| SEASON | CAREER |
| W8 | 13 |
| L8 | 14 |
| G20 | 35 |
| IP113.0 | 210.0 |
| BB17 | 32 |
| SO59 | 101 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W3 | 27 |
| L9 | 28 |
| G43 | 152 |
| IP87.0 | 463.0 |
| BB21 | 139 |
| SO53 | 299 |
The Minnesota Twins own the worst record in the AL, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they haven't won back-to-back games in more than three weeks.
The offensive display in their latest contest was certainly stunning.
The Twins look to build on one of their best performances at the plate this month as they try to salvage a split of this four-game set with the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.
Minnesota (53-77) is all but mathematically eliminated from postseason contention for a second consecutive season and has dropped nine of the past 11 at home.
The Twins, however, provided a rare bright spot at Target Field on Wednesday, collecting 16 hits in a 10-0 romp over Seattle (63-68).
"I think (Wednesday) is what we're capable of being and doing as a team," third baseman Trevor Plouffe said after hitting his 20th homer - his first since July 3. "We just haven't done that consistently all year. The good teams do that consistently."
Consistency has been an issue for Plouffe, who had four RBIs on Wednesday. He had a .145 average with three RBIs over the previous 15 games after returning from a bruised right thumb that cost him nearly a month on the disabled list.
Joe Mauer hasn't had an issue finding consistency at the plate at home, batting .332 after going 3 for 5 with a homer on Wednesday.
The All-Star catcher is a career .422 hitter in 22 home matchups with Seattle.
The Twins, who last won back-to-back games Aug. 6-7, may need another big offensive effort with Brian Duensing (3-9, 5.28 ERA) scheduled to take the mound.
The left-hander has struggled at home, going 1-5 with a 5.86 ERA in 18 games. He's posted a 7.50 ERA in losing three of his four starts at Target Field in 2012.
The venue didn't matter for Duensing's latest outing, as he was battered for a career-high nine runs and 10 hits - two homers - in 2 1-3 innings of a 9-3 loss at Texas.
"To be honest, the ball was just up," Duensing told the team's official website. "Every time it was up, it got hit. Every time it was down, it would get hit or it would be a ball. I don't know. I just got beat pretty bad. There was nothing I could do about it. Everything I seemed to throw, they seemed to hit. Nothing seemed to fool them."
His lone start against Seattle went fairly well. Duensing limited the Mariners to three runs and four hits over seven innings in a 3-0 road loss May 25, 2011.
The Mariners, who were held to two hits Wednesday, have dropped four of six after a season-high eight-game winning streak.
They'll hand the ball to Blake Beavan (8-8, 5.10), whose only win in his last four starts came when he held the Twins to a run over 5 1-3 innings on Aug. 19.
The right-hander followed that up six days later by surrendering four runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings of a 5-4 defeat at Chicago.
Beavan, who limited the Twins to two runs over seven innings at Target Field on Sept. 22, has a 6.25 ERA in his last six road starts.
@
AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPSERAQSSOBBSVBSBAAWHIPE
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Dustin Ackley | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Mike Carp | 1 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 1.000 |
| Chone Figgins | 5 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .167 | .167 | .000 |
| Miguel Olivo | 8 | .375 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .375 | 1.250 | .875 |
| Brendan Ryan | 3 | .667 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 2.000 | 1.333 |
| Michael Saunders | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Kyle Seager | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | .000 |
| Justin Smoak | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .000 |
| Ichiro Suzuki | 6 | .167 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | .334 | .167 |
| Casper Wells | 10 | .500 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .545 | 1.345 | .800 |
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Chris Parmelee | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Trevor Plouffe | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Ben Revere | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Danny Valencia | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Josh Willingham | 7 | .429 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | .556 | 1.556 | 1.000 |
 Seattle Mariners |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 25, 2012 | Michael Saunders | Day-to-Day | Sore groin |
| August 13, 2012 | Mike Carp | Day-to-Day | Hip injury |
| August 13, 2012 | Mike Carp | 15-Day DL | Strained left groin muscle |
| August 06, 2012 | Brendan Ryan | Day-to-Day | Left elbow contusion |
| July 18, 2012 | Charlie Furbush | 15-Day DL | Strained left triceps |
| July 18, 2012 | Charlie Furbush | 15-Day DL | Strained left triceps |
 Minnesota Twins |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 28, 2012 | Denard Span | Day-to-Day | Sore right collarbone |
| August 24, 2012 | Josh Willingham | Day-to-Day | Stiff neck |
| August 12, 2012 | Denard Span | Day-to-Day | Left game - right shoulder injury |
| July 25, 2012 | Anthony Swarzak | 15-Day DL | Mild right rotator cuff strain |
| July 25, 2012 | Anthony Swarzak | 15-Day DL | Mild right rotator cuff strain |
| July 21, 2012 | Trevor Plouffe | 15-Day DL | Bruised right thumb |
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- These young Seattle Mariners have taken more than their share of lumps over the last three seasons, getting beaten down by more experienced, better-equipped teams in the powerful American League.
