• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Diamondbacks-Mariners Preview

Jun 21, 2009 - 6:29 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Arizona (29-40) at Seattle (34-34), 4:10 p.m. EDT

After a fantastic start to 2009, Felix Hernandez couldn't pick up a win. But that's all he's doing lately.

The right-hander tries to win his third straight start Sunday at Safeco Field where the Seattle Mariners go for their seventh consecutive victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of the three-game interleague set.

Hernandez was 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA in his first five starts, but then went 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA from May 4-19. That stretch was capped off by a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels as he yielded six runs and a season-high 11 hits over 5 2-3 innings.

"Felix wasn't sharp," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu told the team's official Web site after that defeat. "Sometimes you have to ask guys to step up and I didn't think he stepped up today."

Since that loss, though, Hernandez (7-3, 2.77 ERA) has done more than step up. He's 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA in five starts, and tossed a two-hitter in a 5-0 win over San Diego on Tuesday.

It was Hernandez' third career shutout and first since April 11, 2007, at Boston.

"All the pitches felt pretty good," he said Tuesday after surrendering one run or fewer for the fifth straight start. "I had great command."

So did Jason Vargas on Saturday when Seattle (34-34) won its sixth straight over Arizona, 7-3. Vargas improved to 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA in five appearances at home this season by giving up just one earned run and three hits over seven innings. He also retired 17 straight during one stretch.

Mariners starters are 5-2 with a 1.63 ERA in their last 13 games at Safeco Field. Hernandez won his only career start against the Diamondbacks in 2006, but has never faced them in Seattle, which is batting .326 while winning four straight at home.

Making his first start since June 11, Wladimir Balentien had two hits Saturday, including his first homer since April 25. The left fielder also made a leaping catch into the stands to end the game.

After the team learned earlier in the day that Endy Chavez will miss the rest of the season with a severe knee injury suffered in Friday's 4-3 win, Wakamatsu said he'll give Balentien another chance to prove he's an everyday player.

"We talked about it earlier about him stepping up a little bit and I thought he had a great game both offensively and defensively," Wakamatsu said.

Yuniesky Betancourt, who was involved in the collision with Chavez, also had two hits with a two-run double Saturday.

Ichiro Suzuki was 3 for 5 to lift his batting average to. 352. He has hit safely in 39 of his last 41 games.

Arizona (29-40) closes out its six-game trip with Doug Davis (3-8, 3.72) on the mound

The left-hander goes for just his second victory since April 29. Davis, who is 1-5 with a 4.26 ERA in his last nine starts, walked three and yielded three runs in 5 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 5-0 road loss to the loss at Kansas City.

Davis will make his 10th career start against the Mariners and first since 2004 while with Milwaukee. He's 2-5 with a 5.33 ERA as a starter versus Seattle.

After batting .356 with 14 extra-base hits in wins at Kansas City on Wednesday and Thursday, the Diamondbacks are hitting .143 (9 for 63) in the first two games in Seattle.

Justin Upton had three of Arizona's four hits Saturday, including a leadoff homer in the seventh. He is batting .556 with a homer and five RBIs during his four-game hitting streak.

Seattle is 6-2 at home all-time against Arizona.