#104: Harang Takes Stage, But No TV Saturday

GAME: Twins (44-56, 4th, AL Central, -12.0 GB) at Mariners (44-54, 3rd, AL West, -11.0 GB). GAME #: 104. SERIES: 3rd of 4 games. MEETING: 6th (Twins lead 3-2). WHEN: Saturday, 1:10 p.m., Safeco Field. STREAKS: Mariners L 1; Twins W 1. TV: No TV. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

Due to Saturday night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade, plus the fact that it falls within FOX’s national broadcast window, Saturday’s Mariners-Twins game will not be televised, the only Seattle contest all season that will not appear on either ROOT Sports or FOX. The bad news is, Aaron Harang will pitch for the Mariners. There is always drama worth watching attendant to his outings.

Harang might throw a complete-game shutout, which he’s done twice (May 27 vs. San Diego, June 11 vs. Houston), or he might get lit up (six or more earned runs allowed four times). The only safe thing to say about Harang is that he’s all over the atlas when it comes to his starts.

In his last one, he held Cleveland to one earned run on four hits in 7.0 innings and won 2-1. In the start before that, he surrendered seven earned runs in 5.0 innings and lost 11-4 to Boston. His entire season has been that kind of whirlygig.

The Mariners, who took a hard-luck loss Friday night, 3-2 in 13 innings, don’t have much of a history against Minnesota starter Sam Deduno (two starts), but some might recall the 10-0 beat-down, with nine strikeouts, he put on them in August. A closer look:

SATURDAY’S PROBABLES

MARINERS: RHP Aaron Harang (5-8, 5.06 ERA, 1.24 WHIP)

The 35-year-old Harang, a San Diego native in his 12th major league season and first with Seattle, will make his 17th start and second against Minnesota. Harang allowed one run in seven innings against the Indians in his previous outing. The 35-year-old has struggled with consistency, but has given Seattle a quality start in three of his past four outings.

• LAST START: July 22 vs. Cleveland, won 2-1; 1 earned run on 4 hits in 7.0 innings; 2 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1 home run, 99 pitches, 67 for strikes.

• LAST VS. TWINS: June 1 at Minnesota, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 5-4 loss; 1 earned run on 4 hits in 6.0 innings; 4 strikeouts, 2 walks, 0 home runs, 98 pitches, 62 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. TWINS: 0-0, 2.40 ERA in 3 games, including 2 starts, covering 15.0 innings; 9 strikeouts, 5 walks, 2 home runs, 1.26 WHIP.

• AT SAFECO FIELD: 5-5, 3.50 ERA in 13 starts covering 79.2 innings; 56 strikeouts, 17 walks, 8 home runs, 0.97 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Eduardo Escobar (0-for-3, .000), Aaron Hicks (0-for-3, .000), Jamey Carroll (4-for-19, .211).

• HATES TO FACE: Ryan Doumit (11-for-21, .344), Chris Colabello (1-for-3, .333), Brian Dozier (1-for-3, .333).

• CURRENT TWINS VS. HARANG: 22-for-85, .259 BA, 16 strikeouts, 6 walks, 4 home runs, .308 on-base percentage.

TWINS: RHP Samuel Deduno (6-4, 3.50 ERA, 1.31 WHIP)

The 30-year-old Deduno, a native of the Dominican Republic in his fourth major league season and second with Minnesota, will make his 12th start and first against Seattle. Deduno pitched well against the Angels Monday, giving up two runs on four hits and five walks over 7.0 innings to pick up his sixth win of the year. The right-hander also turned in his seventh quality start in 11 outings.

• LAST START: July 22, at L.A. Angels, won 4-3; 2 earned runs on 4 hits in 7.0 innings; 5 strikeouts, 5 walks, 0 home runs, 104 pitches, 60 for strikes.

• LAST VS. MARINERS: Aug. 29, 2012, won 10-0; 0 earned runs on 2 hits in 7.0 innings; 9 strikeouts, 0 walks, 0 home runs, 98 pitches, 68 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 1-1, 1.38 ERA in 2 starts covering 13.0 innings; 11 strikeouts, 6 walks, 0 home runs, 1.00 WHIP.

• AT SAFECO FIELD: 0-1, 3.00 in 1 start covering 6.0 innings; 2 strikeouts, 6 walks, 0 home runs, 1.83 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Justin Smoak (0-for-5, .000), Dustin Ackley (1-for-5, .200).

• HATES TO FACE: Kyle Seager (2-for-4, .500), Michael Saunders (1-for-2, .500).

• CURRENT MARINERS VS. DEDUNO: 4-for-19, .211 BA, 3 strikeouts, 4 walks, 0 home runs, .375 on-base percentage.

MARINERS STATS / NOTES

• CURRENT HOME STAND: Three vs. Cleveland (Monday-Wednesday), four vs. Minnesota (Friday-Monday). The Mariners will take Monday off, then begin a six-game road series at Boston and Baltimore.
• Felix Hernandez’s effort Friday night marked the first nine-inning no-decision with one or fewer runs allowed and 11 or more strikeouts by a Seattle starter since Randy Johnson Sept.16, 1992 vs. California.
• In his past 11 starts, Hernandez is 7-0 with a 2.18 ERA.
• When Hernandez gave up a run in the ninth, he snapped his scoreless streak at 24 innings, tied for the fifth longest in franchise history. Hernandez also ran his streak of scoreless innings against Minnesota to 32.
• Hernandez had 10 or more strikeouts (11) with no walks for the 10th time in his career and his first since April 17 vs. Detroit.
• The home run allowed by Yoervis Medina to Chris Colabello in the 13th inning was the first permitted by Medina in his career.
• The Mariners Friday placed C Mike Zunino on the 15-day disabled list with a broken hamate bone in his left hand. Zunino, batting .324 over his last 11 games, had an MRI Friday morning that confirmed the fracture, which occurred during Seattle’s 8-2 win over Minnesota Thursday. Zunino is expected to miss six weeks . . . .To replace Zunino on the active roster, the Mariners signed veteran catcher and free agent Humberto Quintero, 33, who has spent 11 years in the majors with San Diego (2003-2004), Houston (2005-2011), Kansas City (2012) and Philadelphia (2013), appearing in 446 MLB games. Quintero was designated for assignment by Philadelphia July 24. He’s a career .235 batter.
• When Nick Franklin hit his eighth home run Thursday, he became the second AL second baseman in the last 75 years with eight or more homers in the first 75 games of a career. Jason Kipnis of Cleveland hit 10 in his first 50 in 2011-12. Joe Gordon hit 11 for the Yankees in his first 50 in 1938.

UPCOMING PROBABLES