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Padres-Mariners Preview

Jun 24, 2009 - 7:07 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

San Diego (31-38) at Seattle (35-35), 10:10 p.m. EDT

The San Diego Padres scored more runs in their latest game versus Seattle than during their entire home series against the Mariners last week.

On Wednesday night, the Padres look for a third straight victory in the continuation of a three-game road set against the Mariners.

Adrian Gonzalez hit his 24th homer in San Diego's 9-7 win Tuesday. The output matched a season-high run total for the Padres (31-38), who scored seven times while losing two of three to Seattle a week ago in a series where the majors' lowest-scoring teams combined for 19 runs.

Scott Hairston had two hits in his first game off the disabled list Tuesday, the same day San Diego placed outfielder Brian Giles on the DL with a right knee contusion. Hairston is batting .329 in 44 games this season.

"No doubt, Scotty was productive from early in the season," manager Bud Black told the Padres' official Web site. "We're hoping that he can pick up where he left off."

Despite homering for the second time in five games, Gonzalez is two behind St. Louis' Albert Pujols for the major league lead. Both home runs have come against the Mariners, a club he's batting .333 (5 for 15) against this season.

Russell Branyan and Ken Griffey Jr. each homered Tuesday for Seattle (35-35), which scored five times in the last two innings but left two men on in the ninth to end its three-game winning streak. The Mariners had won five of their previous six.

Though he's batting .225, Griffey is 7 for 18 (.389) with two homers and seven RBIs in his last six games. Five of those RBIs are against San Diego.

For the second straight week, Seattle's Brandon Morrow will oppose Josh Geer. The right-handers faced each other Thursday, as the Padres won 4-3 in 10 innings to snap their major league-record interleague losing streak at 13.

Morrow (0-3, 5.68 ERA), a former reliever, allowed two runs and five hits while striking out six in four innings. He gave up a run and three hits in three innings but didn't factor in the decision of a 5-3 loss to Colorado on June 13 in his first start after making 16 relief appearances.

"It's still early with him," manager Don Wakamatsu told the Mariners' official Web site of Morrow's role change. "He needs to find a pitch that he can get ahead of the hitters."

Geer (1-2, 5.98) allowed three runs and six hits - including two solo homers to Franklin Gutierrez - while striking out six in six innings against the Mariners on Thursday.

"He's still growing as a pitcher," Black said of Geer, who went 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts last season. "He's learning each and every time out what he has to do."

Geer is 0-1 with a 7.33 ERA in four starts since beating the Chicago Cubs on May 23.