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Jul 25, 2010 - 6:11 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Boston (55-43) at Seattle (38-60), 4:10 p.m. EDT

The Boston Red Sox received a dominant pitching performance in their last game and lost. Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka will try to help them achieve a different result.

Matsuzaka looks to win three consecutive starts for the first time in nearly two years Sunday when the Red Sox look to deal the Mariners a fourth straight series loss at Safeco Field.

All-Star left-hander Jon Lester struck out a career-high 13 and was perfect through 5 1-3 innings Saturday, but the Red Sox (55-43) lost 5-1 as the Mariners (38-60) rallied with five runs in the final three innings. Seattle had just four hits, with Michael Saunders breaking up Lester's no-hit bid in the sixth with a two-run homer.

"To be able to do that against a guy like Lester, that's a feather in his cap," manager Don Wakamatsu said of Saunders.

Seattle, which is 3-10 at home this month, will try to avoid losing a fourth consecutive series at home for the first time since May 30-June 18, 2008.

Salvaging a split of this four-game set, though, could be a challenge the way Matsuzaka (7-3, 4.29 ERA) is pitching.

After posting a 7.89 ERA in his first four starts, the right-hander is 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA in his last nine. Opponents are batting .206 against him during this stretch.

Matsuzaka struck out six and threw 62 of his 89 pitches for strikes in beating Oakland 2-1 on Monday.

"There are countless small improvements that I would want to make throughout my outing," said Matsuzaka, who last won three straight starts during a four-start stretch Aug. 3-19, 2008. "But this is the type of pitching I really want to continue to do as the season goes on."

Matsuzaka, who is 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA in his last six road starts, is 2-1 with a 3.99 ERA in six outings versus Seattle.

He'll face a Mariners team that is batting a major league-worst .234. Seattle also has the fewest runs (326) and homers (62) in the majors.

The Mariners, who last won two straight June 29-30 at the New York Yankees, will try to give more run support to Sunday's starter Doug Fister (3-6, 3.56). Seattle has scored just seven runs in the right-hander's last four starts, and it was held to a season-low two hits in his 4-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

"I felt good," Fister told the Mariners' official website after striking out a career high-tying six. "I made a few mistakes, and they capitalized on them, in a nutshell."

Fister has lost his last two starts and is 0-5 with a 5.33 ERA since beating Tampa Bay on May 14, but he has not allowed a homer in his last four outings. This will be the first time he faces Boston.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz homered Saturday and is one shy of reaching 20 for the ninth straight season.

Boston, which is 3-3 on its 10-game trip, has won nine of 15 in Seattle since losing nine in a row at Safeco Field.

The Mariners need one win to reach 2,500 in franchise history.