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Indians-Mariners Preview

Jul 25, 2009 - 6:41 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (39-58) at Seattle (51-45), 4:10 p.m. EDT

It's been two months since the Cleveland Indians won three straight games. They've yet to win that many in a row on the road this season.

The lowly Indians have a chance to accomplish both when they continue their three-game series against Erik Bedard and the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.

Ryan Garko hit a three-run homer, Travis Hafner a two-run shot and Aaron Laffey threw seven strong innings in Cleveland's 9-0 win over Seattle on Friday.

The Indians (39-58), who were coming off a 5-4 victory in Toronto, now look to win three consecutive games for the first time since winning a season-high four straight from May 25-28.

Winners in five of eight away from home, the Indians will try for a third time to win three straight on the road, where they are 19-30 this season.

"We're still going to try and win games and hopefully catch fire here," manager Eric Wedge told the Indians' official Web site.

Hafner is 6 for 14 versus Seattle this season, while Jhonny Peralta is batting .316 (6 for 19) against the Mariners after recording three hits Friday. The pair is a combined 9 for 28 (.321) against Bedard, who's making his second start against the Indians in seven days.

Though he's looking for his fourth straight win, Bedard (5-2, 2.70 ERA) hasn't factored in the outcome in any of his three starts since a stint on the disabled list for shoulder inflammation.

The left-hander allowed two earned runs and four hits while striking out six in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-3 victory at Cleveland on Sunday. Bedard, who has allowed six earned runs in 14 1-3 innings over his last three outings, is 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA in eight starts versus the Indians.

Though the Mariners (51-45) have an AL-best 3.71 ERA, they've allowed nine runs in two of their last four games. Seattle also hopes for a better effort at the plate after Ichiro Suzuki had one of the team's four hits Friday en route to its fourth loss in 12 contests.

The Mariners, whose 374 runs are among the fewest in the majors, have scored four in their last three games.

"Our guys don't give up and we can score runs with anyone," infielder Russell Branyan told the Mariners' official Web site.

Batting .358, Suzuki is 7 for 19 (.368) against Cleveland this season, and 5 for 13 (.385) versus the Indians' Jeremy Sowers, who will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start this contest.

Sowers (2-7, 5.77) is getting the nod after Tomo Ohka was moved to the bullpen because Wedge believes he can be a key part of the rotation despite a 13-26 record in 59 career starts.

"With such a shortage of starters in the game and for us as an organization, when a guy has a chance to be a consistent starter at this level, you have to give him the opportunity to do that," Wedge said.

Sowers has lost two straight starts and four of five, including a 10-6 defeat to the Chicago White Sox in his most recent outing July 7 as he allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings.

He is 2-1 with a 2.52 ERA in four starts versus the Mariners.