• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Mariners-Reds Preview

May 22, 2016 - 1:41 AM On a weekend when both Seattle and Cincinnati celebrate future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the Mariners have continued to have their way in this interleague series.

The Mariners can sweep the three-game set by handing the Reds a seventh consecutive defeat Sunday.

With Griffey, who spent all but a brief part of his stellar career with Seattle and Cincinnati, set to be inducted into Cooperstown this summer, the Reds chose to honor him while the Mariners are in town.

Though both franchises can equally celebrate Griffey's career, the all-time series between these clubs has been one-sided. Franklin Gutierrez hit a long three-run homer and Felix Hernandez threw six strong innings to help the Mariners (25-17) improve to 12-2 against the Reds with Saturday's 4-0 victory.

Seattle has hit nine home runs while outscoring Baltimore and Cincinnati 31-10 to go 4-1 on a six-game trip. At 17-7, the Mariners have the best road record in the AL.

After going 1 for 14 in his previous seven contests, Gutierrez had two hits and imitated Griffey with his estimated 473-foot home run.

''That was unbelievable, man,'' Hernandez said. ''If I hit a home run like that, I would be so happy.''

Wade Miley (4-2, 4.32 ERA) would certainly be happy to earn a fifth consecutive winning decision. The left-hander looks to build on Tuesday's effort against the Orioles in which he allowed two hits over six innings of the 10-0 victory.

"Wade's got four or five different pitches," manager Scott Servais told MLB's official website. "Sometimes it takes an inning or two to see which ones he's going to work out. Good fastball location, in and out with the fastball."

While pitching for Arizona, Miley went 2-2 with 3.90 ERA in five starts against the Reds, last facing them in 2014.

A loser of 11 of 13, Cincinnati has been outscored 55-19 during a six-game slide. The Reds managed four singles Saturday.

"We didn't put too much pressure on them from an offensive standpoint," manager Bryan Price said.

His lineup might remain thin if outfielder Jay Bruce misses a second straight game because of a sore knee. Bruce was 11 for 17 during a five-game stretch prior to going 0 for 8 in his last two. His only hit in six at-bats against Miley left the park.

Alfredo Simon (1-4, 10.34) looks to bounce back from another rough outing Tuesday, when he gave up a career-high 10 runs and 14 hits over 4 1/3 innings of a 13-1 loss at Cleveland. It was a disappointing result for the right-hander, who allowed three runs in each of his previous two starts that covered 13 2/3-plus innings.

''I tried to throw the ball down as much as I can,'' Simon said. ''It's not happening right now. It's frustrating for me.''

He went 1-0 in two starts against the Mariners last season with Detroit, but posted a 7.15 ERA in those contests.

Robinson Cano is 5 for 12 with a home run against Simon.

It seems unlikely Cano's double-play partner Ketel Marte will be available after he sprained his left thumb Saturday. X-rays were negative.