Different score, yes, but this was like giving up an empty-netter at the end. The Mariners scored a run off Glen Perkins in the first inning and spent the afternoon clinging to that 1-0 lead before Luis Ayala gave up another run in the ninth.

For eight innings, the Twins had no answer for Seattle lefthander Jarrod Washburn, who went 5-14 last season. Tuesday's goat, Brandon Morrow, walked Michael Cuddyer to start the ninth, then slammed the door.

After splitting the season-opening four-game series, the Twins flew to Chicago -- of all places -- where they open a three-game series with the White Sox tonight.

In a quiet clubhouse, Justin Morneau said the Twins must learn how to win games like Thursday's if they want to be better than a .500 team.

"Especially when a guy throws the ball as well as Perk did," Morneau said.

Perkins delivered the Twins' best start of the series, by far, and still lost. He held the Mariners to five hits over eight innings. This was a reversal from last year, when he had the best run support of any starting pitcher on the team (7.45 runs per game), which helped him build a 12-4 record, despite a 4.49 ERA.

Few figured it would cost Perkins the game, but he chose to pitch to Adrian Beltre with first base open and two outs in the first inning. Beltre singled to center field, scoring Franklin Gutierrez from second base.

"I'm disappointed in myself that I let (Beltre) beat me," Perkins said. "Because he's the one guy in the lineup that I thought, `Don't let this guy get you.' "

Washburn didn't have to make a decision like that until the eighth inning, when the Twins finally moved a runner to second base. But Denard Span flied out for the fourth time, and Alexi Casilla grounded to shortstop, ending that threat.

Morneau, the hero of Wednesday's victory, was kicking himself this time for his ninth-inning at-bat against Morrow.

On Tuesday, Morrow entered the ninth with a 5-3 lead and recorded two quick outs before walking the bases loaded, leading to the Twins' improbable 6-5 victory.

This time, Morrow walked Cuddyer on four pitches before gathering himself, as an announced crowd of 20,105 began to stir.

Morneau watched a 96-mile-per-hour fastball for strike one, then swung at a ball for strike two, before watching a 98-mph fastball on the outside corner for strike three.

"I don't think my approach was very good there," Morneau said. "The guy's erratic, but you've got to be ready to hit that one pitch in case he makes that mistake."

Joe Crede took a third strike, and Jason Kubel flied to center, ending the game.

Perkins knew he couldn't feel too badly. Last year, the Twins were shut out nine times, but never in a game he started.

"The main thing is knowing that if I do that every time out, we're going to win way more than we lose," Perkins said.

GAME RECAP

IMPACT PLAYER

Jarrod Washburn, Mariners

The veteran lefthander tossed eight scoreless innings in 96 pitches, improving to 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA for his career at the Metrodome.

STATS

8 Innings pitched by Glen Perkins, matching his career high.

0 Errors committed by the Twins in the four-game series.

.321 The Twins' average with runners in scoring position for the series -- 9-for-28, including 0-for-2 Thursday.

ON DECK

R.A. Dickey makes his Twins debut when he faces the White Sox tonight. In his only previous appearance at U.S. Cellular Field, last Aug. 20 for the Mariners, he gave up eight earned runs in two innings.

JOE CHRISTENSEN

Up next: Three-game series at Chicago Game 1: 7:11 tonight - U.S. Cellular Field

TV: FSN (1500-AM)