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Rangers-Mariners Preview

Oct 2, 2009 - 6:35 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Texas (86-73) at Seattle (83-76), 10:10 p.m. EDT

While the Seattle Mariners may be saying goodbye to two veterans soon, they'll start their final series of the season by sending one of their promising midseason pickups to the mound.

Ian Snell looks to end the season on a high note and the Mariners will try to win their fourth straight game on Friday night when they open a three-game set against the Texas Rangers.

Seattle acquired Snell (5-2, 4.17 ERA) as part of a seven-player deal with Pittsburgh in July. After a rough start with his new club, the right-hander won four consecutive starts while posting a 2.49 ERA from Aug. 19-Sept. 3, but since then is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in four starts.

He yielded two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-4, 10-inning loss to Toronto last Saturday.

Snell is 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts against the Rangers (86-73). He made his Mariners debut against them Aug. 2, and allowed two runs and three hits over six innings but didn't get a decision in the 4-2 loss.

This could be the final series for Ken Griffey Jr., who has not indicated any plans for next year as he winds down his 21st season in the majors.Griffey did not play in a 4-2 victory over Oakland on Thursday after hitting two homers in the previous two games to push his career total to 629.

Mike Sweeney started at designated hitter and followed a two-out error with a tiebreaking two-run single in the fifth inning.

Sweeney, a 13-year veteran, is on a one-year contract with Seattle (83-76).

"I'm not real familiar with the dates and how free agency works, I'm just soaking up every minute of these last four days," said Sweeney, who turned 36 in July. "This is the most fun I've ever had in the big leagues. It's an amazing clubhouse, playing for a great skipper (Don Wakamatsu).

"I pray I can come back. We'll see how the cards unfold."

The Rangers, meanwhile, snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Los Angeles 11-3 on Thursday. Chris Davis homered and drove in three runs and Kevin Millwood pitched a seven-hitter with 10 strikeouts.

"This was the last chance I got to play for a long time, so I wanted to stay out there as long as I could," Millwood said. "This place has been pretty miserable the last three days, so getting a win today was pretty important for us."

Texas had scored eight runs over the previous four games, getting shut out twice. The Rangers had 15 hits Thursday with six players notching at least two.

The Rangers will open their last series of 2009 by sending Brandon McCarthy (7-4, 4.47) to the mound.

The right-hander is 0-2 in his last three starts despite a respectable 2.81 ERA. He gave up two unearned runs in 7 2-3 innings of 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay as the bullpen surrendered four runs in the ninth.

McCarthy is 1-2 with a 6.46 ERA in four starts and two relief appearances against the Mariners. He was tagged for four runs in seven innings of a 6-5, 11-inning win on May 13.

Texas is 10-6 against Seattle this year.