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Rangers, Mariners play finale at Safeco
Posted: 05/08 - 10:59
Kason Gabbard will try to extend a string of good performances by the Texas Rangers pitching staff when the young left-hander returns to the mound for tonight's finale of a four-game series with the American League West-rival Seattle Mariners.
Texas hurlers have combined for an excellent 2.21 earned run average in seven May games, and that impressive statistic has been compiled without the services of Gabbard, who had been pitching very well before being placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 22 with a stiff lower back.
Gabbard had allowed just five runs in 20 2/3 innings over four starts prior to getting hurt.
The 26-year-old made his major-league debut at Safeco Field on July 22, 2006 while then a member of the Boston Red Sox. Gabbard held the Mariners to three runs -- two earned -- over 5 1/3 innings in that game, but still wound up with the loss in a 5-2 Boston setback.
Gabbard also posted a pair of no-decisions in two additional appearances against Seattle, including one other start.
He'll be attempting to duplicate a gem thrown by teammate Vicente Padilla on Wednesday. The veteran right-hander twirled seven shutout innings and combined with two Texas relievers on a two-hitter in the Rangers' 2-0 triumph over the Mariners.
Padilla (5-2) yielded the two Seattle hits and walked a pair of batters while racking up eight strikeouts to lead Texas to its sixth victory in eight games. After Joaquin Benoit tossed a scoreless eighth, C.J. Wilson preserved the shutout and recorded his eighth save of the season.
Brandon Boggs broke a scoreless tie with an RBI triple off Seattle starter Erik Bedard in the fourth inning, while Milton Bradley socked a solo homer in the sixth to account for the game's other run.
Bedard (2-2) lasted seven innings and surrendered just two runs on six hits in the hard-luck loss.
Seattle, which has now lost seven of its last eight contests and resides at the bottom of the AL West standings, will try to reverse its fortunes tonight behind the talented Felix Hernandez. The Venezuelan phenom has endured some recent struggles of his own, however, having lost back-to-back starts and failing to earn a win in any of his last three mound trips.
Hernandez had his worst outing of the year Saturday in New York, where he was tagged for six runs and 12 hits over a season-low 5 2/3 innings in a 6-1 defeat to the Yankees. He struck out 10 Oakland Athletics five days prior to that start, but also gave up four runs in seven frames and wound up with the loss in that April 27 encounter.
The 22-year-old is 4-4 with a 4.10 ERA in 11 lifetime starts versus Texas, but did pitch very well against the Rangers at Safeco Field earlier this season. That came back on April 1, with Hernandez yielding just one run and five hits through seven innings in a no decision.
The Mariners may be without regular first baseman Richie Sexson for a second straight game. The slugger was scratched from last night's lineup due to an unspecified personal matter.
Despite having lost the last two games of this series, Seattle has won six of its last nine encounters with Texas. The Rangers are also just 5-13 in their last 18 visits to Safeco Field.