score him.

Beltre's one-out double pushed Lopez home.

For five games, it's seemed like the Mariners fell behind and rolled over. They're behind again, but they're not wandering off.

Well, except for Yuni.

Sean White in to pitch. Felix is done for the night.

In the fifth: Twins 6, Mariners 5

Those crappy little Mariners

White walked Mauer, Morneau singled off Beltre's glove and, with one out, Michael Cuddyer hit a 427-foot home run.

After five: Twins 9, Mariners 5

It's never over, but it almost is

Beltre led off the eighth inning with his third hit of the game and first home run of the season.

As signs go, it's a good one for the future. Not nearly enough for tonight.

In the eighth, Twins 9, Mariners 6

It's over

Mariners lose their sixth in a row and fall below .500 for the first time this season (15-16).

Final score: Twins 9, Mariners 6

The Seattle Mariners resolved their Carlos Silva problem by placing the right-hander on the 15-day disaled list with shoulder inflamation retroactive to May 7.

Taking his place in the rotation, beginning Tuesday in Texas, will be Jason Vargas, the left-hander obtained in the J.J. Putz deal.

Silva went on the DL as Brandon Morrow came off, and Silva will remain with the team, at least temporarily, to get treatment and begin his rehabilitation.

The move postponed, at least for a few weeks, the issue of what to do with Silva, in the second year of a four-year contract.

He pitched poorly last season(4-15, 6.46), has been worse this year (1-3, 8.48) and had no role other than as a starting pitcher.

For now, the Mariners can let him work on his confidence and his shoulder while giving Vargas a look as a young starting pitcher.

In two relief appearances with Seattle, Vargas is 1-0 with a 0.00 earned run average in 3 2/3 innings.

Antony Suzuki is no Francisco Liriano, but he's left-handed, so he's throwing early batting practice to most of the Seattle Mariners.

Suzuki is the translator with Kenji Johjima, but he's throwing well - and about eight Mariners are out here four hours befrore the game.

One of them, Adrian Beltre, is getting a lot of one-on-one help from manager Don Wakamatsu - and others.

As Beltre was showing his stance to Wakamatsu, Ken Griffey Jr. came up from behind and laid his hands on Beltre's front shoulder, moving it inward a little.

It's a reminder that this is a team, not just a group of individuals, and they are trying to work out their troubles together.

Will it work? One game - even one win - won't answer that, but the effort to improve continues.

If, in the end, there isn't enough talent, at least one can admire the work ethic. This early BP - which started at 11:30 a.m. (PDT), was voluntary.

When it ends, the team will head in to the clubouse for a 90 minutes or so and then re-emerge, stretch and take regular batting practice.