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Mariners-Rangers Preview

Sep 12, 2009 - 4:59 AM Seattle (72-69) at Texas (79-60), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Seattle Mariners superstar Ichiro Suzuki's pursuit of another milestone was put on hold by rain. So was the Texas Rangers' pursuit of the postseason.

Needing four hits to reach 200 for a ninth consecutive season, Suzuki will face the team he's recorded the most hits against in his career when Seattle (72-69) opens a three-game series against the Rangers on Saturday night in Arlington.

Friday's scheduled series opener was postponed by rain. The teams will play a doubleheader Sunday.

The Rangers (79-60) are two games behind Boston for the AL wild card and 5 1/2 in back of Los Angeles in the AL West as they begin a nine-game homestand against division rivals, including three against the Angels from Sept. 18-20.

Texas hasn't reached the postseason since making its only three appearances from 1996-99.

The start of this series will likely focus on Suzuki. Last season, the perennial All-Star outfielder matched Willie Keeler's major league-record eight straight 200-hit seasons from 1894-1901.

Suzuki went hitless twice in three games against the Angels earlier this week and he is mired in a 1-for-17 slump. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said he expects the day off will be beneficial for the outfielder, who had 262 hits in 2004 to set the single-season mark.

"I think it's on his mind," Wakamatsu said. "When you get this close, anybody is going to feel it. It's something nobody has done in this game and may never come close to."

The Rangers have swept all three doubleheaders they've played this season.

"We don't need a day off," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "But you can't go against what Mother Nature wants to do. It's something that happened and we're going to have to adjust to it. That's something we've been pretty good at doing all year."

Suzuki has 239 career hits against the Rangers and is 13 for 35 in the past eight meetings. He has five career four-hit games versus Texas, but none this season.

He is also 26 for 65 against Rangers starter Kevin Millwood (10-9, 3.77 ERA), tied for the most hits against one pitcher. Suzuki also had 26 hits against the Angels' John Lackey, but struck out twice while going 0 for 4 against him in the Mariners' 3-0 defeat Thursday.

Millwood will try to earn his third win in 12 starts since July. He's 1-2 with a 6.85 ERA over his last four outings and gave up five runs and seven hits with four walks over five innings in a 5-4 defeat Saturday in Baltimore.

He will face the Mariners in Texas for the first time since Aug. 24, 2007 after six straight road starts against them. He's 2-7 with a 6.37 ERA in his last 10 starts against Seattle but 4-2 with a 4.62 ERA in six career matchups in Arlington.

Millwood has split two outings with a 6.08 ERA versus the Mariners this year.

Seattle will counter with Brandon Morrow (0-4, 5.28), who will make his first start since losing to the Rangers on July 10. The former first-round draft pick, recalled Wednesday from Triple-A Tacoma, allowed four runs and six hits with four walks over five innings in that lone career start against Texas.