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Mariners-Royals Preview

Apr 27, 2010 - 4:43 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (9-10) at Kansas City (7-11), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Zack Greinke was about to earn his fifth straight win at this point last year. A month into this season, the Kansas City ace is still looking for his first.

The Royals' reigning AL Cy Young Award winner tries a fifth time for that elusive victory and continue his dominance over the struggling Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Greinke (0-2, 3.28 ERA) hasn't pitched poorly this month, but he has not been nearly as dominant as last April when he went 5-0 with a 0.50 ERA to set the tone for his 16-win, award-winning season.

The right-hander also has not gotten much offensive support. Kansas City (8-11) has not scored more than four runs in any of his 2010 starts

"He's had some tough luck," Royals catcher Jason Kendall said. "He's 0-2 and he probably should be three and something."

Greinke is coming off his best start of the young season. He allowed two runs, two hits and struck out eight in seven innings of a 4-3, 10-inning win at Toronto.

Though he didn't earn the win, he was happy with his progress.

"It doesn't really matter," Greinke said of still being winless. "You just do what you do. I finally went deep into the game so that was exciting."

So too might be facing Seattle.

Greinke is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in six career starts against the Mariners. He's allowed one run over 25 innings to win his last three against them, and tossed a complete-game, one-hitter in a 3-0 victory at Seattle on Aug. 30.

Kansas City tries for a third straight win after handing Seattle (9-11) its fourth consecutive loss, 3-1 in Monday's series opener.

Billy Butler had two hits, including his second home run, to help the Royals beat Seattle ace Felix Hernandez and win back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Butler is 7 for 14 in his last three games overall, and hitting .436 with three home runs and eight RBIs in his last 10 versus the Mariners.

Seattle, meanwhile, has scored 13 runs and hit .195 during its four-game skid.

Free-agent pickup Chone Figgins' average dipped to .179 after going 0 for 4 on Monday. He's 2 for 31 in his last 10 games.

Ichiro Suzuki, however, had two hits in the opener and is batting .373 lifetime versus the Royals. He's 6 for 16 against Greinke.

Ian Snell (0-2, 5.14) makes his first start in over a week Tuesday for the Mariners.

The right-hander, who's dealt with the death of a relative and a bacterial virus this month, allowed three runs in five innings of a 4-2 loss to Detroit on April 18.

"I am just trying to get back into my routine," Snell told the Mariners' official website.

Snell is 1-0 with a 5.23 ERA in two career starts versus the Royals.