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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Mariners are playing like they're feeling the pressure.
Rookie Matt Kinney got his first major league victory and rookie Anthony Pierzynski hit his first home run in the majors as the
Minnesota Twins kept up Seattle's slump by beating the Mariners 4-2
Friday night.
Seattle, which had a seven-game AL West lead on Aug. 11, is 7-18 since then. Its lead remained at two games because Oakland lost to Tampa Bay 4-0.
"Look, we need to get hot," manager Lou Piniella said. "We're
capable of it and I still feel that we will. We've got to swing the
bats better with more consistency, though."
Said Mariners outfielder Mike Cameron: "Everybody knows what's at stake now. We've come too far to shut it down now."
Kinney (1-1), making his fourth start since being brought up
from Triple-A Salt Lake on Aug. 14, gave up two runs and six hits
in six innings as Minnesota won for just the third time in 10
games.
Pierzynski, a catcher called up from Salt Lake on Aug. 13,
homered in the sixth inning off Paul Abbott (9-6) as the last-place
Twins beat the Mariners for the first time in four games at Seattle
this season.
Abbott allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings. Last
Sunday at Boston, Abbott had a no-hitter for 7 1/3 innings and
combined with Jose Paniagua on a one-hitter.
"That game was something I was trying to build on, something I
wanted to feed off of," Abbott said. "I was trying to bring that
to this game. But I wasn't consistent tonight. I pretty much had to
battle."
Al Martin gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the first with his
fourth homer in 29 games since he was acquired from San Diego on
July 31.
"Hopefully, I can start doing more of that," said Martin, who
snapped an 0-for-17 slump Wednesday. "I'm feeling better. If I get
my stride and start seeing the ball, I'll start hitting."
Minnesota took a 3-1 lead in the fourth, getting a run-scoring
single from Torii Hunter and RBI doubles from Jacque Jones and
Denny Hocking.
Alex Rodriguez doubled in Seattle's second run in the fifth.
Bob Wells pitched 1-2-3 seventh and eighth innings for
Minnesota, and LaTroy Hawkins finished with a perfect ninth for his
11th save in as many chances.
"We played one of the better games than we've played in
awhile," Minnesota manager Tom Kelly said. "We were sharp on
defense and we had some good at-bats. We played a solid game."
Said Kinney: "I didn't trick anybody. They took some pretty good hacks, but our defense played great."
Game notes
Because of threatening skies, Safeco Field's retractable
roof was closed for the 10th time in 69 games this season. The
Mariners are 7-3 with the roof closed. ... The Twins planned to
start two other rookies in the series, Mark Redman on Saturday
night and J.C. Romero on Sunday. ... Minnesota had four doubles,
giving the Twins 26 in nine games. ... Edgar Martinez was 1-for-4
and is hitting 19-for-40 (.475) against Minnesota this season. ...
3B Carlos Guillen of the Mariners committed his team-worst 17th
error in 75 games. ... Hawkins got his first major league save May
28 against Texas. He has not allowed an earned run in 22 of his
last 26 appearances, covering 24 2-3 innings.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
NY Yankees 4
Boston 0
Chi. White Sox 5
Cleveland 4
Toronto 3
Detroit 0
Texas 6
Kansas City 5
Anaheim 2
Baltimore 1
Tampa Bay 4
Oakland 0
Minnesota 4
Seattle 2
Houston 13
Chicago Cubs 10
Cincinnati 0
Pittsburgh 0
Pittsburgh 3
Cincinnati 1
(2nd game)
Arizona 2
Florida 1
Philadelphia 2
NY Mets 0
Atlanta 3
Montreal 2
Milwaukee 6
St. Louis 5
Colorado 8
Los Angeles 5
San Diego 10
San Francisco 7
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