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Rangers-Mariners Preview

Aug 4, 2010 - 6:04 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Texas (61-44) at Seattle (39-67), 10:10 p.m. EDT

With their powerful bats slumping, the Texas Rangers understand how the last-place Seattle Mariners have felt for most of the season.

The Mariners go for a second straight win over the AL West-leading Rangers as the teams continue their series at Safeco Field on Wednesday night.

Texas (61-45) has lost back-to-back games for the first time since the All-Star break and its offense has been relatively quiet for three consecutive contests, totaling five runs and 14 hits in that stretch.

Josh Hamilton's return to the lineup Tuesday night after a two-game absence due to knee tendinitis didn't immediately help. The majors' batting leader went 0 for 4 in a 3-2 loss as his average slipped to .358.

The Mariners (40-67) snapped a seven-game losing streak and a 23-inning scoreless drought, but they still rank last in the majors with 347 runs and a .235 batting average.

"That's the way we need to play right now because obviously we're having a tough time scoring runs," said Seattle outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, who broke a 2-2 tie with a home run in the fifth. "We need to find a way to get it done."

Another pitchers' duel could be on tap Wednesday with Texas' C.J. Wilson facing Mariners right-hander Doug Fister.

The two faced off in Seattle on May 2, with Fister limiting the Rangers to three hits in eight shutout innings. Wilson allowed one run in seven innings, but Texas tied the game in the ninth and won 3-1 in 11 innings.

Wilson (10-5, 3.11 ERA) is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts against Seattle this season, and has posted a 1.77 ERA while winning all three of his outings since the All-Star break.

The left-hander was feeling under the weather Thursday against Oakland, but still held the A's to three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-4 victory.

"We have so many All-Stars we can put out there, so as a pitcher all you try to do is hold the other team down until our offense breaks out," Wilson said.

Fister (3-7, 3.57) hasn't been so fortunate, getting limited run support while going 0-6 with a 5.03 ERA in 10 starts since beating Tampa Bay on May 14. He also spent time on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue in that stretch.

It has been even longer since Fister's last home win, a victory over Baltimore on April 19. He has still posted a 2.58 ERA in 10 home starts this season.

Fister may want to be careful with Rangers slugger Vladimir Guerrero, who's expected to return to the lineup following a scheduled day off.

Guerrero has hit .358 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs in 50 games at Safeco; his average is the highest for any player with at least 200 at-bats at the spacious ballpark.

Texas had won eight of 10 against the Mariners this year before Tuesday, including a three-game sweep at Seattle from April 30-May 2. But the Mariners will now have two chances for their first series victory against any opponent since they took two of three at Yankee Stadium from June 29-July 1.

Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu got a vote of confidence from general manager Jack Zduriencik before Tuesday's game, although Wakamatsu isn't satisfied with the Mariners' results.

"To point the finger or look at me, they have every right to do that," Wakamatsu said. "I feel it every day. I don't sleep at night, but that means a lot to me."