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Mariners-Dodgers Preview

Jun 28, 2009 - 6:50 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Seattle (38-36) at Los Angeles (48-27), 4:10 p.m. EDT

With or without Manny Ramirez, the Los Angeles Dodgers have yet to lose consecutive series this season.

The Dodgers, however, need a win Sunday in the finale of a three-game set against the visiting Seattle Mariners to avoid doing just that.

Los Angeles (48-27) is 27-19 since May 7 without its star slugger, who is eligible to return from a 50-game drug suspension Friday. The Dodgers have lost only three of their 14 series during his absence and split three others.

They enter Sunday with three losses in their last four games - dropping two to end a three-game set against the host Chicago White Sox and Saturday night's 5-1 defeat to the Mariners. The best team in the majors hasn't dropped back-to-back series since an eight-game losing streak last Aug. 22-29.

Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, though, put the Dodgers on the brink by limiting the NL's top hitting team (.276) to four singles and a walk while striking out nine over eight innings.

"Felix was just outstanding," Mainers manager Don Wakamatsu said. "I think this game was the best I've seen him with his stuff."

Russell Branyan hit an RBI triple, his first this season, and added a solo homer for his team-leading 19th and fourth in seven games. Ken Griffey Jr. also hit a two-run shot in the third for his third in five games and 55th in interleague play - one behind all-time leader Jim Thome of the White Sox.

In earning their eighth win in 11 games, the Mariners (38-36) had 10 hits for the seventh time in eight games, and they have batted .319 over that span. Ichiro Suzuki had three of his team's 12 hits to raise his major league-leading average to .375 and will try for a career-high eighth straight multihit game Sunday.

Having clinched its first winning record in interleague play since 2006 at 10-7, Seattle is searching for its fourth consecutive series win - all against NL teams.

Left-hander Garrett Olson (2-2, 4.95 ERA) will make consecutive starts for the third time this season but will try to bounce back from his worst outing of the season. Olson, who has never faced the Dodgers, gave up six runs over 5 1-3 innings and took the loss in Tuesday night's 9-7 loss to visiting San Diego.

He is 2-2 with a 5.61 ERA in six starts this season, and has no record and a 2.70 ERA in seven relief appearances.

Los Angeles right-hander Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 3.44), meanwhile, will try to build off one of his best starts after coming within one out of a complete game in Tuesday night's 5-2 win in Chicago. Kuroda, who will make his first appearance against Seattle, has posted wins in consecutive starts just once in his two seasons - July 2-7, 2008.

However, Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre played his final game Saturday before a forthcoming surgery to remove bone spurs in his left shoulder. Beltre, who had the same shoulder operated on last September, is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

The two-time Gold Glove winner, who will be a free agent after the season, was batting .259 with five homers and 30 RBIs.

However, Los Angeles reliever Ronald Belisario, who was arrested early Saturday mooring on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, is expected to again be in uniform Sunday. Belisario, who has a team-best 2.03 ERA, has nine straight scoreless appearances since June 9 and pitched a scoreless inning in Friday's win.

"Whenever a member of your organization is said to be in violation of the law, it is disappointing," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "We will provide any help we can."

The Dodgers, 9-8 in interleague play, are searching for their first winning record against the AL since going 10-8 in 2004.