SEATTLE — The Minnesota Twins were unable to advance a runner past first base through the first six innings against Hisashi Iwakuma on Monday night.

The seventh provided the Twins their only opportunity of the night to break through against the Seattle Mariners right-hander. But as he had done all night, Iwakuma quickly erased all hope.

Iwakuma stranded runners at second and third in the seventh with an emphatic strikeout of Sam Fuld and the Twins came up empty in a 2-0 loss to Seattle.

Iwakuma (7-4) has not allowed an earned run to the Twins in five career starts, which spans 33 2-3 innings. After allowing a combined 10 runs in two consecutive starts to close out June, Iwakuma has given up just one in his two outings in July.

“He’s got great stuff,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. “You watch it up there and he doesn’t really throw the same thing anytime. His ball moves all over the place and his back-door fastball against right-handers when he gets ahead, he can paint. He’s got a great breaking ball. They keep saying it’s like a Frisbee.”

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his American League-leading 26th save in 28 chances.

Kevin Correia (4-11) took the loss despite allowing only five hits in seven innings. Two of those hits were solo home runs, one by Mike Zunino in the second and one by Michael Saunders in the seventh. It was the fourth time in the last five starts that the right-hander has left the game with no run support, and the sixth time this season the Twins have not been able to score a run for him.

“I still want to win some games here, but when we scored some runs early in the season I wasn’t able to take advantage of it, and now I’m pitching well and we’re not scoring as often,” Correia said. “Hopefully two and two will come together and I’ll be able to turn it around.”

The Twins struggled just to put the ball in play, tying a season high by striking out 14 times.

Minnesota put runners on second and third with one out in the seventh after Kendrys Morales singled and Oswaldo Arcia doubled, half of the four hits Iwakuma allowed on the night. Iwakuma got a groundout to third and then struck out Fuld on a 3-2 splitter to extinguish the Twins’ only scoring opportunity.

Correia faced additional trouble after Zunino’s 396-foot blast to left field in the second as Dustin Ackley singled and advanced on Brad Miller’s one-out walk. Correia was able to retire the next two batters, though, to avoid further damage.

“Kevin did a fantastic job,” Gardenhire said. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to come through with getting any runs on their guy.”

Saunders’ sixth home run of the year was nearly caught by Fuld, but the ball tipped off the top of the center fielder’s glove as he slammed into the fence.

The shutout continued a strong run by Mariners pitching, in which the staff has allowed three runs in 29 innings.

NOTES: Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony said there are no updates on 1B Joe Mauer (oblique strain) and INF Danny Santana (bone bruise in left knee), although both are progressing fine. … Manager Lloyd McClendon said the Mariners have not decided who will start Thursday’s game against the Twins. McClendon also said the scheduled starters for the weekend series against the Oakland Athletics — RHP Felix Hernandez, RHP Taijuan Walker and RHP Hisashi Iwakuma — is not set in stone. … The Mariners send RHP Chris Young to the mound Tuesday to face RHP Phil Hughes of the Twins.