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Yankees-Mariners Preview

Jul 11, 2010 - 6:18 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (55-32) at Seattle (35-52), 4:10 p.m. EDT

There's probably nobody the New York Yankees want on the mound more after having a lengthy winning streak snapped than ace CC Sabathia.

The All-Star will try to win his eighth straight outing for the Yankees on Sunday when they try to capture a four-game road series against the Seattle Mariners.

New York (55-32) had its seven-game win streak snapped with a 4-1 loss Saturday. Seattle ace Felix Hernandez scattered 10 hits in his third complete game in five outings.

That's the kind of effort the Yankees would like to get from Sabathia (11-3, 3.19 ERA), who can tie Tampa Bay's David Price for the AL lead in victories. Sabathia has won every outing since the start of June, posting a 1.88 ERA in the process.

He's the first Yankee to win seven straight outings since Roger Clemens had an eight-start streak in 2001. It's the longest streak of victorious starts in Sabathia's career.

"It's what he did for us last year," manager Joe Girardi said. "We're all used to seeing it. CC has been an ace for a long time, whether it's been in this league or the National League. He's on a string right now and he's pitching great."

Sabathia gave up one run over 7 2-3 innings Tuesday to earn a 6-1 victory at Oakland. In his previous outing, he gave up two runs - one earned - in eight innings July 1 to earn a 4-2 win over Seattle.

The left-hander is 7-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 15 career regular-season starts against the Mariners (35-52), including 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA in nine at Safeco Field.

Seattle superstar Ichiro Suzuki is 20 for 52 in his career against Sabathia, who has limited Jose Lopez to two hits in 18 at-bats.

Lopez, though, was the hero Saturday with a grand slam in the eighth inning off Joba Chamberlain as the Mariners ended a five-game slide. He ended a 12-game drought without a homer with his second career grand slam.

"I tried to catch a fastball and I did," Lopez said.

The Yankees rested regulars Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada, who did not start and appeared as pinch-hitters in the ninth inning. Jeter had started New York's previous 18 games, and is batting .275 - his worst mark as a full-time starter.

"I thought he could use a day," Girardi told the Yankees' official website. "He's played every day. You look at the amount of at-bats that he's had, and he hasn't had a day off in this stretch."

Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-8, 5.74) will start for Seattle after posting a 3.26 ERA in three previous starts against New York and not receiving any decisions. Rowland-Smith gave up two runs over six innings when he opposed Sabathia July 1.

The left-hander was called into action Tuesday to replace Erik Bedard, who was scratched. Rowland-Smith allowed three runs over seven innings in a 3-2 home loss to Kansas City.