Seattle @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2012 ) Seattle 5, Minnesota 2

The Seattle Mariners opened their seven-game road trip in ugly fashion, blowing leads in three straight games in a sweep at Chicago. The Mariners have managed to bounce back at the expense of Minnesota, taking the first two games of the series to extend their winning streak over the Twins to seven games. Seattle has won 10 of its last 13 games, and five of those wins have come against Minnesota, which has scored a total of eight runs in those losses.

The Twins' offense has been feeble in the first two games of the series. Getting limited to five hits by Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is understandable, but Minnesota had only one hit against an erratic Hisashi Iwakuma on Tuesday and didn't show any signs of offensive life until the ninth inning. The Twins have dropped 16 of their last 19 games to fall 25 games under .500 at 52-77.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), Fox Sports North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Jason Vargas (13-8, 3.75 ERA) vs. Twins RH Samuel Deduno (4-2, 4.24)

Vargas was rocked for six runs, including three homers, in a season-low four innings at Chicago in his last outing but managed to escape the loss. It ended a marvelous string of 10 starts in which he compiled a 6-1 record and 1.95 ERA. He also received a no-decision against Minnesota on Aug. 18 after yielding two runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Deduno also absorbed a beating in his last outing, getting pounded for seven runs on 11 hits in five innings of an 8-0 loss at Texas. He lost his previous start in Seattle, giving up two runs on five hits while walking a season-worst six in six innings. Control issues continue to plague Deduno, who has allowed more walks (37) than strikeouts (30) in 51 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 2B Dustin Ackley hit a three-run homer Tuesday, the 11th consecutive game in which Seattle has homered.

2. Minnesota has only one homer in its last 11 games, coming off the bat of Justin Morneau on Saturday.

3. Major League Baseball is expected to officially announce Wednesday that the 2014 All-Star Game will be held at Target Field.