Update:  Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is feeling under the weather and even spent some time in the trainer’s room during the game. Will know more about his condition after the game.

 It’s always exciting to watch good pitching matchups, so tonight’s meeting between Francisco Liriano and Felix Hernandez should be a treat. Liriano was effective on Monday against the Tigers, pitching into the eighth inning. Let’s see if he can back that one up against a Seattle team that’s not exactly knocking the cover off the ball these days.

Hernandez had a 22-inning scoreless streak snapped by Texas in his last outing.

The Mariners have activated Brandon Morrow from the 15-day disabled list. To make room, Seattle placed former Twin Carlos Silva on the 15-day DL with shoulder inflammation. Silva was 1-3 with a 8.48 ERA in six starts. He’s 5-18 since signing with Seattle before the 2008 season.

Brendan Harris is at short tonight, wich is notable. Nick Punto, who’s in a slump, really struggles against lefties. With Erik Bedard on the mound tomorrow, will Punto get three straight days off?

Update: Gardenhire said that Punto will start tomorrow. Punto isn’t happy about hitting the ball in the air so much but said every time he tries not to do it, he does it. Maybe he’ll go to the plate thinking the opposite tomorrow.

Joe Crede took some grounders today and said he felt much better. He thinks that with Monday’s day off he’ll be ready to face the Tigers on Tuesday.

NOTE: There were four shutouts yesterday in the American League, tying the record for most shutouts in one day since the DH era began in 1973.

Lineups

Seattle (15-15)

1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF
2. Jose Lopez, 2B
3. Mike Sweeney, DH
4. Adrian Beltre, 3B
5. Wladimir Balentien, LF
6. Russell Branyan, 1B
7. Kenji Johjima, C
8. Franklin Gutierrez, CF
9. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

Pitching: Felix Hernandez

Twins (14-16)

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Matt Tolbert, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Michael Cuddyer, RF
7. Brian Buscher, 3B
8. Delmon Young, LF
9. Brendan Harris, SS

Pitching: Francisco Liriano

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