Mariners' future gets shot in arm against Twins

The Mariners' mission for the remainder of the season, as much as winning games — perhaps more — is to begin sorting out a vision of their future.

Ryan Rowland-Smith and Roy Corcoran are doing their best to insinuate themselves into Seattle's 2009 plans.

Rowland-Smith, a 25-year-old lefty from Australia, turned in his second straight impressive outing in the Mariners' 3-2 win Tuesday over the Minnesota Twins at Safeco Field.

And Corcoran, who unobtrusively has become an important member of the bullpen, blanked the Twins over the final two innings to earn his first career save.

Coming off a start against Oakland in which he limited the A's to four hits and one run in seven innings (he was hung with the loss in a 2-0 Oakland victory), Rowland-Smith was strong for seven innings again.

How rare is that for the Mariners this year? Other than Felix Hernandez, no other Mariner has pitched at least seven innings in back-to-back starts since Carlos Silva in early June.

"He can be a real boost if he continues to pitch that way," Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said.

Rowland-Smith blanked the Twins on two hits over the first five innings, and wound up allowing two runs, both in the sixth.

"My goal for the last month is just be consistent," he said.

Rowland-Smith, who had a brief stint in the Minnesota organization in 2005 — they selected him in the Rule 5 draft, but returned him to Seattle at the end of spring training — impressed Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.

"He's effectively in and out of the zone," Gardenhire said. "His ball's surprising. He's got some zip. He's learned to throw breaking balls. We saw him a few years ago, when we Rule 5'd him, and you know what? He's come a long way as a pitcher. He kind of shut us down."

After retiring the Twins in the eighth, Corcoran was somewhat surprised when he remained in for the ninth, normally the province of J.J. Putz.

"Your initial thought is him coming in the game," Corcoran said. "That's who he is, what he does for a living. They wanted to give him a little break. In that situation tomorrow or any other time, J.J. will be in there."

Riggleman pointed out that Putz had pitched or thrown in the bullpen in eight of the last 10 games.

"We made a decision to not use him," Riggleman said. "I know he wanted to pitch, but we have to take care of him for the future."

Suddenly, Corcoran's Seattle future is looking much brighter. A 28-year-old journeyman who had pitched in the majors in the Nationals' organization (so far back that some of those games were in Montreal), Corcoran has made five straight appearances of two innings or more in which he hasn't allowed a run.

"Roy has been real good for quite a while," Riggleman said.

Corcoran's first major-league save follows 82 in eight minor-league seasons.

"Oh, man," he said. "I don't know how many I have in the minors. It's probably up there a little bit. The first one here, that's a good feeling."

The Mariners, in winning their third straight and fourth of five on this homestand, got a two-run single from Jeff Clement in the second to go up 2-0.

After the Twins scored two in the top of the sixth to tie, the Mariners pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the inning on Jose Lopez's RBI single.

Guardado thrilled

Reliever Eddie Guardado was ecstatic to get traded from Texas back to Minnesota, where he had the best years of his career before joining the Mariners as a free agent in 2004.

"There's a lot of new young faces to get to know," he said. "But you know me — I'm going to be me, and have fun. What can be more fun, and more exciting, than being in the pennant race with your old team?"

Guardado had a conference call with Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who told him he had been traded for a minor-league pitcher named Mark Hamburger.

"I said, 'I got traded for a bleeping hamburger? What's going on?' I said, 'Where's the milk shake, man?' "

Notes

• Riggleman said he has no problems with instant replay reviews beginning on Thursday, but hopes it remains limited to home-run calls.

"I think the human element umpires bring to a game is great," he said.

• Right-hander Miguel Batista, despite his strong effort on Monday (six innings, one run), will return to the Mariners' bullpen, Riggleman said. Silva's return to the rotation Sunday in Cleveland leaves Batista without a spot.

More rotation adjustment lies ahead, with Brandon Morrow penciled in to get a start against the Yankees during the Sept. 5-7 series at Safeco Field, according to Riggleman.

• Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm, wearing her Olympic women's basketball gold medal, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com

For the record

Streak: W3

Home: 28-40

Road: 22-42

vs. AL West: 16-22

vs. L.A.: 4-7

vs. Oakland: 6-7

vs. Texas: 6-8

vs. AL East: 13-28

vs. AL Cent.: 12-23

vs. NL: 9-9

vs. LHP: 15-27

vs. RHP: 35-55

Day: 14-28

Night: 36-54

One-run: 14-24

Extra inn.: 4-7

Home attendance

Tuesday's crowd: 26,292

Season total: 1,982,243

Biggest crowd: 46,334 (March 31)

Smallest crowd: 15,818 (May 6)

Average (68 dates): 29,151

2007 average (68 dates): 33,957