As they prepare to enter the final month of manager Eric Wedge 's third year on the job, the Mariners are finally starting to give their fans some reason for optimism.
Blake Beavan gave up two runs in seven innings and Trayvon Robinson drove in two runs to lift Seattle to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.
Beavan (9-8) scattered five hits, walked two and struck out one, shrugging off a shaky first inning.
Kyle Seager also drove in two runs for the Mariners, who have won 11 of their last 15 games and posted back-to-back winning months for the first time since 2009.
"They've gained a great deal of experience this year," Wedge said. "We've had a lot of tough games, a lot of tight games, very similar to today. Their heartbeat's a lot better. They're much more experienced and they're doing a lot better job in step-up opportunities."
Brian Duensing (3-10) gave up three earned runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings. He left after loading the bases in the sixth, and left fielder Josh Willingham 's blunder contributed to Seattle's four-run inning.
Willingham's two-run homer in the eighth off Stephen Pryor made things interesting, but Tom Wilhelmsen picked up his 21st save to help the Mariners take three of four in the series.
The Twins had the tying run on third base after pinch runner Darin Mastroianni stole two bases, but a shaky Wilhelmsen got Ben Revere to ground out to preserve a well-deserved win for Beavan.
Beavan wasn't overpowering, but he mixed his pitches and changed speeds just enough to keep the Twins off balance one night after they erupted for 10 runs. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Beavan retired 14 of his last 15 hitters.
"We just took the momentum and ran with it," Beavan said.
The Mariners loaded the bases to start the sixth and Duensing left after giving up a sacrifice fly to Seager that tied it. Willingham then dropped an easy fly ball by Jesus Montero to score another run and make it 3-2. Robinson added a two-run single.
"We've got each other's back from the first inning to the last inning," Robinson said. "It's kind of like a snowball. Once somebody does it, everybody does it."
The Mariners were 16 games under .500 on July 15, a lackluster start that ultimately led the organization to decide to part ways with longtime icon Ichiro Suzuki in a trade with the Yankees. But they have quietly been playing some of the best baseball in the AL over the last month.
They had a seven-game win streak to close July and an eight-gamer earlier this month to start climbing back up to respectability. And after a three-game sweep by the White Sox in Chicago, the Mariners bounced back with three wins in Minnesota before heading home for a September filled with games against AL West opponents, and plenty of chances to show everyone that they're not the same team that has been kicked around for the last three years.
"Everybody's just kind of feeding off each other," Beavan said. "Everybody wants to get better and is willing to put in the extra effort and the work. ... You're starting to see that. Guys are buying into that way of playing.
NOTES: Mariners OF Michael Saunders missed his sixth straight game with a groin strain, but manager Eric Wedge said he expected him back on Friday. ... Twins C Joe Mauer has thrown out only six of 49 runners trying to steal this season, by far the worst percentage of his career. Manager Ron Gardenhire blamed slow slide-step deliveries by the team's pitchers. But he also said the Twins are working with Mauer on staying on the balls of his feet. He has been catching the ball flat-footed, making it harder to deliver a powerful on-target throw. ... The Mariners will open a home series with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. RHP Kevin Millwood (4-11, 4.28) will start the opener against Dan Haren (8-10, 4.82). The Twins are headed to Kansas City, where RHP Cole De Vries (3-5, 4.68) will face Royals LHP Will Smith (4-6, 5.55).
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Seattle Mariners
