Mariners hope to avoid sweep at hands of A's

Sep 12, 2007, 14:52 GMT

- The Seattle Mariners are slipping out of the playoff picture at a rapid pace and will wrap up a three-game series tonight versus the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field.

Seattle has lost two straight, six of seven and 15 of its last 17 games to fall 6 1/2 games behind New York in the AL wild card standings. In Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Athletics, Adrian Beltre homered and Jose Vidro was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn was touched for six runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings of work to suffer the loss.

Miguel Batista will lead Seattle tonight and he is 13-11 with a 4.73 ERA in 29 games (28 starts) this season. He is 0-3 with an 8.72 earned run average over his last four trips to the hill, including a September 7 performance at Detroit. Batista gave up six runs and nine hits over 6 1/3 innings of a 6-1 loss at Comerica Park.

In 16 career games (nine starts) against Oakland, the right-hander is 3-4 with a 5.97 earned run average. Batista is 1-2 with a 6.62 ERA in three starts against the Athletics in 2007.

Oakland will shoot for a three-game series sweep on Wednesday. In last night's 7-4 victory at Safeco Field, Mike Pizza ended 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in and Shannon Stewart also drove in two runs for the Athletics. Mark Ellis was 4-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI in the win.

Dallas Braden started on the hill for Oakland and surrendered four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 frames. Ruddy Lugo got the win after tossing 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

A's starter Dan Haren will try to stop a personal three-game losing streak when he takes the ball in Wednesday's series finale. Haren, who is 14-7 with a 3.03 ERA in 30 starts this season, was beaten by Texas the last time out on September 7. He allowed five runs and 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-3 loss.

Haren is 6-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 10 career starts against Seattle.

Seattle is 10-5 against the A's this season, including a 5-4 mark at Safeco Field. Oakland went 17-2 in the 2006 season series with the Mariners.

© 2007 The Sports Network