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Mariners-Rangers Preview

Apr 11, 2010 - 2:23 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Seattle (1-4) at Texas (2-2), 3:05 p.m. EDT

In a year they appeared set to contend for a division title, the Seattle Mariners haven't gotten off to a strong start, but it's not for lack of effort from Franklin Gutierrez.

After helping his team snap a four-game slide, Gutierrez will try to lead the Mariners to their third straight series victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.

The Mariners (2-4) batted .199 through their first five games and received word before this weekend that top starter Cliff Lee is expected to miss the rest of this month because of a strained abdominal muscle.

While it was an inauspicious start to the season, Seattle broke out with a season-high 12 hits Saturday, including three key singles in the ninth inning, in a 4-3 comeback victory. Trailing by two heading into the final frame, Seattle got RBI hits from Ichiro Suzuki, Ken Griffey Jr. and Gutierrez.

Gutierrez drove in the go-ahead run then made a leaping catch against the wall in right-center field in the bottom of the inning to deny Elvis Andrus a potential extra-base hit with one out.

"It was very important, this victory," Gutierrez said. "We've been having a tough time scoring runs. So it was very special that we won. We've got to keep doing it and do it better."

Gutierrez's three-hit performance Saturday gave him a team-best .435 average (10 for 23) and extended his hitting streak to 11 games dating to Sept. 30.

He'll try to add to that streak and help Ian Snell (0-0, 1.50 ERA) to his first win of the season.

The right-hander allowed one run and four hits over six innings Tuesday in Oakland but did not receive a decision in the Mariners' 2-1, 10-inning defeat.

Snell got his only career win over the Rangers in Arlington on June 13, 2007. In an 8-1 victory for Pittsburgh, he scattered seven hits while recording one of his two career complete games.

Snell did not get a decision in two starts in 2009 against Texas but will face a team that's also struggling at the plate to open this season.

The Rangers (2-3) are batting .216, and only Vladimir Guerrero (.474), Joaquin Arias (.455) and Nelson Cruz (.444) are hitting better than .250.

Cruz hit his fourth homer Saturday to give his team a two-run lead in the sixth inning, but Frank Francisco blew his second consecutive save opportunity.

"It's a tough thing; it should have been a win today," Cruz said. "It's really disappointing, but that's baseball. Anything can happen."

Francisco, who retired one batter Saturday, also allowed three runs in the ninth inning of a 3-1 loss to Toronto on Thursday. Texas manager Ron Washington wouldn't say if the Dominican right-hander would remain the team's closer.

"Stay tuned," he said.

Whoever relieves Scott Feldman (0-0, 3.86) could have the opportunity to help the right-hander to his second win in seven starts dating to the end of last season.

Feldman suffered three straight defeats to finish 17-8 in 2009 and did not get a decision in Monday's season opener, a 5-4 home win over Toronto. He allowed three runs and five hits over seven innings, but the Blue Jays' Shaun Marcum also carried a no-hit bid into the seventh.

Feldman was 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in four starts last season against the Mariners.