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Mariners-Yankees Preview

Jul 1, 2010 - 5:18 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (32-44) at New York (47-29), 1:05 p.m. EDT

Approaching the midway point of its second season at new Yankee Stadium, New York has yet to be swept in a three-game set at home.

CC Sabathia looks to help the Yankees keep things that way as they try to avoid such an occurrence by the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.

New York (47-30) is 82-36 in regular-season home games since moving to its modernized stadium in the Bronx in 2009. Not only have the Yankees yet to be swept in a series of at least three games there, only one opponent was able to take the first two in a series of that duration.

Seattle (33-44), though, became the second after Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez tossed consecutive complete games against the Yankees. The Mariners now have a chance for their first sweep in the Bronx since May 3-5, 2002.

Lee was solid in Seattle's 7-4 win Tuesday, and Hernandez was even better by striking out 11 in a two-hitter in Wednesday's 7-0 victory.

"It's nice to see the way this team is playing," recently acquired Russell Branyan told the Mariners official website after the club won for the ninth time in 12 games.

Though the offense needs to improve after recording 10 hits in two games, the Yankees hope Sabathia (9-3, 3.49 ERA) alone is enough to get them back on track as he tries for a sixth consecutive win.

Since going winless in five May starts, Sabathia is 5-0 with a 2.19 ERA. The left-hander has allowed four hits in eight innings in each of his last two starts. He gave up a run and struck out seven in a 2-1 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

"Just trying to put together solid innings, especially with the May I had," Sabathia said. "I just want to go out there and help the team win. It feels good to be able to do that."

Sabathia is 6-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 starts against Seattle. He's allowed one earned run, seven hits and struck out 18 over 15 innings while winning his last two versus the Mariners.

Though scheduled starter Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-7, 6.18) is not near the caliber of Lee or Hernandez, the Yankees still have to hit. Mark Teixeira and rookie Colin Curtis had New York's hits Wednesday.

Teixeira has an 11-game hitting streak and is 9 for 16 in his last four versus the Mariners. However, he's 2 for 11 with a homer against Rowland-Smith.

Coming off his first victory this season, Rowland-Smith allowed five runs in 5 1-3 innings of an 8-3 loss at Milwaukee on Friday.

He has no record and a 3.38 ERA in two starts against the Yankees.

Michael Saunders hit two of Seattle's four homers Wednesday and drove in three runs.

"I was just excited to be able to come here, especially be able to play in Yankee Stadium," said Saunders, who is batting .217 this season but is 5 for 15 lifetime versus the Yankees.

Seattle finished 14-13 in June for its first winning month this season.