Seattle @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 1, 2015 ) Seattle 2, Minnesota 3

Hisashi Iwakuma strives to continue his dominance of Minnesota hitters when the Seattle Mariners conclude a four-game series against the host Twins on Sunday. The native of Japan has allowed just two runs - both unearned - in 33 2/3 career innings en route to a 5-0 record against Minnesota.

Iwakuma is holding Twins hitters to a .165 collective average and has struck out 34 against eight walks. Minnesota won two of the first three games of the series, pushing across two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday to post a 3-2 victory. The win allowed the Twins to remain one game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the American League's second wild-card spot. Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz went 2-for-4 with a homer on Saturday and has gone deep seven times with six multi-hit performances during his 12-game hitting streak.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (2-2, 5.10 ERA) vs. Twins RH Mike Pelfrey (5-7, 3.92)

Iwakuma was roughed up in his last start, when he allowed six runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings while losing to Arizona. The poor outing followed a stretch during which he went 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA over his previous three starts. Iwakuma is facing Minnesota for the first time this season and has controlled most of the hitters other than Brian Dozier (3-for-10).

Pelfrey is 0-5 in eight starts since defeating Milwaukee on June 7. He has allowed eight runs twice in that span and lasted four innings or less three times. Pelfrey lost his lone career start against Seattle in 2013, when he gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 frames, and struggles against Seth Smith (7-for-14).

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins C Kurt Suzuki went 2-for-4 on Saturday, delivering the game-winning RBI single in the ninth.

2. Seattle DH Robinson Cano (abdominal strain) returned Saturday after a three-game absence and was hitless in four at-bats.

3. Minnesota RF Torii Hunter is 1-for-12 in the series.

PREDICTION: Mariners 4, Twins 2