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Royals-Mariners Preview

Jul 7, 2010 - 6:48 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Kansas City (38-46) at Seattle (34-49), 10:10 p.m. EDT

Kansas City has secured its first winning series in Seattle in almost eight years. It's been much longer since the Royals swept the Mariners on their home field.

The Royals look to accomplish the latter for the first time in 15 years Wednesday night at Safeco Field.

Kansas City (38-46) clinched its first winning series at Seattle since Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2002, with a 3-2 win Tuesday. The Royals, who have won nine of 12 overall, are in position for their first road sweep of the Mariners since 1995.

Wilson Betemit had three hits with three RBIs and Billy Butler added two hits Tuesday for the Royals, who have won four straight series and are 4-1 on a nine-game trip.

"This team has been a lot of fun lately," pitcher Brian Bannister told the Royals' official website.

Butler is 9 for 22 in his last eight games and 7 for 16 against the Mariners (34-49) this season.

Royals outfielder Jose Guillen, who played for the Mariners in 2007, could miss the finale after he pulled up limping after an eighth inning groundout Tuesday. Guillen leads the team with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs.

Seattle has lost five of six and struggled to get much going against Zack Greinke on Tuesday. The Mariners, who have scored 10 runs in their last five losses, could be in for another tough time against scheduled starter Kyle Davies (4-6, 5.64 ERA).

Though Davies has not won since May 28, he is 3-1 with a 3.82 ERA in five starts against Seattle. He allowed one hit in six scoreless innings of a 3-1 home win over the Mariners on April 26. Davies gave up two runs in six innings of his only start at Safeco Field, an 8-4 win Aug. 27.

The right-hander is 0-3 with a 6.89 ERA in his last six starts, but he was effective Friday, allowing one run in 7 2-3 innings of a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Seattle's Franklin Gutierrez is 8 for 14 against Davies, but he's 0 for 9 in this series and 2 for 17 in his last four games overall.

Doug Fister (3-4, 3.22 ERA) takes the ball for the Mariners looking for his first victory since May 14.

The right-hander went 3-1 with a 1.72 ERA in his first seven starts, but is 0-3 with a 5.46 ERA in his last five. Fister allowed five runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-1 loss at Detroit on Friday in his second start since missing almost a month with a shoulder fatigue.

"He's just not quite feeling his release point," manager Don Wakamatsu told the Mariners' official website. "It's just getting him out there pitching again."

Fister lost his only previous appearance versus Kansas City when he gave up five runs and three homers in six innings in the August loss to Davies.