Pineda doesn't get victory, but Mariners do

MINNEAPOLIS – Michael Pineda flashed a wide smile as he spoke about the end of his rookie season for the Seattle Mariners.

His future appears just as bright as the look on his face.

Ichiro Suzuki stopped Kevin Slowey’s no-hitter with a two-out infield single in the sixth inning and added an RBI double in the seventh, spurring the Mariners to a 5-4 victory Wednesday in Minnesota, the 11th straight defeat for the Twins.

Pineda, in his final appearance, gave up six hits, two walks and two runs while striking out two over four innings. He threw 81 pitches. Manager Eric Wedge decided not to push him further on a cool night when he wasn’t at his best. Because the 22-year-old Dominican has never thrown more than 140 innings in a season, the Mariners didn’t want to give him another start next week.

So the right-hander finished 9-10 in 28 starts with 173 strikeouts and 133 hits allowed in 171 innings. Only Mark Langston, with 204 in 1984, struck out more batters as a Mariners rookie.

“I didn’t pitch a great game today, but I’m excited because I had a great year,” Pineda said.

He leads American League rookies in strikeouts, starts and opponent batting average.

“In April, I just thought, ‘I need to pitch a good game because I want to stay here.’ I didn’t want to go to the minor leagues again,” Pineda said. “Now I’m very, very proud of me because I finished strong.”

Pineda had four no-decisions and three defeats over his final seven starts, but that was largely because of a lack of run support.

“When you look up and see his numbers and see the consistency with which he’s pitched, as a rookie pitcher it’s pretty incredible stuff,” Wedge said.

Closer Brandon League, who escaped a ninth-inning, no-out, bases-loaded situation to preserve the win the night before, gave up a two-out RBI single to Trevor Plouffe before retiring Brian Dinkelman on a roller in front of the plate with two runners on for the save Wednesday night.

League has 36 saves in 41 attempts this season. This was the first run he’s allowed against the Twins in 16 innings.

“In the end, it’s black and white. League got it done,” Wedge said.

Trayvon Robinson’s two-run, two-out single in the seventh inning gave the Mariners the lead and sent Slowey (0-7) off the mound.

Ichiro was the only Seattle baserunner in the first five innings, when Twins shortstop Plouffe dropped the ball for an error while taking it out of his glove to start his throw.

Kyle Seager and Dustin Ackley followed Ichiro’s single in the sixth with consecutive sharply hit doubles, and Slowey’s 2-0 lead was gone.

“When a kid’s throwing like that, you need to recognize what he’s doing the first time around and second time around and make some adjustments,” Wedge said.

Twins rookie Chris Parmelee had three hits, including an RBI single.

EXTRA BASES

Mariners designated hitter Justin Smoak returned to the lineup after missing the past week because of a sore groin. Wedge wants to work him in slowly before putting him at first base. … Of the 29 Mariners suited up for this series, 17 of them weren’t with the team when they visited Minnesota in May. … The current 11-game losing streak is the third-longest in Minnesota’s 51-season history. The top two are a 14-game skid in 1982 and 13 in a row in 1961, the first year after the franchise moved from Washington. The Twins (59-95) need two more wins to top their worst finish in Minnesota, 60-102 (1982).

ON TAP

The series closes with a 10:10 a.m. game today. Right-hander Anthony Swarzak (3-7, 4.52 ERA) will pitch for the Twins, while the Mariners will start right-hander Blake Beaven (5-5, 3.92). Root Sports will televise.