"Miguel Olivo barreled into second base with a feet-first slide, certain he'd beaten a throw from Minnesota third baseman Danny Valencia with one out in a one-run game in the bottom of the ninth on Tuesday.

But he was called out. And both Olivo and Seattle Mariners manager Eric Wedge's arguments were as futile as Seattle's bats against Twins starter Francisco Liriano in this 2-1 loss at Safeco Field, where 16,015 saw yet another brilliant start by Felix Hernandez go to waste behind a meager offensive effort.

Wedge, perhaps mercifully, was ejected by second base umpire Jerry Meals, the first heave-ho of Wedge's Seattle career. Which means he wasn't around to watch as Adam Kennedy grounded weakly to second to end the game.

"I thought Miguel beat it, but obviously they didn't see it that way," Wedge said of the play at second. "It's a big play late in the ball game. I haven't seen the replay of it, but that's what I saw in the dugout."

Replays showed that Twins second baseman Alexi Casilla caught the ball a split-second prior to Olivo's foot reaching the base, though at full speed it looked as if Olivo had beaten the throw easily. It was almost surprising to see Valencia throw to second base at all, since the play figured to be bang-bang and he could have easily thrown Jack Cust out at first.

Had Olivo been called safe, the Mariners would have had runners at first and second with one out and Kennedy pinch-hitting for Jack Wilson, with Carlos Peguero stepping into the on-deck circle to pinch-hit for Mike Wilson.

"Who knows what happens from there?" Wedge lamented. "It gets us another man down the line, and we've got a runner in scoring position. It's a totally different game, but that's the way it goes."

Having a runner in scoring position would indeed have been totally different on a night when Liriano allowed just three hits while striking out nine and walking just one.

Just as frustrating for the Mariners was that Hernandez was nearly as dominant. But the first inning was all Minnesota needed to assure victory.

Hernandez walked leadoff hitter Denard Span on four pitches to start the game. He walked Jason Kubel two batters later. Michael Cuddyer drove in two runs with a single two batters after that, driving a fastball into center field with Matt Tolbert on third and Kubel on second.

"One mistake against Cuddyer, and they get two runs," said Hernandez, adding that he left the fastball up in the zone. "That's it."

It sure was. But with Liriano pitching against a Mariners lineup that has been nearly as anemic as Minnesota's this season, that was enough."