Minnesota-Seattle: Twins Get Slow Start to 2009 Season With Loss to Mariners

The Minnesota Twins kicked off their 2009 season in less than desired fashion on Monday night with a 6-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle's Felix Hernandez pitched eight solid innings, striking out six, allowing just one earned run, while walking three. 

A sac fly from Jose Lopez which brought Adrien Beltre home from third started the scoring in the top of the 2nd. 

Ken Griffey Jr. marked his return to Seattle with a solo home run in the top of the fifth to give the Mariners the 2-0 lead.

The Twins were able to answer in the fifth, having loaded the bases for Michael Cuddyer who singled to center with one out, scoring Mike Redmond.

To Minnesota fans, the fifth inning had to look promising, as the Twins typically move runners with the bases loaded.

It wasn't to be however, as slugger Justin Morneau grounded into a double play to end the inning.

That double play proved to be key as Fransisco Liriano, who pitched pretty well, giving up just five hits, gave up a two-run home run to Franklin Gutierrez in the top of the sixth.

Liriano went seven innings total, giving up four earned runs on five hits, while striking out three.

Then the Twins bullpen went to work, and the relief pitching that was fairly suspect last year looked no different on Opening Night for the Twins.

Jesse Crain walked his first batter before retiring the next two, then left-hander Craig Breslow was sent in to face Griffey, who he walked on four straight pitches.

Matt Guerrier was sent in to get the last out and he did, but not before surrendering runs to the two base runners in the top of the ninth.

The Twins went three-up-three-down in the sixth, seventh, and eight innings, before Joe Crede managed to get on base in the ninth. It was far from enough and the Twins were forced to start the season 0-1.

Not a lot can be determined from this game from the perspective of a Twins fan. It looked like a typical Twins loss.

The Twins have to get a lot of hits in order to produce enough runs to win games because they don't have home run power. The Twins had an opportunity in the fifth to do just that but failed to do so, and not surprisingly they lost.

Oh well Twins fans, that's why they play 162!